General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is Anyone Else TERRIFIED That A Bishop Is Running For President? [View all]fishwax
(29,149 posts)A mormon bishop is roughly similar to a parish priest, with one bishop for each congregation (ward). Of course, there are numerous differences as well, such as that the position of bishop is temporary (mittens was a bishop, but is no longer).
Romney was also a stake president, though, which is a position of greater authority than his position as a bishop. A stake president oversees a stake, which is a collection of wards. (Stake presidents also serve for a longer period of time than bishops do.)
None of this changes the fact that Romney would be a horrible choice for president, or even that his positions of religious authority have been strangely overlooked in the national discussion. But it isn't equivalent to a cardinal running, for the record.