“So ‘higher authority’ is getting a very bad name (as Anglican/Episcopalians can no doubt testify).”
The laity votes in many of these decisions, and are as much to blame as Clergy are. It is not the “hierarchy”, per se, it is the sinful times we live in.
Oddly, the RCC (which many roundly criticize as a “hierarchy”) has retained it’s intergrity to a much greater extent than the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church.
Even secularists like to talk about the “pedophile Priests” in the RCC, for some reason they are silent when it comes to the unrepentant sinners in the Bishopric of the Episcopal church.
At least consider that a lot of that comes from the Roman Catholic church's own elitist claims to be THE, ONE, TRUE church Jesus established and all others aren't even entitled to call themselves a "church" since they aren't in communion with, and subordinate to, the RCC. Even the secularists recognize hypocrisy when they see it.
In my experience, that is not the case in the Presbyterian church. The Synod ordains a direction, and the churches must comply - They cannot bolt without losing their real property... So it is an extremely painful act to sever a church. Hence the laity are captured at the whim of their hierarchy, until the differences are so grievous that there is no choice but to sever.
Oddly, the RCC (which many roundly criticize as a “hierarchy”) has retained it’s intergrity to a much greater extent than the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church.
I certainly don't see that. Rather, the Protestant branches are free to leave and construct a more orthodox branch parallel to the mainline, which you see at least beginning in each instance - Or it's laity will wander off to an already existing, more orthodox branch of another, but similar, denomination... To wit: If you are looking for Calvinist orthodoxy, you will not find it in Presbyterian USA (the largest and most liberal branch), but you will find it in Presbyterian OPC and Presbyterian PCA. These are flourishing, while the old mainline USA withers on the vine.
The Roman church, when it does eat bad fruit, has little means of expelling it, which is why she is so full of pagan syncretisms.