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93-458: [REDACTED] Look up minister in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Minister may refer to: Minister (Christianity) , a Christian cleric Minister (Catholic Church) Minister (government) , a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) Minister without portfolio , a member of government with the rank of

186-516: A bishop ( episkopos : Koine Greek ἐπίσκοπος , interpreted as elder by some denominations): This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if

279-411: A president , who is assisted by two counselors and a high council . The stake is made up of several individual congregations, which are called " wards " or "branches." Wards are led by a bishop and his counselors and branches by a president and his counselors. Local leaders serve in their positions until released by their supervising authorities. Generally, all worthy males age 12 and above receive

372-574: A rabbi can be referred to as being a clergy member. Parson is a similar term often applied to ordained priests or ministers. The word is a variant on the English word person from the Latin persona ("mask") used as a legal term for one having jurisdiction. The similar words "Dominie", "Dominee" and "Dom", all derived from the Latin domine (vocative case of Dominus "Lord, Master"), are used in related contexts. Dominie , derived directly from Dutch,

465-771: A bishop and Father for priests, deacons and monks, although there are variations between the various Orthodox Churches. For instance, in Churches associated with the Greek tradition, while the Ecumenical Patriarch is addressed as "Your All-Holiness", all other Patriarchs (and archbishops/metropolitans who oversee autocephalous Churches) are addressed as "Your Beatitude". Orthodox priests, deacons, and subdeacons must be either married or celibate (preferably monastic) prior to ordination, but may not marry after ordination. Re marriage of clergy following divorce or widowhood

558-647: A canon or archdeacon is a priest on retirement and does not hold any additional honorifics. For the forms of address for Anglican clergy, see Forms of address in the United Kingdom . The Baptist tradition only recognizes two ordained positions in the church as being the elders (pastors) and deacons as outlined in the third chapter of I Timothy in the Bible. Ordained clergy in the Catholic Church are either deacons, priests, or bishops belonging to

651-720: A case-by-case basis for married clergymen of other churches or communities who become Catholics, but consecration of already married men as bishops is excluded in both the Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches (see personal ordinariate ). Clerical marriage is not allowed and therefore, if those for whom in some particular Church celibacy is optional (such as permanent deacons in the Latin Church) wish to marry, they must do so before ordination. Eastern Catholic Churches while allowing married men to be ordained, do not allow clerical marriage after ordination: their parish priests are often married, but must marry before being ordained to

744-543: A major schism among Buddhist monastics in about the 4th century BCE, creating the Early Buddhist Schools . While female monastic ( bhikkhuni ) lineages existed in most Buddhist countries at one time, the Theravada lineages of Southeast Asia died out during the 14th-15th Century AD. As there is some debate about whether the bhikkhuni lineage (in the more expansive Vinaya forms) was transmitted to Tibet,

837-412: A man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding

930-505: A military units, schools and hospitals. The Spanish word Padre ("father") is often informally used to address military chaplains, also in English and Portuguese ( Brazil ). Elders (in Greek, πρεσβυτερος [presbuteros]; see Presbyter ) in Christianity are involved in the collective leadership of a local church or of a denomination. Lay people, volunteers , pastoral agents, community leaders are responsible to bring teaching

1023-588: A normal minister but who doesn't head a ministry Shadow minister, a member of a Shadow Cabinet of the opposition Minister (Austria) Minister (diplomacy) , the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador Ministerialis , a member of a noble class in the Holy Roman Empire The Minister , a 2011 French-Belgian film directed by Pierre Schöller See also [ edit ] Ministry (disambiguation) Minster (disambiguation) Yes Minister Topics referred to by

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1116-562: A number of titles. Bishops may have the title of archbishop , metropolitan , and patriarch , all of which are considered honorifics . Among the Orthodox, all bishops are considered equal, though an individual may have a place of higher or lower honor, and each has his place within the order of precedence . Priests (also called presbyters ) may (or may not) have the title of archpriest , protopresbyter (also called "protopriest", or "protopope"), hieromonk (a monk who has been ordained to

1209-526: A partly hereditary priestly class became possible, whereby wealth and clerical positions were frequently inheritable. Higher positioned clergy formed this clerical educated upper class. High Church Anglicanism and High Church Lutheranism tend to emphasise the role of the clergy in dispensing the Christian sacraments. The countries that were once a part of the Swedish Empire , i.e. Finland and

1302-629: A priest, an education is required of two years of philosophy and four of theology , including study of dogmatic and moral theology, the Holy Scriptures, and canon law have to be studied within a seminary or an ecclesiastical faculty at a university. Clerical celibacy is a requirement for almost all clergy in the predominant Latin Church, with the exception of deacons who do not intend to become priests. Exceptions are sometimes admitted for ordination to transitional diaconate and priesthood on

1395-518: A religious institute and live in the world at large, rather than a religious institute ( saeculum ). The Holy See supports the activity of its clergy by the Congregation for the Clergy ( [1] ), a dicastery of Roman curia . Canon Law indicates (canon 207) that "[b]y divine institution, there are among the Christian faithful in the Church sacred ministers who in law are also called clerics;

1488-499: A schism in the American Anglican church . In the majority of churches, ordained ministers are styled " The Reverend ". However, as stated above, some are styled "Pastor" and others do not use any religious style or form of address, and are addressed as any other person, e.g. as Mr, Ms, Miss, Mrs or by name. In Anglican churches, the style for ordained ministers varies according to their office, as below. In all cases,

1581-612: A separate service for the blessing of a cantor . Ordination of a bishop, priest, deacon or subdeacon must be conferred during the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist)—though in some churches it is permitted to ordain up through deacon during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts —and no more than a single individual can be ordained to the same rank in any one service. Numerous members of the lower clergy may be ordained at

1674-466: A single thin robe sufficed; etc. This adaptation of form and roles of Buddhist monastic practice continued after the transmission to Japan. For example, monks took on administrative functions for the Emperor in particular secular communities (registering births, marriages, deaths), thereby creating Buddhist 'priests'. Again, in response to various historic attempts to suppress Buddhism (most recently during

1767-839: A title commonly used in times past for any person of rank, clerical or lay. The term "minister" is used by the Catholic Church in some cases, such as the head of the Franciscans being the Minister General. In the Greek-Catholic Church, all clergy are called "Father", including deacons, who are titled "Father Deacon", "Deacon Father", or simply "Father". Depending on the institution, seminarians may be titled "Brother", "Brother Seminarian", "Father Seminarian" or simply "Father". Their wives are usually addressed as "presvytera", "matushka" or "khourriyye" as in

1860-514: A title. The Church of England defines the ministry of priests as follows: Priests are called to be servants and shepherds among the people to whom they are sent. With their Bishop and fellow ministers, they are to proclaim the word of the Lord and to watch for the signs of God's new creation. They are to be messengers, watchmen and stewards of the Lord; they are to teach and to admonish, to feed and provide for his family, to search for his children in

1953-536: A uniquely Tibetan Buddhism , within which various sects, based upon certain teacher-student lineages arose. Similarly, the interaction between Indian Buddhist monks (particularly of the Southern Madhyamika School) and Chinese Confucian and Taoist monks from c200-c900AD produced the distinctive Ch'an Buddhism. Ch'an, like the Tibetan style, further diversified into various sects based upon

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2046-528: A variety of Buddhist traditions from around the world. In some cases they are forest dwelling monks of the Theravada tradition and in other cases they are married clergy of a Japanese Zen lineage and may work a secular job in addition to their role in the Buddhist community. There is also a growing realization that traditional training in ritual and meditation as well as philosophy may not be sufficient to meet

2139-417: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Minister (Christianity) In Christianity , a minister is a person authorised by a church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings , baptisms or funerals ; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community. The term

2232-422: Is disagreement between various global church denominations, and within membership of denominations, regarding whether women can be ministers. In 2021 excavations at the site of a Byzantine-era Christian basilica revealed floor mosaics which provide evidence of women serving as ministers, including deacons , in the church. There was notable contention over the issue of ordination of non-celibate gay people in

2325-567: Is forbidden. Married clergy are considered as best-suited to staff parishes, as a priest with a family is thought better qualified to counsel his flock. It has been common practice in the Russian tradition for unmarried, non-monastic clergy to occupy academic posts. In the Methodist churches , candidates for ordination are "licensed" to the ministry for a period of time (typically one to three years) prior to being ordained. This period typically

2418-490: Is governed instead by a system of lay priesthood leaders. Locally, unpaid and part-time priesthood holders lead the church; the worldwide church is supervised by full-time general authorities , some of whom receive modest living allowances. No formal theological training is required for any position. The church believes that all of its leaders are called by revelation and the laying on of hands by one who holds authority. The church also believes that Jesus Christ stands at

2511-407: Is looked after by one or more priests, although one priest may be responsible for several parishes. New clergy are first ordained as deacons. Those seeking to become priests are usually ordained to the priesthood around a year later. Since the 1960s some Anglican churches have reinstituted the permanent diaconate, in addition to the transitional diaconate, as a ministry focused on bridges the church and

2604-647: Is not typically used in the LDS Church, it would most appropriately apply to local bishops and stake presidents. Merely holding an office in the priesthood does not imply authority over other church members or agency to act on behalf of the entire church. From a religious standpoint there is only one order of clergy in the Lutheran church, namely the office of pastor . This is stated in the Augsburg Confession , article 14. Some Lutheran churches, like

2697-450: Is often an expectation that they and their families will shun ostentation. However, there are situations where they are well rewarded for successfully attracting people to their religious community or enhancing the status or power of the community. The ordination of women has increasingly become accepted within many global religious faith groups, with some women now holding the most senior positions in these organizational hierarchies. There

2790-590: Is prevalent in canon law . Holy orders refer to any recipient of the sacrament of ordination, both the major orders ( bishops , priests and deacons ) and the now less known minor orders ( acolyte , lector , exorcist and porter ) who, save for certain reforms made at the Second Vatican Council in the Roman Catholic Church, were called clerics or clerk , which is simply a shorter form of cleric . Clerics were distinguished from

2883-412: Is spent performing the duties of ministry under the guidance, supervision, and evaluation of a more senior, ordained minister. In some denominations, however, licensure is a permanent, rather than a transitional state for ministers assigned to certain specialized ministries, such as music ministry or youth ministry. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has no dedicated clergy, and

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2976-772: Is taken from Latin minister ("servant", "attendant"). In some church traditions the term is usually used for people who have been ordained , but in other traditions it can also be used for non-ordained. In the Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Oriental Orthodox Church , Anglicanism and Lutheranism , the concept of a priesthood is emphasized, though in the Church of England there are nearly as many non-ordained licensed lay ministers as there are paid clergy. In other traditions such as Baptist , Methodist , and Reformed groups like Congregationalists and Presbyterians ,

3069-424: Is that of the diaconate. In addition to these three orders of clerics, some Eastern Catholic , or "Uniate", Churches have what are called "minor clerics". Members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life are clerics only if they have received Holy Orders. Thus, unordained monks, friars , nuns , and religious brothers and sisters are not part of the clergy. The Code of Canon Law and

3162-636: Is used in the United States, "Dominee", derived from Dutch via Afrikaans is used in South Africa as the title of a pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church . In Scottish English dominie is generally used to mean just schoolmaster. In various Romance languages , shortened forms of Dominus ( Dom, Don ) are commonly used for Catholic priests (sometimes also for lay notables as well) for example Benedictine Monks are titled Dom , as in

3255-481: The Baltics have more markedly preserved Catholic traditions and introduced far less Reformed traditions, hence the role of bishops, priests and deacons are notably more visible. Bishops, priests and deacons have traditionally officiated over of acts worship, reverence, rituals and ceremonies. Among these central traditions have been baptism , confirmation , penance , anointing of the sick , holy orders , marriage,

3348-628: The Eastern Church , or for those who are tonsured yet have no minor or major orders. It is in this sense that the word entered the Arabic language, most commonly in Lebanon from the French, as kleriki (or, alternatively, cleriki ) meaning " seminarian ." This is all in keeping with Eastern Orthodox concepts of clergy, which still include those who have not yet received, or do not plan to receive,

3441-549: The Episcopal Church in the United States, a parish, which is responsible for its own finances, is overseen by a rector. A bishop is nominally in control of a financially assisted parish but delegates authority to a vicar (related to the prefix "vice" meaning substitute or deputy). The term " pastor " means "shepherd" and is used several times in the New Testament to refer to church workers. Many Protestants use

3534-644: The Jewish tradition , a religious leader is often a rabbi (teacher) or hazzan (cantor). The word cleric comes from the ecclesiastical Latin Clericus , for those belonging to the priestly class. In turn, the source of the Latin word is from the Ecclesiastical Greek Klerikos (κληρικός), meaning appertaining to an inheritance, in reference to the fact that the Levitical priests of

3627-526: The Meiji Era ), the practice of celibacy was relaxed and Japanese monks allowed to marry. This form was then transmitted to Korea , during later Japanese occupation, where celibate and non-celibate monks today exist in the same sects. (Similar patterns can also be observed in Tibet during various historic periods multiple forms of monasticism have co-existed such as " ngagpa " lamas, and times at which celibacy

3720-556: The Old Testament had no inheritance except the Lord. "Clergy" is from two Old French words, clergié and clergie , which refer to those with learning and derive from Medieval Latin clericatus , from Late Latin clericus (the same word from which "cleric" is derived). "Clerk", which used to mean one ordained to the ministry, also derives from clericus . In the Middle Ages, reading and writing were almost exclusively

3813-484: The episcopate ), which according to Roman Catholic doctrine is "the fullness of Holy Orders". Since 1972 the minor orders and the subdiaconate have been replaced by lay ministries and clerical tonsure no longer takes place, except in some Traditionalist Catholic groups, and the clerical state is acquired, even in those groups, by Holy Orders. In the Latin Church the initial level of the three ranks of Holy Orders

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3906-508: The mass or the divine service , and coronations . These so-called "social rituals" have formed a part of human culture for tens of thousands of years. Anthropologists see social rituals as one of many cultural universals . The term rector (from the Latin word for ruler ) or vicar may be used for priests in certain settings, especially in the Catholic and Anglican traditions. In

3999-521: The priesthood . Youth age 12 to 18 are ordained to the Aaronic priesthood as deacons , teachers , or priests , which authorizes them to perform certain ordinances and sacraments. Adult males are ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood , as elders , seventies, high priests , or patriarchs in that priesthood, which is concerned with spiritual leadership of the church. Although the term "clergy"

4092-658: The 1980s within the United Church of Canada , and in the 1990s and early 21st century within the Presbyterian Church USA . The Episcopal Church , the United States branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion , was as of 2016 divided over the issue of ordination of non-celibate gay people. This conflict severely damaged relationships between Anglicans in North America and in the third world , especially Africa and southeast Asia , and has caused

4185-585: The 19th century, secular clergy in English-speaking countries were usually addressed as "Mister" (which was, in those days, a title reserved for gentleman, those outside the gentry being called by name and surname only), and only priests in religious orders were formally called "Father". In the early 19th century it became customary to call all priests "Father". In the Middle Ages, before the Reformation, secular priests were entitled as knights, with

4278-800: The Catholic Church, the form of address depends on the office the person holds, and the country in which he is being addressed as they are usually identical to the titles used by their feudal or governmental equals. In most English-speaking countries, the forms of address are: In France, secular priests (diocesan priests) are addressed "Monsieur l'Abbé" or, if a parish priest, as "Monsieur le Curé". In Germany and Austria priests are addressed as "Hochwürden" (meaning "very worthy") or with their title of office (Herr Pfarrer, i.e. Mr. Parson). in Italy as "Don" followed by his name (e.g. "Don Luigi Perrone"). Religious priests (members of religious orders) are addressed "Father" in all countries (Père, Pater, Padre etc.). Up until

4371-692: The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches prescribe that every cleric must be enrolled or " incardinated " in a diocese or its equivalent (an apostolic vicariate , territorial abbey , personal prelature , etc.) or in a religious institute , society of apostolic life or secular institute . The need for this requirement arose because of the trouble caused from the earliest years of the Church by unattached or vagrant clergy subject to no ecclesiastical authority and often causing scandal wherever they went. Current canon law prescribes that to be ordained

4464-527: The Magisterium considers to be of divine institution. In the Catholic Church, only men are permitted to be clerics. In the Latin Church before 1972, tonsure admitted someone to the clerical state, after which he could receive the four minor orders ( ostiary , lectorate , order of exorcists, order of acolytes) and then the major orders ( subdiaconate , diaconate , presbyterate , and finally

4557-506: The Orthodox world and also by their first names. Greek-Catholic Patriarchs are addressed as Your Beatitude . Eastern clergy are usually addressed by their Christian or ordination name, not their surname. The form of address for Orthodox clergy varies according to order, rank and level of education. The most common forms are the following: The form of address to the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church (belongs to

4650-662: The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to walk with them in the way of Christ, nurturing them in the faith. They are to unfold the Scriptures, to preach the word in season and out of season, and to declare the mighty acts of God. They are to preside at the Lord's table and lead his people in worship, offering with them a spiritual sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. They are to bless the people in God's name. They are to resist evil, support

4743-524: The United States, Pure Land priests of the Japanese diaspora serve a role very similar to Protestant ministers of the Christian tradition. Meanwhile, reclusive Theravada forest monks in Thailand live a life devoted to meditation and the practice of austerities in small communities in rural Thailand- a very different life from even their city-dwelling counterparts, who may be involved primarily in teaching,

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4836-507: The appropriate secular title (Mister, Doctor, etc.) for that person, particularly in the Evangelical tradition; it is also increasingly common to dispense with formal addresses and titles in favour of verbal address simply by given name. Bishops may be addressed as "My Lord", and less formally as "Bishop". Similarly, archbishops may be addressed as "Your Grace", and less formally as "Archbishop". The titles "My Lord" and "Your Grace" refer to

4929-559: The community. Buddhist clergy are often collectively referred to as the Sangha , and consist of various orders of male and female monks (originally called bhikshus and bhikshunis respectively). This diversity of monastic orders and styles was originally one community founded by Gautama Buddha during the 5th century BC living under a common set of rules (called the Vinaya ). According to scriptural records, these celibate monks and nuns in

5022-655: The consecration of women as bishops, only five have ordained any. Celebration of the Eucharist is reserved for priests and bishops. National Anglican churches are presided over by one or more primates or metropolitans (archbishops or presiding bishops). The senior archbishop of the Anglican Communion is the Archbishop of Canterbury , who acts as leader of the Church of England and 'first among equals' of

5115-569: The diaconate, the presbyterate, or the episcopate, respectively. Among bishops, some are metropolitans , archbishops , or patriarchs . The pope is the bishop of Rome , the supreme and universal hierarch of the Church, and his authorization is now required for the ordination of all Roman Catholic bishops. With rare exceptions, cardinals are bishops, although it was not always so; formerly, some cardinals were people who had received clerical tonsure , but not Holy Orders . Secular clergy are ministers, such as deacons and priests, who do not belong to

5208-469: The diaconate. A priesthood is a body of priests , shamans , or oracles who have special religious authority or function. The term priest is derived from the Greek presbyter (πρεσβύτερος, presbýteros , elder or senior), but is often used in the sense of sacerdos in particular, i.e., for clergy performing ritual within the sphere of the sacred or numinous communicating with the gods on behalf of

5301-711: The domain of the priestly class, and this is the reason for the close relationship of these words. Within Christianity , especially in Eastern Christianity and formerly in Western Roman Catholicism , the term cleric refers to any individual who has been ordained, including deacons , priests , and bishops . In Latin Catholicism , the tonsure was a prerequisite for receiving any of the minor orders or major orders before

5394-564: The episcopacy. Although not a formal or canonical prerequisite, at present bishops are often required to have earned a university degree, typically but not necessarily in theology . Usual titles are Your Holiness for a patriarch (with Your All-Holiness reserved for the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople ), Your Beatitude for an archbishop/metropolitan overseeing an autocephalous Church , Your Eminence for an archbishop/metropolitan generally, Master or Your Grace for

5487-503: The family of Oriental Orthodox Churches ) is almost the same. Clergy In Christianity , the specific names and roles of the clergy vary by denomination and there is a wide range of formal and informal clergy positions, including deacons , elders , priests , bishops , preachers , pastors , presbyters , ministers , and the pope . In Islam , a religious leader is often known formally or informally as an imam , caliph , qadi , mufti , mullah , muezzin , and ulema . In

5580-687: The formal style should be followed by a Christian name or initial, e.g. the Reverend John Smith, or the Reverend J. Smith, but never just the Reverend Smith. These are formal styles. In normal speech (either addressing the clergy or referring to them) other forms of address are often used. For all clergy, this may include the titles "Father" (male) or "Mother" (female), particularly in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, or simply

5673-402: The formal, church-based leadership or an ordained clergy in matters of either the church or broader political and sociocultural import. The churches have three orders of ordained clergy: Until the Reformation, the clergy were the first estate but were relegated to the secular estate in Protestant Northern Europe . After compulsory celibacy was abolished during the Reformation, the formation of

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5766-421: The gospel in the forefront helping the clergy to evangelize people. Agents ramify in many ways to act and be in touch with the people in daily life and developing religious projects, socio-political and infrastructural. Monsignor is an ecclesiastical title of honor bestowed on some priests . There are contrasting views on the level of compensation given to ministers relative to the religious community. There

5859-427: The head of the church and leads the church through revelation given to the President of the Church , the First Presidency , and Twelve Apostles , all of whom are recognized as prophets, seers, and revelators and have lifetime tenure. Below these men in the hierarchy are quorums of seventy , which are assigned geographically over the areas of the church. Locally, the church is divided into stakes ; each stake has

5952-407: The laity by having received, in a formal rite of introduction into the clerical state, the tonsure or corona (crown) which involved cutting hair from the top and side of the head leaving a circlet of hair which symbolised the Crown of Thorns worn by Christ at his crucifixion. Though Christian in origin, the term can be applied by analogy to functions in other religious traditions. For example,

6045-530: The latter are commonly or exclusively occupied by clerics. A Roman Catholic cardinal, for instance, is almost without exception a cleric, but a cardinal is not a type of cleric. An archbishop is not a distinct type of cleric, but is simply a bishop who occupies a particular position with special authority. Conversely, a youth minister at a parish may or may not be a cleric. Different churches have different systems of clergy, though churches with similar polity have similar systems. In Anglicanism , clergy consist of

6138-407: The minister to have a vocation , a sense of calling . In regards to training, denominations vary in their requirements, from those that emphasize natural gifts to those that also require advanced tertiary education qualifications; for example, from a seminary , theological college or university . One of the clearest references is found in 1 Timothy 3:1–16 , which outlines the requirements of

6231-443: The mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. The Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Anglican , Lutheran , Reformed and some Methodist denominations have applied

6324-838: The needs and expectations of American lay people. Some communities have begun exploring the need for training in counseling skills as well. Along these lines, at least two fully accredited Master of Divinity programs are currently available: one at Naropa University in Boulder, CO and one at the University of the West in Rosemead, CA. Titles for Buddhist clergy include: In Theravada: In Mahayana: In Vajrayana: In general, Christian clergy are ordained ; that is, they are set apart for specific ministry in religious rites. Others who have definite roles in worship but who are not ordained (e.g. laypeople acting as acolytes ) are generally not considered clergy, even though they may require some sort of official approval to exercise these ministries. Types of clerics are distinguished from offices, even when

6417-406: The orders of deacons , priests (presbyters), and bishops in ascending order of seniority. Canon , archdeacon , archbishop and the like are specific positions within these orders. Bishops are typically overseers, presiding over a diocese composed of many parishes , with an archbishop presiding over a province in most, which is a group of dioceses. A parish (generally a single church)

6510-408: The other members of the Christian faithful are called lay persons". This distinction of a separate ministry was formed in the early times of Christianity; one early source reflecting this distinction, with the three ranks or orders of bishop , priest and deacon , is the writings of Saint Ignatius of Antioch . Holy Orders is one of the Seven Sacraments , enumerated at the Council of Trent , that

6603-493: The places held by these prelates in the Church of England within the order of precedence of the state; however, the same titles are also extended to bishops and archbishops of other Anglican churches, outside England. As Anglicanism represents a broad range of theological opinion, its presbyterate includes priests who consider themselves no different in any respect from those of the Catholic Church , some parishes and dioceses in " Low Church " or Evangelical circles prefer to use

6696-841: The prefix "Sir". See examples in Shakespeare's plays like Sir Christopher Urswick in Richard III. This is closer to the Italian and Spanish "Don" which derives from the Latin "Dominus" meaning "Lord;" in English, the prefix "Dom" is used for priests who are monks , a prefix which was spelled "Dan" in Middle English. The French "Monsieur" (like the German "Mein Herr", the Italian "Signor" and the Spanish "Señor") also signifies "My Lord",

6789-461: The priesthood) archimandrite (a senior hieromonk) and hegumen (abbot). Deacons may have the title of hierodeacon (a monk who has been ordained to the deaconate), archdeacon or protodeacon . The lower clergy are not ordained through cheirotonia (laying on of hands) but through a blessing known as cheirothesia (setting-aside). These clerical ranks are subdeacon , reader and altar server (also known as taper-bearer ). Some churches have

6882-434: The priesthood. Eastern Catholic Churches require celibacy only for bishops. Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The Eastern Orthodox Church has three ranks of holy orders: bishop, priest, and deacon. These are

6975-422: The primates of all Anglican churches. Being a deacon, priest or bishop is considered a function of the person and not a job. When priests retire they are still priests even if they no longer have any active ministry. However, they only hold the basic rank after retirement. Thus a retired archbishop can only be considered a bishop (though it is possible to refer to "Bishop John Smith, the former Archbishop of York"),

7068-466: The ranks of the archimandrites, and are required to be celibate; however, a non-monastic priest may be ordained to the episcopate if he no longer lives with his wife (following Canon XII of the Quinisext Council of Trullo ) In contemporary usage such a non-monastic priest is usually tonsured to the monastic state, and then elevated to archimandrite, at some point prior to his consecration to

7161-668: The same offices identified in the New Testament and found in the Early Church , as testified by the writings of the Holy Fathers . Each of these ranks is ordained through the Sacred Mystery (sacrament) of the laying on of hands (called cheirotonia ) by bishops. Priests and deacons are ordained by their own diocesan bishop , while bishops are consecrated through the laying on of hands of at least three other bishops. Within each of these three ranks there are found

7254-679: The same service, and their blessing usually takes place during the Little Hours prior to Liturgy, or may take place as a separate service. The blessing of readers and taper-bearers is usually combined into a single service. Subdeacons are ordained during the Little Hours, but the ceremonies surrounding his blessing continue through the Divine Liturgy, specifically during the Great Entrance . Bishops are usually drawn from

7347-413: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Minister . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minister&oldid=1208024489 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

7440-402: The state churches of Scandinavia, refer to this office as priest . However, for practical and historical reasons, Lutheran churches tend to have different roles of pastors or priests, and a clear hierarchy. Some pastors are functioning as deacons or provosts, others as parish priests and yet some as bishops and even archbishops . Lutherans have no principal aversion against having a pope as

7533-476: The status and future of female Buddhist clergy in this tradition is sometimes disputed by strict adherents to the Theravadan style. Some Mahayana sects, notably in the United States (such as San Francisco Zen Center ) are working to reconstruct the female branches of what they consider a common, interwoven lineage. The diversity of Buddhist traditions makes it difficult to generalize about Buddhist clergy. In

7626-480: The study of scripture, and the administration of the nationally organized (and government sponsored) Sangha. In the Zen traditions of China, Korea and Japan, manual labor is an important part of religious discipline; meanwhile, in the Theravada tradition, prohibitions against monks working as laborers and farmers continue to be generally observed. Currently in North America, there are both celibate and non-celibate clergy in

7719-480: The style Dom Knight . Dom or Dominus, as well as the English equivalent, Sir were often used as titles for priests in England up to the 17th century who held Bachelor of Arts degrees. Chaplain as in English or almoner (preferred in many other languages) or their equivalents refer to a minister who has another type of pastoral "target group" than a territorial parish congregation (or in addition to one), such as

7812-445: The term "minister" usually refers to a member of the ordained clergy who leads a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such a person may serve as an elder ( presbyter ), pastor , preacher, bishop , or chaplain . Ministers are also described as being a man of the cloth . With respect to ecclesiastical address , many ministers are styled as " The Reverend "; however, some use "Pastor" or "Father" as

7905-464: The term as a prenominal title (e.g., Pastor Smith) or as a job title (like Senior Pastor or Worship Pastor). The English word clergy derives from the same root as clerk and can be traced to the Latin clericus which derives from the Greek word kleros meaning a "lot" or "portion" or "office". The term Clerk in Holy Orders is still the official title for certain Christian clergy and its usage

7998-582: The time of the Buddha lived an austere life of meditation, living as wandering beggars for nine months out of the year and remaining in retreat during the rainy season (although such a unified condition of Pre-sectarian Buddhism is questioned by some scholars). However, as Buddhism spread geographically over time – encountering different cultures, responding to new social, political, and physical environments – this single form of Buddhist monasticism diversified. The interaction between Buddhism and Tibetan Bon led to

8091-464: The title presbyter or "minister" in order to distance themselves from the more sacrificial theological implications which they associate with the word "priest". While priest is the official term for a member of the presbyterate in every Anglican province worldwide, the ordination rite of certain provinces (including the Church of England ) recognizes the breadth of opinion by adopting the title The Ordination of Priests (also called Presbyters) . In

8184-612: The tonsure, minor orders , and the subdiaconate were abolished following the Second Vatican Council . Now, the clerical state is tied to reception of the diaconate. Minor Orders are still given in the Eastern Catholic Churches , and those who receive those orders are 'minor clerics.' The use of the word cleric is also appropriate for Eastern Orthodox minor clergy who are tonsured in order not to trivialize orders such as those of Reader in

8277-489: The transmission style of certain teachers (one of the most well known being the 'rapid enlightenment' style of Linji Yixuan ), as well as in response to particular political developments such as the An Lushan Rebellion and the Buddhist persecutions of Emperor Wuzong . In these ways, manual labour was introduced to a practice where monks originally survived on alms; layers of garments were added where originally

8370-481: The weak, defend the poor, and intercede for all in need. They are to minister to the sick and prepare the dying for their death. Guided by the Spirit, they are to discern and foster the gifts of all God's people, that the whole Church may be built up in unity and faith. Ministers may perform some or all of the following duties: Depending on the denomination, the requirements for ministry vary. All denominations require

8463-516: The wilderness of this world's temptations, and to guide them through its confusions, that they may be saved through Christ forever. Formed by the word, they are to call their hearers to repentance and to declare in Christ's name the absolution and forgiveness of their sins. With all God's people, they are to tell the story of God's love. They are to baptize new disciples in the name of the Father, and of

8556-579: The world, especially ministry to those on the margins of society. For a short period of history before the ordination of women as deacons, priests and bishops began within Anglicanism, women could be deaconesses . Although they were usually considered having a ministry distinct from deacons they often had similar ministerial responsibilities. In Anglicanism all clergy are permitted to marry. In most national churches women may become deacons or priests, but while fifteen out of 38 national churches allow for

8649-678: Was relaxed). As these varied styles of Buddhist monasticism are transmitted to Western cultures, still more new forms are being created. In general, the Mahayana schools of Buddhism tend to be more culturally adaptive and innovative with forms, while Theravada schools (the form generally practiced in Thailand , Burma , Cambodia , and Sri Lanka ) tend to take a much more conservative view of monastic life, and continue to observe precepts that forbid monks from touching women or working in certain secular roles. This broad difference in approach led to

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