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In Christian churches, a minister is a man or woman who serves a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such persons can minister as a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain, Deacon or Elder. An increasing number of charismatic Christians recognize the offices of the five-fold ministry, which they consider a revival of original Christian practice. In Protestant churches, 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 also be called a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain or Elder. Professional ministers in many religious affiliations are seen as set apart from the community to which they minister through ordination. They are often provided a stipend rather than a wage or salary. By way of contrast, ministers of low churches, brethren, or non-denominational churches are often uncredentialled and often uncompensated. All denominations make some claim to finding their model of leadership (or church governance) in the New Testament. However the variety of relationships is large, ranging from the low church view of a minister as one of the people to that of the minister as priest, set apart and with special authority. Ecclesiology is the area of theology that relates to church structures and ministry. Issues There are contrasting views on the level of remuneration given to ministers relative to the religious community. There is often an expectation that they and their families will eschew ostentation. However there are situations where they are well rewarded for success, whether measured through drawing people to their religious community or enhancing the status or power of the community. There is disagreement between denominations and within some denominations as to whether women, and/or people who are homosexual can be ministers to their churches. Notable contention over the issue of ordination of practicing homosexuals occurred in the 1990s and early 21st century within the Presbyterian Church USA. The U.S. Episcopalian Church has also experienced substantial internal division over the issue of ordination of practicing homosexuals, as well as being alienated from the Anglican church in the third world, especially Africa, by contention over the issue. Roles Ministers may, by themselves or with others: Training and qualifications Depending on the denomination the requirements for ministry vary. All denominations require that the minister has a sense of calling. As regards to training, denominations vary from those that emphasise gifts and abilities and place little emphasis on book learning to those that require advanced tertiary education qualifications for example from a seminary, theological college or university. Priests/Vicars The Roman Catholic, Orthodox churches and Anglican/Episcopal churches refer to their ordained clergy as priests and bishops. Minister is not a title used by the ordained clergy (e.g. priests) nor is it a form of address for them (see Catholic minister). However the term "ordained ministers" may be used to encompass bishops, priests, and deacons. The term rector (from the Latin word for ruler) or vicar may be used for priests in certain settings, especially in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Episcopal traditions. 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/deputy). In the Roman Catholic tradition, the Pope is given the title Vicar of Christ. Pastor The term Pastor tends to be used in many Protestant churches. Pastor comes from the Latin word meaning shepherd and is a reference to Jesus' use of the title the Good Shepherd for himself. A person serving as a pastor will be assigned to a local church or congregation who may be referred to as his or her flock. Clergyman 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 technical title for certain Christian clergy, and its usage is prevalent in ecclesiastical and Canon Law. Holy Orders refer to any recipient of the Sacrament of Ordination, both the Major Orders (bishops, priests and deacons) and the ow 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 laymen 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, a rabbi can be referred to as a clergyman. 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 used as a legal term for one having jurisdiction. Dominie, Dom, Don Chaplain and Almoner, Padre Chaplain as in English and/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 a military unit, school population, patients, etc. The Spanish Padre ('father') is informally used to address them, also in English. Elder Elders in Christianity are involved in the collective leadership of a local church or of a denomination. Forms of address In the majority of churches ordained ministers are titled Reverend, however as above some use the term pastor and others do not use any specific form of address, in which case it would be Mr, Ms, Miss or Mrs as the case may be. Anglican Churches In Anglican Churches the form address depends on the office the person holds: Roman Catholic Church In the Roman Catholic Church the form of address depends on the office the person holds, and the country in which he is being addressed. In most English-speaking countries the forms of address are: In France, a secular priest (i.e. Diocesan priest) is addressed "Monsieur l'Abbé" or, if he is Parish Priest, "Monsieur le Curé", in Germany and Austria he is addressed "Hochwurden" (meaning "very worthy"), in Italy he is addressed "Don" followed by his name (e.g. "Don Luigi Perrone"). Religious priests (i.e. members of religious orders) are addressed "Father" in all countries (Père, Pater, Padre etc). Up until the 19th century, secular clergy in English-speaking countries were addressed as "Mr" (which was, in those days, a title reserved for gentleman, those outside the gentry being called by name and surname only) and only religious priests were called "Father". In the early 19th century the English-speaking custom of calling all priests "Father" came into being. In the Middle Ages, before the Reformation, secular priests were entitled as knights, with the prefix "Sir". See e.g. 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". The French "Monsieur" (like the German "Mein Herr", the Italian "Signor" and the Spanish "Señor") also signifies "My Lord", a title commonly used in times past for any person of rank, clerical or lay. In the Greek-Catholic Church, all clergy are called "Father" including Deacons. Greek-Catholic Patriarchs are addressed Your Beatitude. Orthodox Churches An Orthodox Church metropolitan or patriarch is addressed as Your Beatitude. See also | |||||||
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