A bishops "owes" his authority to an Apostle who received it from God. Just as the Church was where the apostles were with their flock, so it is with the bishop.
The idea that somehow all the churches make up a Body of Christ in a physical sence, and are akin to our body parts is insane! Compating churches to eyes, finger and hands of one and the same body...no, I am sorry.
We are talking transcendental God, not a circumscribed human! What happened to Orthodox apophatic knowledge? The Holy Spirit is here, there, and everywhere; yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever.
The Church is where the bishop is. The fact that bishops "commune" and defer to each other in honor is a different story altogether.
When we say that the bishops are in communion, it means they share one and the same faith; like drinking out of one and the same cup. Why convolute things? If you teach Trinity and I teach three separate gods we can't be un communion even if we celebrate the Eucharist and everything esle exactly the same way.
"The idea that somehow all the churches make up a Body of Christ in a physical sence, and are akin to our body parts is insane! Compating churches to eyes, finger and hands of one and the same body...no, I am sorry."
Which is why I said the Churches in communion with each other Mystically make up the Body of Christ.