Minister (Christianity)
Religious occupation in Christianity / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Minister of religion?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
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 is taken from Latin minister ("servant", "attendant").[1] 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.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2021) |
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 (also known as Readers) as there are paid clergy.[2] In other traditions such as Baptist, Methodist, and Calvinist groups like Congregationalists and Presbyterians, 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 woman/man of the cloth. With respect to ecclesiastical address, many ministers are styled as "The Reverend"; however, some use "Pastor" or "Father" as a title.