What is the difference between a bishop and an archbishop?

Answer 1

A "jurisdictional" Bishop is the head of a diocese that governs a number of churches, and -- usually -- their pastors. A "Suffragan" Bishop i a Bishop who has been appointed to the office, but is not (yet) assigned to his/her own diocese. Bishops are seen in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, and some Pentecostal and "non-denominational" churches.

Although a few Pentecostal bodies have Archbishops (Greek: "arche" chief; "episkopos" bishop) they are mainly seen in the Roman, Orthodox, and Anglican churches.

They might be called "supervisors." The Archbishop is the head of a diocese who also "oversees" several other bishops -- usually Suffragan Bishops. Often they are the head of the diocese in the biggest city in the area, whereas the Bishops are over dioceses in smaller cities.

In the Orthodox Church the Archbishop is sometimes called a "Metropolitan"

From the New Catholic Dictionary: http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/ncd00726.htm

an archbishop has jurisdiction over an archdiocese such as the archdiocese of Newark. The Catholic church does not normally use the term Bishopric- but uses diocese for the smaller and archdiocese for the larger Bishop"s territorial domains. In popular use, an Archbishop is of episcopal rank and can ordain clergy and administer the sacrament of Confirmation which requires a minimum clerical rank of-Bishop. a metropolitan is a Russian Orthodox churchman with broad municipal powers- over say Moscow or St. Petersberg. No, Stasia, he does not wear a subway conductor"s ( flattop ) hat! that is an old joke, he wears the episcopal Mitre. In the Russian Orthodox church there are also Archpriests who rank between Priest and Bishop akin perhaps to the Western Monsignor. There you have it, under the (clerical) hat.

Answer 2

A bishop is in charge of a dioceses (a group of parishes). An archbishop is in charge of an archdioceses (a large dioceses).