Holy Orders (Christianity)

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[[Image:Priestly ordination.jpg|At priestly ordination the [[bishop]] lays hands upon the [[deacon]] as part of the process of ordaining him to become a Roman Catholic [[priest]]. This is a photograph of the pre-Vatican II rite.|right|213px|thumb]]
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{{Christianity}}
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The term '''Holy Orders''' comes from the [[Latin]] ''Ordo'' (order) and the word [[holy]] referring to the [[church]]. Historically, an ''order'' refers to an established civil body or organization with a [[hierarchy]]. Thus, the term ''holy order'' has come into usage referring to a group with a hierarchy that is engaged in the [[ministry]] and leadership of religious group. Within the [[Christian]] Church, the term takes on an even more specific meaning when it is used to refer to a holy order as one of the Holy [[Sacrament]]s/[[Eastern Orthodox Church#Mysteries|Mysteries]] instituted by [[Jesus Christ]] as a tenet of faith of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and the [[Anglican Church]].  
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Members of holy orders, as leaders of their [[religion|religious]] [[community|communities]], hold the power to make their respective communities thrive or founder. They are responsible to lead the members of their communities of [[faith]] in the right direction, toward a [[morality|moral]] and [[holy]] life, toward mutual support in their community, and toward [[spirituality|spiritual]] health. Sometimes, in their zeal to further their own community of faith, members of holy orders may influence those following them to pursue the vitality and success of their own community of faith even at the expense of others, giving rise to conflicts between religious communities, an unfortunate contribution to the modern world in its struggle to achieve universal [[peace]].
  
The term '''Holy Orders''' comes from the [[Latin]] ''Ordo'' (order) and the word [[holy]] referring to the [[church]]. Historically, an ''order'' refers to an established civil body or organization with a [[hierarchy]]. Thus the term ''holy order'' as it came into usage referred to a group with a hierarchy that is engaged in [[Ministry]] in the Christian church.  Today, however, the term is often used in a broader sense, to refer to the hierarchy in any religious group, including but not limited to the Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish and Hindu faiths.
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[[Image:Priestly ordination.jpg|'''Catholic:''' At priestly ordination the [[bishop]] lays hands upon the [[deacon]] as part of the process of ordaining him to become a [[priest]]. This is a photograph of the pre-[[Vatican II]] rite.|right|213px|thumb]]
  
Members of holy orders, the appointed and ordained leaders of their [[religion|religious]] [[community|communities]] hold the power to make their respective religious communities thrive or founder.  They are charged, by virtue of their offices, with the responsibility to lead the members of their communities of [[faith]] in the right direction, toward [[God]], toward mutual support and [[prosperity]], toward [[spirituality|spiritual]] health. It is sometimes the case that the state of having been called to a holy order in a particular faith may influence individuals to pursue the vitality and success of their own brand of faith at the expense of others, creating a very subtle link between Holy orders and the current struggle of the modern world to reach world peace.
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==Origin==
  
==Holy orders in Christianity==
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[[Image:Žilina P6112373.jpg|'''Protestant:''' Bishop Július Filo of [[Slovakia]], Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession|thumb|right|200px]]
=== Origin ===
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[[Image:Georgischer Priester.jpg|'''Orthodox:''' [[Georgia]]n Orthodox priest, in Mtskheta, Georgia.|right|200px|thumb]]
In the Christian church, the term ''holy orders'' has come to refer specifically to a holy order as a Holy [[Sacrament]]/[[Eastern Orthodox Church#Mysteries|Mystery]] instituted by [[Jesus Christ]] as a tenet of faith of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and the [[Anglican Church]], by which members of the faithful are ordained and called to serve as leaders of their respective communities of faith.
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[[Image:GeorgeHClements1973.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Father George H. Clements, Holy Angel Catholic Church, [[Chicago]]'s largest black Catholic church.|thumb|right|200px]]
  
<blockquote>He appointed twelve, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 3:14-15, TNIV</blockquote>
 
  
Early in his ministry, Jesus Christ called several individuals, most of them fishermen, to follow him and be his disciples, and they came to be known as the twelve [[apostle]]s. These were his assistants and close aides. They were even given the authority to perform [[miracle]]s, such as casting out [[demon]]s as Jesus did. Before leaving this world, Jesus sent them to spread his [[gospel]] throughout the [[world]], to find new [[disciple]]s (John 20:21) and to be his representatives on earth.  
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Early in his ministry, [[Jesus Christ]] called several individuals, most of them fishermen, to follow him and be his disciples, and they came to be known as the twelve [[apostle]]s. These were his assistants and close aides.
  
As the apostles started their [[Mission (Christian)|mission]], the need to get help and assistance and even to nurture successors arose. They needed to ordain new converts. The ordination ritual was characterized by the laying of hands on the appointee (Acts 6:1-7). According to the theory of apostolic succession, that ritual of appointing successors and assistants is the key element of the legitimacy of the holy order of each church. As a member of a holy order, one must be ordained by someone who was himself ordained. The chain of ordination links each member of the Order back in a direct line of succession to one of the apostles. Thus, there exist a historical and spiritual connection between each member of a holy order, the apostles, and the [[Christ]].
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<blockquote>He appointed twelve, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out [[demon]]s (Mark 3:14-15, TNIV).</blockquote>
  
===The effect of being ordained===
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They were even given the authority to perform [[miracle]]s, such as casting out [[demon]]s as Jesus did. Before leaving this world, Jesus sent them to spread his [[gospel]] throughout the [[world]], to find new [[disciple]]s (John 20:21) and to be his representatives on earth.  
Being ordained in a holy order allows one to partake in special grace as God’s minister and to receive [[Spiritual gift|spiritual power]]. That power conferred at ordination is permanent and cannot be revoked, in contrast to the power given to office holders such as archbishops or deans that is revoked immediately when the person leaves office. In the Roman Catholic church, it is a doctrine of a [[sacrament]]al nature.  
 
  
===The hierarchy===
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As the apostles started their [[Missionary|mission]], the need to get help and assistance and even to nurture successors arose. They needed to ordain new converts to join them in leading the church. The ordination ritual was characterized by the laying of hands on the appointee (Acts 6:1-7). This ritual of ordination for those called to Holy Orders is now one of the Holy [[Sacrament]]s in the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the ceremony is considered one of the Holy [[Eastern Orthodox Church#Mysteries|Mysteries]].  
Members of holy orders are divided into three levels, the order of [[Bishop]], the order of [[Priest]] and the order of [[Deacon]]. The bishop occupies the highest rank and is said to have the 'fullness of the order'. He is followed in the hierarchy by the priest, also known as presbyter. The lowest in the hierarchy, bearing the mission of servant is the deacon.
 
These three levels are described as the major orders in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Orthodox Church recognizes another group of orders known as the minor orders. Minor orders are composed of the reader and the subdeacon.
 
  
'''The Priest'''<br/>
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According to the theory of [[apostolic succession]], the ritual of successors and assistants being appointed by those who preceded them in the ministry is the key element of the legitimacy of the holy order of each church. As a member of a holy order, one must be [[Ordination|ordain]]ed by someone who was himself ordained. The chain of ordination links each member of the order back in a direct line of succession to one of the apostles. Thus, there exist a historical and spiritual connection between each member of a holy order, the [[apostle]]s, and the [[Christ]].  
[[Image:Holy Orders Picture.jpg|''Priestly Ordination'', a popular devotional depiction of ordination in the Roman Catholic Church from the 1920s.|225px|thumb|left]]
 
The word "[[Priest]]" is a translation of a derivation of the Latin ''sacerdos'', meaning [[sacrifice]]. The priesthood is a sacrificial [[ministry]] and the priest is the official celebrant of the [[eucharist]], a rite following the commandment of Jesus at the [[The Last Supper|Last Supper]], “Do this in remembrance of me.
 
  
In [[Kingdom of Israel|ancient Israel]], priests were chosen among the tribe of Levi. They were the ones in charge of the [[altar]] and the [[temple]]. However, the central priests who were allowed to offer sacrifices, and instruct the people about the laws of [[Moses]] were male descendants from the line of [[Aaron]]. This structure of the priesthood in Israel continued until the destruction of [[Jerusalem]], in 70 C.E., almost 40 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. From that time, the position of priest disappeared from [[Israel]] and [[Judaism]].  
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==The effect of being ordained==
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Being ordained in a holy order allows one to partake in special [[grace]] as [[God]]’s minister and to receive [[Spiritual gift|spiritual power]]. That power conferred at ordination is permanent and cannot be revoked, in contrast to the power given to office holders such as archbishops or deans that is revoked immediately when the person leaves office.
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In all denominations and religions, holy orders are considered more of a [[vocation]] than [[Employment|occupation]] as they involve complete commitment to their practice. The responsibilities and roles held by members of holy orders vary according to the faith, location, size, and history of the religious community to whom they serve.  
  
According to the teachings of the [[Apostle Paul]], the Christians are the priests of the new Israel. This interpretation extends to the Roman Catholics who indicate that while all Christians are priests, the one who are ordained, in the position of successor to the [[apostle]]s and as stewards of the Church, have a higher status of priesthood and thus receive special grace.  
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These duties include leading [[worship]] services, offering intercession [[prayer]]s, offering guidance to members of the religious community, instructing members of the community in [[Ritual|rites]], practices, and [[scripture]]s of their respective faiths. Those under holy orders [[Ministry|minister]] to the poor, sick, elderly, and serve a host of other duties. In some communities, social or [[politics|political]] leadership is provided by the same persons who provide religious leadership.
  
Starting from the third century, the term priest was applied to bishops who were the celebrants of the eucharist. In the fourth century, the term was given to presbyters because of their newly granted new authority to officiate the eucharistic.
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==The hierarchy==
In the Catholic Church, priests hold only slightly less authority than bishops, and may confer all the sacraments except the sacrament of ordaining persons with holy orders. In the Orthodox Church, the priest serves at the direction of the Bishop who may confer to the priests the authority to minister in his diocese, or withdraw it, as he desires.
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Members of holy orders in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches are divided into three levels, the order of [[Bishop]], the order of [[Priest]] and the order of [[Deacon]]. The bishop occupies the highest rank and is said to have the 'fullness of the order'. He is followed in the hierarchy by the priest, who may also be known as presbyter. The lowest in the hierarchy, bearing the mission of servant is the deacon. These three levels are described as the ''major orders'' in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Orthodox Church recognizes another group of orders known as the ''minor orders''. Minor orders are composed of the reader and the subdeacon.
  
'''The Bishop'''<br/>
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===The Priest===
According to the tradition of apostolic succession, the order of [[bishop]] has its roots in apostolic times. [[Apostle]]s appointed their successors as bishops through prayer and the laying of hands, giving them the apostolic authority and priority of rank. The bishop holds the fullness of the order and can administer all of the sacrament/mysteries. Bishops have the power to ordain priests and deacons. Under ordinary circumstances, the ordination of a bishop is usually officiated by three other bishops; only in some exceptional circumstances can a bishop be ordained by a single bishop.
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The word "Priest" is a translation of a derivation of the [[Latin]] ''sacerdos'', meaning [[sacrifice]]. The priesthood is a sacrificial [[ministry]] and the priest is the official celebrant of the [[Eucharist]], a rite following the commandment of Jesus at the [[The Last Supper|Last Supper]], “Do this in remembrance of me.
  
A bishop is ordained for leadership, and has the spirit of governance. He is the chief priest, ruler and teacher of one or a number of churches, usually in a specific geographic area. In the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Church, this area is called [[diocese]] and the place the bishop officiates from is called a [[cathedral]]. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop governs over an autocephalous (independent) Church.
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In [[Kingdom of Israel|ancient Israel]], the culture from which the roots of the Christian church sprung, priests were the ones in charge of the [[altar]] and the [[temple]], and the central priests were also allowed to offer sacrifices, and instruct the people about the laws of [[Moses]]. According to the teachings of the [[Apostle Paul]], the [[Christian]]s are the priests of the new Israel. This interpretation extends to the Roman Catholics who indicate that while all Christians are [[priest]]s, the one who are ordained, in the position of successor to the [[apostle]]s and as stewards of the Church, have a higher status of priesthood and thus receive special [[grace]].  
  
<blockquote>And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18-19, TNIV</blockquote>
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Starting from the third century, the term priest was applied to bishops who were the celebrants of the [[Eucharist]]. In the fourth century, the term was given to presbyters because of their newly granted authority to officiate the Eucharist. In the [[Catholic Church]], priests hold only slightly less authority than bishops, and may confer all the sacraments except the sacrament of ordaining persons with holy orders. In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]], the priest serves at the direction of the [[Bishop]] who may confer to the priests the authority to minister in his diocese, or withdraw it, as he desires.
  
The Petrine doctrine, based on Matthew 16:18-19 and other Biblical references, is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic church, which holds since Peter was appointed by Christ as the head of the church, and then [[martyr]]ed in [[Rome]], that the seat of the church from that time on remained in Rome. On this basis, the Roman Catholics argue that the Bishop of Rome, as the official spiritual successor of Peter, is the head of the church.  The Bishop of Rome has the title of Pope, the head of the Roman Catholics Church. However, in the Orthodox Church as well as the Anglican Church, all bishops are equals and patriarchs or synods of bishops exercise only an “oversight of care” among the body of coequal bishops.
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===The Bishop===
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According to the tradition of apostolic succession, the order of [[bishop]] has its roots in apostolic times. [[Apostle]]s appointed their successors as bishops through prayer and the laying of hands, giving them the apostolic authority and priority of rank.
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As the highest in rank, they can administer all of the sacraments/mysteries, and have the power to ordain priests and deacons. Under ordinary circumstances, the ordination of a bishop is usually officiated by three other bishops; only in some exceptional circumstances can a bishop be ordained by a single bishop.
  
It is also interesting to note that while bishops are appointed by the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church, in the Orthodox and [[Anglican Communion]]s, they are elected. In the Anglican [[Church of England]] however, the bishops are appointed by the reigning monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.
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A bishop is ordained for leadership, and has the spirit of governance. He is the chief priest, ruler and teacher of one or a number of churches, usually in a specific geographic area. In the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Church, this area is called [[diocese]] and the place the bishop officiates from is called a [[cathedral]]. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop governs over an autocephalous (independent) Church.
 
 
'''The Deacon'''<br/>
 
[[Image:Deacon Ordination.jpg|Catholic deacon candidates prostrate before the altar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in the city of Los Angeles during a 2004 diaconate ordination liturgy.|right|300px|thumb]]
 
From Christian tradition, the order of [[deacon]] started when the apostles ordained seven men to wait on them at table (Acts 6 1-7).  Deacons serve as assistants to the bishop and the minister of service. In the early days, this meant taking care of the property of the diocese, a function that was terminated during the middle ages.
 
  
In the Roman Catholic church, the liturgical function of the deacon consists in helping and serving the celebrant, who leads the mass and administers the [[eucharist]].  Many protestant churches have deacons as lay officers with no sacramental or [[liturgy|liturgical]] functions.
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The [[Petrine doctrine]], based on Matthew 16:18-19 and other [[Bible|Biblical]] references, is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic church, which holds that, since Peter was appointed by Christ as the head of the church, and then [[martyr]]ed in [[Rome]], the seat of the worldwide church from that time on remained in Rome.
  
===Who can be ordained===
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<blockquote>And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18-19, TNIV).</blockquote>
To be ordained, an individual should feel a vocation to serve for the sake of God’s honor and the sanctification of service. Generally however, appointment to the holy orders is reserved for [[seminary]] graduates. In the Roman Catholic Church, a seminarian is often ordained as a deacon in his final year. Those who intend to continue and seek ordination as priests are referred as "transitional deacons."  In the Orthodox Church, before entering the seminary, students are tonsured as readers, and may later be ordained as deacons or subdeacons. In the Anglican Church, ordination as deacons is given after graduation from theological college.
 
It is important to note that as the elder and leader of the church, the Bishop has the last say in any ordination and often will make further inquiries about a candidate's life to ascertain his [[moral]], [[Intelligence|intellectual]] and [[physical fitness]].
 
  
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On this basis, the [[Roman Catholic]]s argue that the Bishop of Rome, as the official spiritual successor of Peter, is the head of the church. The Bishop of Rome has the title of Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. However, in the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church]] as well as the [[Anglican Church]], all bishops are equals and patriarchs or synods of bishops exercise only an :oversight of care" among the body of coequal bishops.
  
'''Holy orders and women'''<br/>
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It is also interesting to note that while bishops are appointed by the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church, in the Orthodox and [[Anglican Communion]]s, they are elected. In the Anglican [[Church of England]] however, the bishops are appointed by the reigning monarch on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]].
  
In some traditions women may theoretically be ordained to the same orders as men. In others women are restricted from certain offices. The Church of England (in the Anglican Communion), for example, does not permit the consecration of women as bishops, though the Episcopal Church USA (the United States denomination that is part of the Anglican Communion) does. In some denominations women can be ordained as elders or deacons. Some denominations allow for the ordination of women for certain religious orders. Within certain traditions, such as the Anglican and Lutheran, there is a diversity of [[theology]] and practice regarding ordination of women.
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==The Deacon==
 
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[[Image:Deacon Ordination.jpg|Catholic deacon candidates prostrate before the altar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in the city of Los Angeles during a 2004 diaconate ordination liturgy.|right|300px|thumb]]
The Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with its understanding of the theological tradition on the issue, and the definitive clarification of the issue found in the encyclical letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) written by [[Pope John Paul II]] in 1994, officially teaches that it has no authority to ordain women as priests and thus there is no possibility of female priests at any time in the future.
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According to Christian tradition, the order of [[deacon]] started when the apostles ordained seven men to wait on them at table (Acts 6 1-7). Deacons serve as assistants to the bishop and the minister of service. In the early days, this meant taking care of the property of the diocese, a function that was terminated during the middle ages.
 
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In the Roman Catholic church, the liturgical function of the deacon consists in helping and serving the celebrant, who leads the mass and administers the [[Eucharist]]. Many [[protestant]] churches have deacons as lay officers with no sacramental or [[liturgy|liturgical]] functions.
'''Holy orders and marriage'''<br/>
 
Historically the issue of [[marriage]] was a matter of personnel choice, as exemplified by the letters of [[Saint Paul]]. [[Celibacy]] is not a sacrament, and St. Peter was recorded as doing his mission along with his wife. Roman Catholics, in the council Vatican II restated the position of the Church on the issue of marriage for the priest and bishop. Celibacy was not demanded by the early Church and “It permanently exhorts all those who have received the priesthood and marriage to persevere in their holy vocation “.
 
 
 
However, the Roman Catholic Church commends ecclesiastical celibacy. This turned into a requirement after the early time of the Latin Church, a requirement that is still practiced by the priests and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church. In the Orthodox Church, marriage is allowed to members of the deaconate and priesthood before they are ordained. However bishops are required to live in celibacy.
 
 
 
==The Buddhist monastic order==
 
When Prince Siddharta chose to follow the ascetic path to find the truth, giving up his worldly position, and became Buddha, he set up a community of monks (Bikkhu sangha) and nuns (Bikkhuni sangha) to help with the work of teaching the Dharma (Buddhist teachings).  The original rules and regulations of the monastic orders were set out by the Buddha himself, then adapted over time to keep step with changes in the world.
 
 
 
The establishment of a monastic community meant that the greater community of Buddhist faithful could be described in four groups: male and female lay believers, Bikku (Bhikkhu in pali and Bhikshu in Sanskrit), and Bikkhuni (Bhikkuni in Pali and Bhikshuni in Sanskrit), the male and female ordained monks. Joining the ranks of the ordained is the highest goal of Buddhist practitioners. The monks and nuns are the pillars of the community of faith, spreading Buddhist teachings and serving as living examples for the lay believers to follow.  Also, by serving as a ''field of merit'', they give laymen the opportunity to gain merit by supporting the ordained community with donations of food and money.  The disciplined life in the monastic order also contributes towards the monks' and nuns' pursuit of the liberation of Nirvana through the cycle of rebirth.
 
 
 
Monks usually traveled in small groups, living at the outskirts of the village.  The monks depended on donations of food and clothing from the residents of the village. Part of Buddha's direction was that the members of the monastic order gather in larger groups and live together during the rainy season.  The dwellings where they stayed during these times were also to be given voluntarily by people from the community.  Over time, the dwellings became more permanent, the monks settled in reagions; their lifestyle became less nomadic, and the monks started to live communally in monasteries. The ''patimokka'', rules governing life in the monastery, were developed, prescribing in great detail the way to live and relate in a community. For example, in the Theravada branch of Buddhism, they have 227 rules.
 
 
 
===Joining the order===
 
Laymen who wish to join the order must approach a monk who has been in the order for at least ten years, and ask to be taken in.  First ordained as a ''samanera'' (novice), they have their heads shaved, and begin to wear the robes appropriate to the order they have joined.  For a period of at least a year, they must live by the Ten Precepts -  refraining from sexual contact, refraining from harming or taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from false speech, refraining from the use of intoxicant, refraining from taking food after midday, refraining from singing, dancing, and other kind of entertainment, refraining from the use of perfume, garland and other adornments, refraining from using luxurious seat and refraining from accepting and holding money. They are not required to live by the full set of monastic rules. Boys from eight years old can be ordained as samanera. Women are usually first ordained when adults. From the age of 20, samanera can be ordained to the full level of Bikkhu or Bikkhuni.
 
 
 
The Buddha instructed that in order to be ordained as Bikkhu or Bikkhuni, the applicant need to have a preceptor. The preceptor is usually the elderly monk that ordained the applicant as samanera. The samanera needs to approach a community of at least ten monks of at least ten years standing each and who are well respected for their virtues and learning. The monks would then ask the applicant eleven questions to assess his readiness, suitability and motives: (1) Are you free from disease? (2) Are you a human being? (3) Are you a man? (4) Are you a free man? (5) Are you free from debt? (6) Do you have any obligations to the king? (7) Do you have your parents' permission? (8) Are you at least twenty years of age? (9) Do you have your bowl and robe? (10) What is your name? (11) What is your teacher's name?  If the applicant answers satisfactorily to these questions, he/she will request ordination three times and if there is no objection from the assembly, he/she is considered a monk/nun.
 
 
 
Even though there are not formal rules that define a hierarchy within the monastery, tacit rules of obedience to the most senior member of the Sangha, and other rules stemming from the teacher/student, senior/junior and preceptor/trainee relationship are at work within the monastery. Decisions to be taken concerning life in the monastery are usually done in communal meetings.
 
 
 
The daily running of the monastery is in the hand of an abbess or abbot who may appoint assistants. The abbess / abbot are usually taken among the senior members of the monastery. In some case he/she will be elected by the members of the order, and in other cases the lay community will choose him/her. 
 
 
 
Women were not originally included in the ascetic community by the Buddha. However, after incessant pressures from his aunt and stepmother, Maha Pajapati Gotami, he accepted the ordination of women. Stronger restrictions and rules were put on the communities of nuns, however, such as the precedence of monks over the nuns in matter of respect and deference, the prohibition of nun teaching monks, and that the confession and punishment of nuns should be done before a joint assembly of both nuns and monks.
 
 
 
===Marriage and celibacy===
 
Celibacy was a requirement for the members of the Buddhist orders, as established by Buddha. Even up until today, in some branch of Buddhism this rule is still in effect. However, as the Buddha was a pragmatic teacher and the rules he set for the monastic life prone to change, he predicted, as women were ordained that the rule of celibacy will not hold for more than 500 years. In fact, since the 7th century in India, some groups of monks were getting married. In Japan, from the Heian period (794-1105 C.E.), cases of monks getting married started to appear. However it was during the Meiji restoration, from the 1860's that marriage by monks was officially encouraged by the government. Since that time, Japan remains the country with the largest number married monks among the higher orders. Marriage by monks is also practiced in other country, including Korea and in Tibet.
 
 
 
==The Caliphate:  Muslim holy orders==
 
Islam is a religious institution but also the source of institutions that govern and rule the social life within the Islamic community (the ummah).  At the death of the prophet Muhammad (632 C.E.), a group of Muslim at Medina convened to nominate his successor. The gathering was organized in the hut of Aisha, the favorite wife of the prophet, while the preparations were being made for the burial of the prophet. The Father of Aisha, Abu Bakr was chosen as the khalīfah(hence caliph) or successor of the prophet. As caliph, Abu Bakr was considered more as the political and administrative successor of the prophet. It is from the second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb that the title would be also associated with spiritual authority.
 
 
 
However, not everyone agreed on the choice of Abu Bakr.  A faction claimed that the rightful successor of the prophet should be Alī, Muhammad's son-in-law, the husband of Fatimah. The bitterness and conflict between Ali/Fatima and Abu Bakr/Aisha and their respective supporters would lead to the major schism in Islam: the Sunnite faction, whose members abide by the choice of Abu Bakr and the Shiite Muslims who are supporters of Ali.
 
 
 
The Sunnis assert that the caliph should be from the tribe of the prophet Muhammad, the Quraish. Abu Bakr was also from that same tribe. However, being very practical, throughout history that requirement has been loosened at times, as many rulers were accepted as caliph even though they were decidedly not from the Quraish tribe. Nonetheless the fact that they were creating a conducive environment for the practice of the Islamic faith and were active participant in the spreading and protection of the ummah was a base for the legitimacy of their caliph title. To become a caliph in Sunnite setting was usually through three ways. The early caliphs were elected by a ''shura'', or council of the elders of the community, as this was the traditional way the of chieftain delegation in the Quraish tribe. However, after a time, hereditary appropriation of the title began to overshadow the democratic process, leading to the rise of dynasties. Finally, brutal accession to the head of the caliphate was historically witnessed.
 
 
 
In the Shiite realm, the caliph is also called Imam. In contrast to the Sunnis, Shiites believe that the caliph, being a direct descendant of the prophet is divinely appointed and preserved from sin. Moreover, he has absolute spiritual authority and the power to determine matters of doctrinal importance.
 
 
 
Caliphs had temporal and spiritual power over the Muslim community; other offices were created to help them in the execution of their duties. States which were part of the caliphate were called Emirate or Sultanate headed by emir or sultan. These were usually appointed. However at times emirs and sultans seized power, or conquered states by force, and then came to the caliph to seek recognition, which the caliph could hardly refuse. To help them handle both religious and legal matters, the caliphs surrounded themselves with renowned scholars and Islamic lawyers.
 
  
===Timeline of the caliphate===
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==Who can be ordained==
The first four caliphs are known as Rashidun (632-661 C.E.) or the Rightly Guided Caliphs. They were direct companion of Mahomet (Muhammad's Sahaba). The first was Abu Bakr (573-634 C.E.), who was caliph from 632-634. Shortly before he died, he urged the community to name Umar (Umar ibn al-Khattab - 586-644) as his successor, and Umar was caliph from 634 until 644, followed by Uthman Ibn Affan from 644 until 656, and finally Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib) from 656 to 661.
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Any individual who feels a vocation to serve for the sake of God’s honor and the sanctification of service may be a candidate for ordination. Generally however, appointment to the holy orders is reserved for [[seminary]] graduates. In the Roman Catholic Church, a seminarian is often ordained as a deacon in his final year. Those who intend to continue and seek ordination as priests are referred as "transitional deacons." In the Orthodox Church, before entering the seminary, students are tonsured as readers, and may later be ordained as deacons or subdeacons. In the Anglican Church, ordination as deacons is given after graduation from theological college.
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It is important to note that as the elder and leader of the church, the Bishop has the last say in any ordination and often will make further inquiries about a candidate's life to ascertain his [[moral]], [[Intelligence|intellectual]] and [[physical fitness]] before deciding whether to approve a candidate's application for ordination.
  
Following the Rashidun, the first dynasty of caliph was the Umayyad dynasty (661-750). The caliphate extended westward, covering North Africa and Hispania (present day Spain) and eastward covering Persia and Sindh (in present day Pakistan). They largely participated and enforced the notion that Arab was to be the official language of Islam and engaged in campaigns of Arabization throughout the caliphate. These campaigns were successful with the Egyptians and Assyrians; less so with the Persians (present day Iran).
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===Holy orders and women===
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In some Christian traditions women may theoretically be ordained to the same orders as men. In others women are restricted from certain offices. The [[Church of England]] (in the Anglican Communion), for example, does not permit the consecration of women as bishops, though the [[Episcopal Church]] USA (the United States denomination that is part of the Anglican Communion) does. In some denominations women can be ordained as elders or deacons. Some denominations allow for the ordination of women for certain religious orders. Within certain traditions, such as the Anglican and Lutheran, there is a diversity of [[theology]] and practice regarding ordination of women.
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The Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with its understanding of the theological tradition on the issue, and the definitive clarification of the issue found in the encyclical letter ''Ordinatio Sacerdotalis'' (1994) written by [[Pope John Paul II]], officially teaches that it has no authority to ordain women as priests and thus there is no possibility of female priests at any time in the future.
  
From the overthrow of the last Umayyad caliph grew the Abbassid dynasty (750-1258). This period was marked by great intellectual and cultural development in the Middle East. By 940 the power of the caliph was waning, as non-Arab Muslims were gaining influence. The title of caliph was, however, still respected as the spiritual leader of the Ummah. During the Abbassids' reign, another dynasty, of Shiite origin, reigned in Egypt, the Fatimid dynasty (AD 909- 1171). The Fatimids claimed to be descendant of Fatimah, the prophet's daughter, and Ali. Their goal, as Shiites, was to overthrow the Abbasid “usurpers” and establish the “rightful” caliphate.
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==Holy orders and marriage==
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Historically the issue of [[marriage]] was a matter of personnel choice, as exemplified by the letters of [[Saint Paul]]. [[Celibacy]] is not a sacrament. It was not demanded of those with holy orders in the early church, and [[St. Peter]] was recorded as doing his mission along with his [[wife]]. However, in later times, the Roman Catholic church came to require celibacy for its priests and bishops. By contrast, in the Orthodox Church, marriage is allowed to deacons and priests, although Orthodox bishops are required to live in celibacy.
  
After the fall of the Abbassids dynasty in 1258, the seat of power of the caliph moved to Egypt. The caliph was a surviving member of the Abbassid House who took refuge in Egypt. The caliph, however, was devoid of any power and held mostly symbolic and religious authority. The real power moved to the members of the Mamluk dynasty (AD 1250-1517) who kept the title of sultan. Mamluks refers to slaves who were used as soldier in the Islamic army in Egypt and does not refer to a family name.
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===Ordination and orders in the Protestant church===
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There are many denominations of [[Protestantism|protestants]], and likewise many variations in the process of calling and ordination to the ministry; however, there are some distinct differences between the state of being ordained in the protestant Christian church in contrast with the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches. Perhaps the most important difference is that in the protestant [[denomination]]s, the process of ordination affirms and lends authority to the calling to ministry, but without imparting a special spiritual state. One of the main points of the [[Protestant Reformation|protestant reformation]] was that all believers have equal and direct access to God and to [[salvation]], and that it was not necessary to approach the [[Lord]] through a mediator. The differences in ordination, and the accompanying differences in church hierarchy reflect this difference in beliefs.
  
The Ottoman Empire (1300-1922) had a special connection with the caliphate. At first ottoman leaders were spiritually under the leadership of the caliph in Egypt. They were to get the blessing from him to gain the title of Sultan. Bayezid I, upon gaining military success over the Christian crusader at the battle of Nicopolis (1396) and winning increasing popularity in the Muslim world was given the title of Sultan by the Abbassid Caliph at Cairo, even under criticism and rebuttal from the his Mamluks master. When Selim I defeated the Mamluks (1516-1517), he took control of the former muslim caliphate territory becoming the most important Muslim ruler.  
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Typically, protestant churches have three ranks of ordained leadership; pastors, who are required to be seminary graduates, and are ordained by the central authority of the denomination, and elders and deacons, who are ordained by the gathered congregation. Women and men are equally qualified for all positions, including pastor, in nearly all, if not all, protestant denominations. Protestant pastors, elders, and deacons are all permitted to marry.
  
Selim I declined the appellation of caliph and retained the title of sultan. However, from Abdulhamid II, who ruled from 1876 to 1909, the claim of religious leadership over the Muslim world would be made again, based on two important historical events. First, through the Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca (1774) with Russia, reinforced through a widespread story connected to the fall of the Mamluks in 1517. It was said that in 1517, upon the victory of Selim I over the Mamluks dynasty, the last caliph al-Mutawakkil III was transferred from Cairo to Istanbul and there he surrendered the title of caliph to the Ottoman Sultan. In the treaty with Russia, the sultan of Ottoman was to stand as the protector of the Muslims in Russia.  As the Ottoman Empire shrank, moving toward the eve of World War I, the title of caliph became an institution and the Ottoman Sultan was revered as caliph in most of the Islamic world, Egypt, India, and Central Asia.
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==Responsibilities==
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Members of holy orders are endowed with authority by the churches who ordain them. In addition, the legal systems in many modern societies also give special privileges to the clergy, in order to protect the sanctity of the church and the [[separation of church and state]]. This means that it is particularly for those who have taken holy orders to serve with sincerity, and be responsible to lead their congregations in the right direction, toward a good and holy life.
  
===Toward the emergence of a new caliphate===
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Unfortunately, there are times when members of holy orders do not live up to their responsibility, sometimes misusing funds that are entrusted to their care, sometimes [[sexual abuse|sexually abusing]] those under their ministry, and sometimes leading those in their communities to oppose or work against other communities on the basis of different religious beliefs. Hopefully, the time will come when these problems can become a thing of the past.
The last caliphate, a vestige from the Ottoman Empire, was officially abolished in 1924 by the president of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Since that time Muslims throughout the world have dreamed of the rise of a new caliph that will unite all Muslim.  The last Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI (1861-1926), after his exile in 1922, tried to reestablish himself as caliph in the Hejaz but was not followed by the leaders of the Islamic world. A summit in Cairo in 1926 was organized and had in its agenda the restoration of the caliphate. However, most invited countries did not participate and the resolutions taken at this summit were not followed up and implemented.
 
  
For the Tablighi Jamaat, a popular apolitical Islamic movement, the lack of spirituality and the decline in religious observance are the main reason for the unsuccessful attempts to restore the caliphate in our modern days.  
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==A Gallery of Christian holy orders==
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<gallery>
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Image:BentoXVI-30-10052007.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Pope Benedict XVI, currently holding the highest rank in the holy orders of the Roman Catholic church, during a visit to São Paulo, Brazil.
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Image:Göran Zettergren-1.jpg|'''Protestant:''' Göran Zettergren, director of the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden.
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Image:Ole.D.Hagesaether.jpg|'''Anglican:''' Bishop Ole D. Hagesaether of the Church of Norway
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Image:Bishop Alexander (Drabynko).jpg|'''Orthodox:''' Bisop Alexander (Drabynko) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyi. Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
  
At the beginning of the 21st century, more and more Islamic political parties and Islamic guerrilla groups are calling for the restoration of the caliphate by uniting the Muslim nations. Some of these organization are using peaceful means (eg., Hizb ut-Tahrir), while other are using violence (eg., al-Qaeda). Al-Qaeda has among its goals the reestablishment of the caliphate and Bin Laden, its founder, has called on Muslims to "establish the righteous caliphate of our umma."[39] US President Bush has said about al-Qaeda and the people who share its ideology that they “hope to establish a violent political utopia across the Middle East, which they would call a caliphate, where all would be ruled according to their hateful ideology ..." This caliphate would be a totalitarian Islamic empire encompassing all current and former Muslim lands, stretching from Europe to North Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.[49]
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Image:Jan Graubner.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Archbishop Jan Graubner of the Czech Republic.
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Image:Pastor Rick Warren.jpg|'''Protestant:''' Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
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Image:Vashti Murphy McKenzie.jpg|'''Episcopal:''' Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a denomination that permits women to hold any of the holy orders.
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Image:Peter Rusnák.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Newly ordained Bishop Peter Rusnák, with Cardinal Leonardo Sandri on his left and Cardinal Jozef Tomko on his right.
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Image:Butta 2006 09 28.jpg|'''Ecumenical:''' Tomáš Butta, patriarch of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, a Christian Church which separated from the Roman Catholic Church after World War I.
  
A major goal of Hizb ut-Tahrir (“the party of liberation”) is the restoration of the caliphate as a pan-Islamic state. It is more popular in Europe and Central Asia. The movement focuses on non violent political and intellectual struggle. The Movement of Muslim Brotherhood is among the largest and most influential group in the world. Its founder, Hassan al-Banna, has written about the restoration of the caliphate. However the movement supports the current pan-Islamic institutions.
 
  
==Judaism: From the priest to the Rabbi==
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Image:Orthodox priests.jpg|Monks in the '''Syriac Orthodox Church,''' which split from the Orthodox and Catholic churches in the fifth century.
From the Jewish tradition, we can view the holy order as sprouting forth from the tribe of Levi and two members of this tribe, Moses and his Elder brother, Aaron.
 
  
===Mosaic period===
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Image:Josef Hrdlička.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Josef Hrdlička, auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Olomouc, Moravia, Czech Republic
The Jewish society during Moses time was headed by the members of the Levite tribe, from the political aspect to the religious aspect. Moses was the political leader, Prophet and Messenger. He was the only one having direct communication with the God of Israel. Aaron, was in the position of the priest and direct assistant to Moses. The other members of the Levite tribe were spiritual assistants and aide in keeping the faith of the God of Israel.
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Image:Saint-Albin, Charles de.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Charles de Saint-Aubin (1698-1764), Archbishop of Cambrai, France
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Image:Noailles, Louis Antoine.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Louis Antoine, cardinal de Noailles, France.
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Image:Cardinal Rohan2.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Cardinal de Louis Rene Edouard Rohan, the Prince de Rohan-Guemenee and Archbishop of Strassburg, Germany
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Image:Carl Fredrik af Wingård.jpg|'''Protestant:''' Carl Fredrik af Wingård (1781-1851), archbishop, Church of Sweden (Lutheran)
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Image:Holy Orders Picture.jpg|''Priestly Ordination,'' a popular devotional depiction of ordination in the Roman Catholic Church from the 1920s.
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Image:Padre António Vieira.jpg|'''Catholic:''' Father António Vieira of Portugal
  
Moses was the political and spiritual leader of the Hebrew. He received directly from God the Ten Commandments that was to become the fundamental law of the Hebrews. Moses is also the author of the five first books of the Tanakh (Jewish Bible), known as the Pentateuque and the written Torah. Following the instruction of God, He will direct the construction of a sanctuary where God will be dwelling with the People of Israel, the Mishkan (or Tabernacle). That tabernacle was a moving place of worship and would later be replaced by the first temple in Jerusalem built by the King Solomon. Moses will also instruct the Hebrew to build the Ark of Covenant, symbol of the covenant between the people of Israel and Yahweh.
 
 
Aaron is revered as the head of the Jewish priesthood. He took a decisive part in the exodus of the Hebrew from Egypt. He was instructed to act as “the mouth” of Moses in front of Pharaoh and his court. He is the one who asked pharaoh to liberate the people of Israel and who used his rod to show the might of the God of Israel. Yahweh would later order Moses to call upon Aaron and his sons to anoint and consecrate them to be perpetual priest. As priest they were the one to intercede for the people of Israel and to perform the sacrificial rites.  Aaron is thus viewed in the Jewish tradition as the founder and head of the Jewish priesthood. Aaron was also given the unique privilege to come and bring his offering on Yum Kippur (the Day of Atonement) once in a year, to the holiest part of the tabernacle, the Holy of Holies.
 
 
Moses and Aaron were from the Levite tribe. The Levites were very instrumental in the keeping of the faith of the God of Israel. They stood as faithful on the side of Moses when Aaron made a Golden Calph to be worship by some Hebrew. They will be the one to slay the unfaithful and golden calph worshipper, none being from the house of Levi. We should note that Aaron, a Levite who was at the center of the Golden calph incident was left unarmed. The Levite will also be the one chosen to carry the Ark of Covenant. Later, when the Hebrew reached the Promised Land, the Levite was the only tribe without a land inheritance as “the offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance” (Joshua 13:14)
 
 
===Period of the temple===
 
Moses before his death appointed Joshua as his successor. However, after Joshua, and from the time the Hebrew will settle in the promise land of Canaan, the position of political leader and prophet/Messenger of God will be occupied by self acclaimed and charismatic people, known as the judges. These functions of political and religious leadership will later be split starting with the anointment ok king Saul. The king was now the military and political leader of Israel while the prophecies and the role of messenger of God will be fulfilled by prophet who will act as unofficial spiritual advisor to the king and the people of Israel.
 
 
Prophets receive messages through vision and dreams and had the duty to transmit them to the people of Israel, and sometime to the king.
 
 
During the period of the Judge Samuel, the people of Israel requested for a king to rule over them. God instructed the prophet Samuel to choose Esau who was acclaimed as the first king of Israel. At the death of Esau, David was proclaimed King of Israel. Yahweh established a new covenant with him that assured his descendant to rule perpetually over Israel. After the conquest of Jerusalem from the Jebusites, He established that city as the new capital of the United Kingdom of Israel in lieu of Gibeah, the former capital. He also brought the Ark of Covenant to Jerusalem transforming Jerusalem into the center of the worship to Yahweh. Later, during the reign of King Solomon, the first Temple of Jerusalem was erected. The Ark of Covenant was permanently put inside the Holy of holies room of that temple. David dynasty lasted for century until its total collapse and the deportation to Babylon around 586/587 B.C.E. Since that time, the restoration of the United Kingdom of Israel became a distant dream for the Jews. However, the Davidic dynasty had a lasting influence, on the religious and cultic level, on Judaism. Since the time of David, Jerusalem turned into the Holy City for all Jews. The notion of Messiah, the “anointed one”, a member of the House of David will become a central element in the faith of the Hebrew.
 
 
The priests were the people in charge of officiating ceremony and performing the sacrificial rites. They operated in sanctuaries and altars all other Israel. When the king Solomon built the temple at Jerusalem, that place became the center of the priesthood and the center of worship in Israel. The priest in charge of the Temple was given the rank of High priest and he was leader of the priesthood. He was assisted in the management of the temple by lower ranking priest who took care of the finance of the temple and its administration. The first high priest who managed the temple of Jerusalem was Zadok, from the House of Eleazar son of Aaron. From that time, and following a covenant of perpetual priesthood between the God of Israel and Phineas, son of Eleazar, the position of priest and high priest will be reserved to the House of Zadok. The other members of the House of Levi were usually working as religious administrator and officials.
 
 
However, the priesthood was still under the control of politician who appointed them and sometime removed them against the rule that the priesthood is a perpetual office. The end of the Davidic dynasty and the deportation to Babylon brought Israel under the tutelage of foreign power. The fate of the priesthood was then under the authority of the occupier.  With the demise of the Hebrew kingdoms, priest and High priest were becoming the center of both the spiritual life and the political life of the Hebrew. This situation grew stronger and stronger till the second destruction of the Jerusalem temple by Titus in 70 C.E. Deprived of the Temple of Jerusalem, the priesthood lost its foothold and subsequently vanished. Hebrew scholar, the rabbis, took the leadership of the Hebrew with a redesign of the Judaism to fit the new political situation marked with the loss of sovereignty, the loss of the priesthood and the incapacity to continue traditional Judaism rites and sacrifices. That Judaism was the Rabbinic Judaism that continues till these days.
 
 
===Toward the third temple===
 
The Rabbinic Judaism takes its origin from the work of Pharisaic Rabbi. Pharisee was a religious party within Judaism that flourished between 515 B.C.E. and AD 70. They were laymen and scribes who believed that God gave two kind of law to Moses, the written law we can find in the Thora, and the oral law stemming from the words of the prophet and the Jewish oral tradition. The meaning and interpretation of the laws are mutable based on the contemporary circumstances and conditions and on reason. Men should use their reason to apply and interpret the Thora and the oral tradition to solve contemporary problems. They had long arguments with the priest and the party of the priest, the Sadducee. To the Pharisee, worship consist in the study of scripture, prayer and work of piety, not in the bloody sacrifices offered in the Temple by the priest. They thus promoted and developed the synagogue as a place of worship. At the destruction of the temple, and with the priest having difficulties in performing their sacrifices, Rabbinic Judaism rose to the fore and the synagogue replaced the temple as the place of worship.
 
 
Rabbinic Judaism is the source of the different form of contemporary Judaism the Orthodox Judaism , the Conservative Judaism, the Reform Judaism and the Reconstructionist Judaism. They have different view concerning the descendant of Aaron (the Kohanim) and the Levites.
 
 
To the Orthodox, the priesthood will resume its activities at the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Levites and Kohanim should therefore stand in readiness and keep their sanctity according to the prescriptions found in the Thora. The Kohanim is given privileges and precedence in religious matters other the average member of the Jewish community (the Yisroel). He is however bound to follow prescriptions and law about purity and marriage stemming from the Thora and the Talmud.
 
 
To the Conservative, even though the temple will be rebuild, however the sacrificial rites are not to be restored. Hence, the Kohanim, even though have to keep their purity as ascribed in the Thora are given more freedom, especially in the realm of marriage.
 
 
To the Reform and Reconstructionist, the sacrificial rites are no longer necessary and are incompatible with modern time. Moreover, the division of the Hebrew into caste is view as an unegalitarian practice to be abolished. Therefore, there is no recognition of any special status for the Kohanim.
 
 
The restoration of the nation of Israel and the House of David is also view at different level within Judaism. Zionism is a Jewish movement started in the early 19th century in the eastern and central Europe. Its goal was the creation of the nation of Israel in Palestine, the site of the ancient Israel. They succeeded with the help of the British who first proposed them to settle in Uganda (in Africa) in 1903. That offer was rejected and it is in 1917 through the Balfour Declaration that British promised its support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. This activism led to the creation of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948.
 
 
==The caste system and Hinduism==
 
Hinduism is an umbrella term for various religious traditions practiced in India. It is based on an ancient religion, the Veda. The Veda was brought in India along with the invasion of the Aryan in the North West part of India around 1500 B.C.E. Understanding the current Holy order in Hinduism require us to go as close as possible to the origin of Hinduism through study and analysis of its most ancient text , the Vedas.
 
Aryan society was divided into a hierarchy made up of priest, warrior and commoners. That social stratification was adapted as they conquered new lands and more population were integrated into their society.
 
From the Rigveda is recalled an ancient tradition of socioeconomic category called the varna (colour). The Aryan first encountered the dark-skinned people of North western India they called daha  (enemie) or darsa( servant).  These indigenes will occupy the new class of servant in the Aryan society.
 
 
From the hymn 10.9 of the Rigveda, it is said that humanity came out in the form of four varna from the self sacrificial rite of Purusha (the primal man). From the mouth of Purusha was made the Brahmans, from his arms was made the Rajanyas (later renamed Kshatriva), from his two thighs was made the Vaishyas and from his feet were born the Shudras.
 
Member of the Brahmins, Rajanis and Vaishyanis group constituted the upper varna and the Aryan invader were the members of these varna. The darsa were members of the Shudras. Brahmins were the priest and religious officials. They were the teacher of the veda, the sacred knowledge. The Kshatriva were composed of rulers and warriors and the Vaishva was composed of farmers, merchants, traders and craftmen. As Aryan descent, the members of the upper varna are can reach the status of dvija (twice born). The term twice born is due to the fact that the male of these varna pass through the upanayana, a ceremony to enter into Aryan adulthood, when they reach 12 year of age. Upon completion of that ceremony, the young boy is considered fit to receive sacred knowledge and participate in specified sacraments. He is reborn as Hindu.
 
 
The members of the Shrudra Varna, since they were not from Aryan descent did not participate in the ceremony of rebirth. Furthermore, they were not allowed to participate in the Vedic rites with the upper cast and did not have the privilege to study and read the Veda. They had their own priest and religious rites.
 
When Aryan expanded their conquest further into India, they met new communities. To accommodate the social structure of their society, another stratum was added, below the Shudra, the Untouchable.
 
The members of the Untouchable are usually specialized in doing work considered dirty by the society like latrine cleaner. Because of their high level of “impurity” they were segregated in hamlet outside the town or village boundary. They were forbidden entry to many temples, schools and wells from which the higher cast drew water. These practices are still going on, especially in the rural area.
 
 
It is believed by some scholars that membership in a varna was primarily based on ones occupation. It is however customarily accepted in Indian society that membership in a varna is primarily through birth, thus the existence of the notion of jati or cast. Hence, varna has slowly become synonym with cast.
 
The relationship between the members of these casts is highly regulated around the notion of purity and impurity.  The higher casts are considered more pure and strive to maintain their purity. The lower casts are considered as source of impurity. For one to alter his/her purity level is mainly through four medium: marriage, drink, food and touch. For a higher cast who was contaminated with the impurity of a lower cast to gain back its status, he has to pass through rite of purification.
 
Social mobility within the varna is not theoretically possible during ones lifetime. For a lower varna to move up the ladder, he should be a devoted and good member of its varna and wait for him being reborn after death in a higher varna. However some individuals succeeded in integration higher varna during their lifetime.
 
 
They succeed mainly through emulating the higher cast and taking their habits of conduct. When it is combined with some form of power over the higher cast, the mobility is more easily recognized. An untouchable for example, to emulate the Shudra will take its dressing and dietetic code. He will also strive to avoid performing work the Sudra see as impure. All these effort will be deem successful if for example, the Shudra accept to eat a meal cooked by him.
 
The mobility is usually between two closely related casts. An untouchable will hardly seek to rise from is level to the level of Brahman.  It is this process of raising up to the varna ladder and being accepted by the higher cast that was one of the main factor in the spread of Hinduism among the population of south western Asia.
 
 
The cast system, even tough it is view as a fundamental ingredient to Indian society is criticized by many Hindu scholars who are seeking for its adaptation to modern time.
 
The Untouchable who are the lowest cast, because of the burden put upon them by the varna system usually seek refuge in religion were there is no legal cast system. Hence the easy conversion of these low cast to Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. The notion of “untouchability” has been declared illegal in the constitution of India of 1949 and that of Pakistan in 1953. However, the varna system is still strong in the rural area and many of the untouchable are still struggling to improve their civil right and recognition. 
 
  
  
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<!--Image:Biskop Erik Norman Svendsen.jpg|'''Protestant''': Bishop Erik Norman Svendsen of the  Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark.—>
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</gallery>
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==See also==
 
==See also==
 
*[[Ecumenical Council]]
 
*[[Ecumenical Council]]
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*[[Holy orders]]
 
*[[Papacy]]
 
*[[Papacy]]
 
*[[Sacrament]]
 
*[[Sacrament]]
 
*[[Worship]]
 
*[[Worship]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
*Campbell, Dennis M. ''The yoke of obedience: the meaning of ordination in Methodism''. United Methodist studies. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988. ISBN 9780687466603
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*Campbell, Dennis M. ''The Yoke of Obedience: The Meaning of Ordination in Methodism''. United Methodist studies. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988. ISBN 9780687466603
*Oden, Thomas C. ''Pastoral theology: essentials of ministry''. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1983. ISBN 9780060663537
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*Oden, Thomas C. ''Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry''. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1983. ISBN 9780060663537.
*Willimon, William H. ''Calling & character: virtues of the ordained life''. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. ISBN 9780687090334
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*Willimon, William H. ''Calling & Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life''. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. ISBN 9780687090334.
*Willimon, William H. ''Pastor: the theology and practice of ordained ministry''. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002. ISBN 9780687045327
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*Willimon, William H. ''Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry''. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002. ISBN 9780687045327.
 
 
 
 
 
==External links==
 
*[http://www.catholic-vocations.com/ Old Catholic Vocations Website]. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
 
*[http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Sacraments/HolyOrders.asp Priesthood - Catholic Sacrament of Holy Orders - Ordination]. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
 
*[http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm Vatican II Council]. Retrieved June 28, 2008.
 
 
 
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The term Holy Orders comes from the Latin Ordo (order) and the word holy referring to the church. Historically, an order refers to an established civil body or organization with a hierarchy. Thus, the term holy order has come into usage referring to a group with a hierarchy that is engaged in the ministry and leadership of religious group. Within the Christian Church, the term takes on an even more specific meaning when it is used to refer to a holy order as one of the Holy Sacraments/Mysteries instituted by Jesus Christ as a tenet of faith of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Church.

Members of holy orders, as leaders of their religious communities, hold the power to make their respective communities thrive or founder. They are responsible to lead the members of their communities of faith in the right direction, toward a moral and holy life, toward mutual support in their community, and toward spiritual health. Sometimes, in their zeal to further their own community of faith, members of holy orders may influence those following them to pursue the vitality and success of their own community of faith even at the expense of others, giving rise to conflicts between religious communities, an unfortunate contribution to the modern world in its struggle to achieve universal peace.

Catholic: At priestly ordination the bishop lays hands upon the deacon as part of the process of ordaining him to become a priest. This is a photograph of the pre-Vatican II rite.

Origin

Protestant: Bishop Július Filo of Slovakia, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession
Orthodox: Georgian Orthodox priest, in Mtskheta, Georgia.
Catholic: Father George H. Clements, Holy Angel Catholic Church, Chicago's largest black Catholic church.


Early in his ministry, Jesus Christ called several individuals, most of them fishermen, to follow him and be his disciples, and they came to be known as the twelve apostles. These were his assistants and close aides.

He appointed twelve, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons (Mark 3:14-15, TNIV).

They were even given the authority to perform miracles, such as casting out demons as Jesus did. Before leaving this world, Jesus sent them to spread his gospel throughout the world, to find new disciples (John 20:21) and to be his representatives on earth.

As the apostles started their mission, the need to get help and assistance and even to nurture successors arose. They needed to ordain new converts to join them in leading the church. The ordination ritual was characterized by the laying of hands on the appointee (Acts 6:1-7). This ritual of ordination for those called to Holy Orders is now one of the Holy Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the ceremony is considered one of the Holy Mysteries.

According to the theory of apostolic succession, the ritual of successors and assistants being appointed by those who preceded them in the ministry is the key element of the legitimacy of the holy order of each church. As a member of a holy order, one must be ordained by someone who was himself ordained. The chain of ordination links each member of the order back in a direct line of succession to one of the apostles. Thus, there exist a historical and spiritual connection between each member of a holy order, the apostles, and the Christ.

The effect of being ordained

Being ordained in a holy order allows one to partake in special grace as God’s minister and to receive spiritual power. That power conferred at ordination is permanent and cannot be revoked, in contrast to the power given to office holders such as archbishops or deans that is revoked immediately when the person leaves office.

In all denominations and religions, holy orders are considered more of a vocation than occupation as they involve complete commitment to their practice. The responsibilities and roles held by members of holy orders vary according to the faith, location, size, and history of the religious community to whom they serve.

These duties include leading worship services, offering intercession prayers, offering guidance to members of the religious community, instructing members of the community in rites, practices, and scriptures of their respective faiths. Those under holy orders minister to the poor, sick, elderly, and serve a host of other duties. In some communities, social or political leadership is provided by the same persons who provide religious leadership.

The hierarchy

Members of holy orders in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches are divided into three levels, the order of Bishop, the order of Priest and the order of Deacon. The bishop occupies the highest rank and is said to have the 'fullness of the order'. He is followed in the hierarchy by the priest, who may also be known as presbyter. The lowest in the hierarchy, bearing the mission of servant is the deacon. These three levels are described as the major orders in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Orthodox Church recognizes another group of orders known as the minor orders. Minor orders are composed of the reader and the subdeacon.

The Priest

The word "Priest" is a translation of a derivation of the Latin sacerdos, meaning sacrifice. The priesthood is a sacrificial ministry and the priest is the official celebrant of the Eucharist, a rite following the commandment of Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

In ancient Israel, the culture from which the roots of the Christian church sprung, priests were the ones in charge of the altar and the temple, and the central priests were also allowed to offer sacrifices, and instruct the people about the laws of Moses. According to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, the Christians are the priests of the new Israel. This interpretation extends to the Roman Catholics who indicate that while all Christians are priests, the one who are ordained, in the position of successor to the apostles and as stewards of the Church, have a higher status of priesthood and thus receive special grace.

Starting from the third century, the term priest was applied to bishops who were the celebrants of the Eucharist. In the fourth century, the term was given to presbyters because of their newly granted authority to officiate the Eucharist. In the Catholic Church, priests hold only slightly less authority than bishops, and may confer all the sacraments except the sacrament of ordaining persons with holy orders. In the Orthodox Church, the priest serves at the direction of the Bishop who may confer to the priests the authority to minister in his diocese, or withdraw it, as he desires.

The Bishop

According to the tradition of apostolic succession, the order of bishop has its roots in apostolic times. Apostles appointed their successors as bishops through prayer and the laying of hands, giving them the apostolic authority and priority of rank. As the highest in rank, they can administer all of the sacraments/mysteries, and have the power to ordain priests and deacons. Under ordinary circumstances, the ordination of a bishop is usually officiated by three other bishops; only in some exceptional circumstances can a bishop be ordained by a single bishop.

A bishop is ordained for leadership, and has the spirit of governance. He is the chief priest, ruler and teacher of one or a number of churches, usually in a specific geographic area. In the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Church, this area is called diocese and the place the bishop officiates from is called a cathedral. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop governs over an autocephalous (independent) Church.

The Petrine doctrine, based on Matthew 16:18-19 and other Biblical references, is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic church, which holds that, since Peter was appointed by Christ as the head of the church, and then martyred in Rome, the seat of the worldwide church from that time on remained in Rome.

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of death will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18-19, TNIV).

On this basis, the Roman Catholics argue that the Bishop of Rome, as the official spiritual successor of Peter, is the head of the church. The Bishop of Rome has the title of Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. However, in the Orthodox Church as well as the Anglican Church, all bishops are equals and patriarchs or synods of bishops exercise only an :oversight of care" among the body of coequal bishops.

It is also interesting to note that while bishops are appointed by the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church, in the Orthodox and Anglican Communions, they are elected. In the Anglican Church of England however, the bishops are appointed by the reigning monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Deacon

Catholic deacon candidates prostrate before the altar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in the city of Los Angeles during a 2004 diaconate ordination liturgy.

According to Christian tradition, the order of deacon started when the apostles ordained seven men to wait on them at table (Acts 6 1-7). Deacons serve as assistants to the bishop and the minister of service. In the early days, this meant taking care of the property of the diocese, a function that was terminated during the middle ages. In the Roman Catholic church, the liturgical function of the deacon consists in helping and serving the celebrant, who leads the mass and administers the Eucharist. Many protestant churches have deacons as lay officers with no sacramental or liturgical functions.

Who can be ordained

Any individual who feels a vocation to serve for the sake of God’s honor and the sanctification of service may be a candidate for ordination. Generally however, appointment to the holy orders is reserved for seminary graduates. In the Roman Catholic Church, a seminarian is often ordained as a deacon in his final year. Those who intend to continue and seek ordination as priests are referred as "transitional deacons." In the Orthodox Church, before entering the seminary, students are tonsured as readers, and may later be ordained as deacons or subdeacons. In the Anglican Church, ordination as deacons is given after graduation from theological college. It is important to note that as the elder and leader of the church, the Bishop has the last say in any ordination and often will make further inquiries about a candidate's life to ascertain his moral, intellectual and physical fitness before deciding whether to approve a candidate's application for ordination.

Holy orders and women

In some Christian traditions women may theoretically be ordained to the same orders as men. In others women are restricted from certain offices. The Church of England (in the Anglican Communion), for example, does not permit the consecration of women as bishops, though the Episcopal Church USA (the United States denomination that is part of the Anglican Communion) does. In some denominations women can be ordained as elders or deacons. Some denominations allow for the ordination of women for certain religious orders. Within certain traditions, such as the Anglican and Lutheran, there is a diversity of theology and practice regarding ordination of women. The Roman Catholic Church, in accordance with its understanding of the theological tradition on the issue, and the definitive clarification of the issue found in the encyclical letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) written by Pope John Paul II, officially teaches that it has no authority to ordain women as priests and thus there is no possibility of female priests at any time in the future.

Holy orders and marriage

Historically the issue of marriage was a matter of personnel choice, as exemplified by the letters of Saint Paul. Celibacy is not a sacrament. It was not demanded of those with holy orders in the early church, and St. Peter was recorded as doing his mission along with his wife. However, in later times, the Roman Catholic church came to require celibacy for its priests and bishops. By contrast, in the Orthodox Church, marriage is allowed to deacons and priests, although Orthodox bishops are required to live in celibacy.

Ordination and orders in the Protestant church

There are many denominations of protestants, and likewise many variations in the process of calling and ordination to the ministry; however, there are some distinct differences between the state of being ordained in the protestant Christian church in contrast with the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches. Perhaps the most important difference is that in the protestant denominations, the process of ordination affirms and lends authority to the calling to ministry, but without imparting a special spiritual state. One of the main points of the protestant reformation was that all believers have equal and direct access to God and to salvation, and that it was not necessary to approach the Lord through a mediator. The differences in ordination, and the accompanying differences in church hierarchy reflect this difference in beliefs.

Typically, protestant churches have three ranks of ordained leadership; pastors, who are required to be seminary graduates, and are ordained by the central authority of the denomination, and elders and deacons, who are ordained by the gathered congregation. Women and men are equally qualified for all positions, including pastor, in nearly all, if not all, protestant denominations. Protestant pastors, elders, and deacons are all permitted to marry.

Responsibilities

Members of holy orders are endowed with authority by the churches who ordain them. In addition, the legal systems in many modern societies also give special privileges to the clergy, in order to protect the sanctity of the church and the separation of church and state. This means that it is particularly for those who have taken holy orders to serve with sincerity, and be responsible to lead their congregations in the right direction, toward a good and holy life.

Unfortunately, there are times when members of holy orders do not live up to their responsibility, sometimes misusing funds that are entrusted to their care, sometimes sexually abusing those under their ministry, and sometimes leading those in their communities to oppose or work against other communities on the basis of different religious beliefs. Hopefully, the time will come when these problems can become a thing of the past.

A Gallery of Christian holy orders

See also

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Campbell, Dennis M. The Yoke of Obedience: The Meaning of Ordination in Methodism. United Methodist studies. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988. ISBN 9780687466603
  • Oden, Thomas C. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1983. ISBN 9780060663537.
  • Willimon, William H. Calling & Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. ISBN 9780687090334.
  • Willimon, William H. Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002. ISBN 9780687045327.

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