Clergy facts for kids
Clergy are important formal leaders within many religions. Their jobs and duties change depending on the religion. However, they usually lead special ceremonies and teach people about their religion's beliefs and practices. You might hear them called a cleric, clergyman, clergywoman, or clergyperson.
In Christianity, the names and roles of clergy vary a lot. They can include deacons, priests, bishops, pastors, and even the Pope. In Islam, religious leaders are often called an imam, mufti, mullah, or ayatollah. For Jewish people, a religious leader is often a rabbi or a hazzan (cantor).
What Does "Clergy" Mean?
The word "cleric" comes from the Latin word clericus. This word was used for people who belonged to the priestly group. It comes from an old Greek word that meant "belonging to an inheritance." This is because, in ancient times, some priests in the Old Testament didn't get land as an inheritance. Instead, they believed their inheritance was the Lord.
How Do People Become Clergy?
To become a priest in some Christian traditions, people need to study for many years. This often includes studying philosophy and theology (the study of religious faith). They learn about religious teachings, holy books, and religious laws. This learning often happens in a special school called a seminary or at a university.
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Images for kids
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14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso in 2007
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Bishop Maurício Andrade, primate of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, gives a crosier to Bishop Saulo Barros
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Archbishop Jose S. Palma with his assistant ministers during Pontifical High Mass
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Orthodox Christian clergy: bishop (right, at altar), priest (left), and two deacons (in gold)
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Ethiopian Orthodox clergy lead a procession in celebration of Saint Michael
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Lutheran pastor confirming the youth of his congregation
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The Reverend Hans G. Ridderstedt (1919-2007), Assistant Vicar at Stockholm Cathedral
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A Sunni jurist (mufti) delivering a sermon from a pulpit
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Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, a leading Rabbinical authority for Orthodox Jewry
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Sir George Fleming, 2nd Baronet, British churchman.
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Charles Wesley Leffingwell, Episcopal priest
See also
In Spanish: Clero para niños
