clergy
Religious leadership class
Clergy are the ordained officials of a religion—priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, and the like.
The term is collective, referring to religious leaders as a class rather than to individuals: The clergy opposed the new legislation.
A single person is a member of the clergy or, more naturally, a clergyman or clergywoman.
The clergy stands in contrast to the laity, the ordinary members of a religious community.
One who performs sacraments
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- pastorChristian congregation leader
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- deaconJunior clergy member
chaplain · rabbi · imam · monk · nun · archbishop · cardinal · vicar
Formal worship structure
- sacramentSacred ritual conveying grace
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- massQuantity of matter
- communionProfound shared closeness
confirmation · ordination · vespers · matins · sermon · homily · benediction · anointing
Strongly felt purpose
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
- vowsSolemn binding promises
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
service · ministry · mission · consecration · seminary · novitiate · holy orders · apostolate
Assembled group of worshippers
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- flockAnimals gathered together
- laityNon-ordained church members
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
believers · fellowship · parish · diocese · synod · presbytery · denomination · sect
Professional guidance for problems
- pastoral careReligious emotional support
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- spiritual directionMentoring toward sacred growth
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
advice · comfort · consolation · discernment · wisdom · support · teaching · instruction
priest
One who performs sacraments
deacon · chaplain · rabbi · imam · monk · nun · archbishop · cardinal · vicar · rector
liturgy
Formal worship structure
- sacramentSacred ritual conveying grace
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- massQuantity of matter
communion · confirmation · ordination · vespers · matins · sermon · homily · benediction · anointing · absolution
calling
Strongly felt purpose
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
- vowsSolemn binding promises
- celibacyAbstaining from intimate relations
devotion · service · ministry · mission · consecration · seminary · novitiate · holy orders · apostolate · discernment
congregation
Assembled group of worshippers
- parishionersMembers of local congregation
- flockAnimals gathered together
- laityNon-ordained church members
faithful · believers · fellowship · parish · diocese · synod · presbytery · denomination · sect · order
counseling
Professional guidance for problems
- pastoral careReligious emotional support
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- spiritual directionMentoring toward sacred growth
mentorship · advice · comfort · consolation · discernment · wisdom · support · teaching · instruction · intercession
- social connectionsneighbors, peers, childhood friends, coworkers, friends
- Medieval Termsfeudalism, manorialism, serfdom, guilds, fiefdoms
- Medieval Groupsknights, crusaders, Templars, Teutonic Knights, Normans
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- notable peoplepoliticians, artists, leaders, writers, scientists
- Renaissance Europenobility, peasants, merchants, artisans, guilds
clergylaity
Non-ordained church members
laypeople · layperson · layman · laywoman · congregation
clergylaity
Non-ordained church members
government · nobility · civil government · politicians · civil servants
- Catholic clergyOrdained religious leaders
- sales clerkRetail store worker
- clerical workRoutine office duties
- town clerkLocal government administrator
- store clerk
- clerical errorOffice documentation mistake
clerk, clerical, cleric, clergyman, clerics, clerking, clergymen, clergywoman, clerestory