When the Episcopal Church was established during the same time frame as the US Constitution, 13 diocese were formed. One for each State. It was set up like the Federation of States with each separate, yet connected with the others. The national church was to be governed by a General Convention meeting every three years and consisting of a House of Bishops and House of Deputies (half clergy and half lay people) The nominal head was to be a Presiding Bishop elected by the Convention. The Bishop elected was to remain a Diocesan Bishop as his only job was to preside over the House of Bishops and the Convention. He had no authority or power. What is today has all been added over the years,
When the present church finally withers and dies, then the individual parishes around the nation, at least in the South and mid-America may well rise again as most Episcopalians I know don’t pay any attention to the national church’s doings.
The early church had it right.
Believe it or not, there was a time a few generations ago when the church was known as, “The Republican Party at prayer.”