Questions tagged [clergy]
For questions relating to the subject of formal leaders within established Christian denominations.
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Did pastors or clergymen get killed by snakebite?
We read in Acts 28 how St. Paul survived the bite of a deadly viper in the Island Melita. In fact, we seldom come across Christian missionaries, pastors, or clergymen getting killed by snakebite. One ...
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What are the root causes of the recent clerical sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church?
What are the root causes of the recent clerical sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church?
A comment to this question (Is it known which seminary or seminaries produced the majority of Catholic ...
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In 1820 how were the Canons of Durango installed?
I am trying to figure out the date when Agustín Fernández became canon priest of Durango, Mexico. I know these steps were taken:
Some time in 1820, the bishop and cathedral chapter chose him as canon,...
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When did the Catholic Church first prohibit bishops from remarrying?
We see the exhortation of St. Paul at 1 Timothy 3: 1-3:
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, ...
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What is the earliest historical instance of state-paid Clergy?
Years ago I read in a book about the days of Constantine and how the early church fathers, who had been ducking the persecutors' swords for so long, were overwhelmed when the Roman State turned benign ...
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Why are some clergy referred to as "Monsignor" and others not?
I've heard the title of "Monsignor" used for bishops, archbishops, and even priests. Why are some clergy given this title and others not?
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What is the justification used by the Nazarene denomination that permits women to be pastors/ elders?
Nazarenes allow for, and indeed pride ourselves on, our allowance of women in the pastorate. What is their justification for doing so?
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Oldest monasteries where natural science is still practiced?
Science and religion are actually not mutually exclusive at all.
In history, we know many examples of clerical scientists.
What is the oldest still existing convent (monastery) where monks still ...
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A canon priest's impressive clothing
Agustín Fernández de San Vicente, Canon of the Cathedral of Durango, traveled in 1822 to California as a political emissary. He was a gambler and a dandy who, unsurprisingly, dressed better than the ...
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Why are Catholic bishops styled as archbishops?
In the British Isles, bishops of both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Churches are all styled "Right Reverend"; archbishops are "Most Reverend":
The Rt Revd John Smith, Bishop of ...
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Hierarchy and paid clergy of Jehovah's Witnesses church [closed]
Why do Jehovah's Witnesses say they have no hierarchy or paid clergy in the church organization, when from the Overseer clergy and upwards they get a wage, fully funded car and pension.
Are the ...
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How do I interpret this list of mediaeval rectors?
This is a rewording of the question What differentiates a priest, a clerk, a capellanus, a subdeacon and a rector?. While I asked much the same questions within the body of the article there, the ...
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What differentiates a priest, a clerk, a capellanus, a subdeacon and a rector?
I have been looking at the list of rectors of Eversholt church, Bedfordshire, from the Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue. The various people listed there are each described as one of: (with ...
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What is the highest position a married man can achieve in the Catholic church?
If a man is married, but feels the need to formally take part in the day-to-day operations of his local Catholic church what would be the best post for him to apply to and what is the highest post he ...
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In the Christian Reformed Churches, who evaluates the pastor's theological beliefs?
Note: This question is admittedly a bit technical, but I hope it serves to clarify differences in polity between two distinct but related Reformed traditions in the US.
In the brand of ...
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Roughly how many Christian priests, and how many 'rotten apples' are there? [closed]
The credibility of Christianity has been severely damaged by a few Christian Priests being found guilty of molesting minors. I would like to quantify just how small a minority this is. So how many ...
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In the Catholic Church, other than cardinals, are there any other prelates that may don red cassocks?
In the Catholic Church, the clerical dress (cassock) of cardinals is scarlet red in color. Are there any other catholic prelates who may don red cassocks?
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Why are church leaders called "Father"?
Could anyone explain to me why some groups of Christians call their leaders "Father"?
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Significance of different colored vestments worn by Catholic clergy
What color vestments are worn by the Catholic clergy (Roman rite) during Mass, and what is their significance?
user900
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Why doesn't the Roman Catholic church defrock Richard Rohr? [closed]
Richard Rohr is a popular author and retreat leader. His philosophy combines Christianity, Jungian psychology, and a variety of insights gained from eastern religions. He quotes often from the early ...
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Are there any non-pacifist traditions that object to military chaplaincy?
I'd like to know if there are any non-pacifist Christian traditions or denominations, either historical or contemporary, that object to individual participation in the military as a non-combat ...
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Why are archdeacons (Anglican, Catholic, or Orthodox) called "The Venerable"? What is the origin, in Latin and English, of this title?
Wikipedia doesn't seem to provide a fleshed-out etymology of this title. Who first held it? When did its usage become applied to all archdeacons. And do archdeacons ever have issues with the title, ...
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How do the Pope, Bishops, Priests relate to one another in the Catholic Church's hierarchy? [duplicate]
This excellent question What are the positions relative to each other in the Catholic church's clerical hierarchy? | @Reluctant_Linux_User and its answers have revived some questions on my part which ...
user13992
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What are the positions relative to each other in the Catholic church's clerical hierarchy?
I sometimes find myself lost in my own church's different levels of clergy and the Catholic church's seems even more complex? What different positions in the clergy exist within the Roman Catholic ...
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When did the use of formal, seminary-type education begin and why?
When did it become the norm for church leaders to get a formal Christian education and why did that process begin?
When I say formal education I'm not talking about the mentor/mentee style that Jesus ...
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How do non-sacramental denominations identify and ordain pastors and other leaders?
I'm aware that not all Christian denominations call the leaders/pastors of local congregations "priests" (as Catholics, Orthodox, some Anglicans, and apparently some Lutherans do, perhaps among others)...
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How is "binding and loosing" extrapolated to all clergy?
Matthew 16:19
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
I recently ...
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From where does the teaching on women in ministry come? [duplicate]
First off, since I know this may be a somewhat controversial question in today's climate, let me just state that I'm not intending to take any part in that controversy. I'm just asking this question ...
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Which Christian churches have an entirely unpaid/lay clergy?
Of those Churches what is their form of governance that allows them to run smoothly lacking fulltime ecclesiastical professionals? How does one ascend into a leadership role in the Church?
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What is the argument against the imposition of clerical celibacy as practiced in the Roman Catholic Church?
The Roman Catholic Church requires its priests to practice celibacy. This has not always been the case, though. In fact, it was not instituted until the 11th century.
Protestant churches have no ...
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What makes someone an antipope?
Rather straight forward question. There have been multiple men declared antipopes. Is it different each time, or generally the same set of circumstances that causes this?
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Do any Christian denominations have any policies to prevent nepotism?
Nepotism: The practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, esp. by giving them jobs.
In the secular world giving a friend a salaried position over another person ...
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How to compare Christian pastor credentials?
Requirements for ordination vary across denominations. Baptists and Pentecostals, for example, will ordain people without even a high school diploma, whereas many of the more liturgical denominations ...
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What is the biblical basis/justification for requiring a pastor be educated?
As a Baptist, while I don't know of any specific requirements for a pastor, it is generally accepted that a head pastor would have some sort of seminary education, be it a Masters or even a Doctorate ...
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Martin Luther's take on Roman Catholic clergy individuals living (immediately) before him
Is there any evidence that Martin Luther considered any of the Roman Catholic clergymen who lived in the centuries preceding his own lifetime (evidence related to those living in the centuries ...
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Is it true that Luther didn't consider anyone of the Catholic clergy to be a member of the true Church of God?
Someone told me that Luther had a teaching about the true invisible Church that was a far cry from what could be seen as the Church at his time. Is it true that Luther didn't consider anyone of the ...
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What is the difference between a pastor, a priest, and a minister?
No, this is not the start of a joke about a bunch of people walking into a bar. Rather, I thought it would be helpful to clarify various titles that people give to leadership roles in churches.
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When did the prohibition of marriage for priests in the Catholic church originate?
The Bible mentions that one of the miracles Jesus performed was the healing of Peter's mother-in-law. This makes it quite clear that Peter himself was married, and Peter is the considered the first ...
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Why does Catholicism have priests but Protestantism does not?
The Catholic Church (and apparently Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopalian churches) have clergy with the title of "priest", as did Old Testament Judaism. Are Protestant "preachers", "reverends", "...
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