Ordination

This article is about the process of ordaining clergy. For other meanings, see ordination (disambiguation).

In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of, ordination is sometimes called an ordinand. The liturgy used at an ordination is sometimes referred to as an ordinal.

Christianity

Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches

Main article: Holy Orders

Ordination of a Catholic priest (pre-1968 form of the Roman Rite).

Ordination is one of the seven Sacraments, variously called Holy Orders or Cheirotonia ("Laying on of Hands").

Apostolic Succession is an essential and necessary concept for ordination, consisting in the belief that all ordained clergy are ordained by bishops who were ordained by other bishops, and so on, tracing back to bishops ordained by the Apostles who were ordained by Christ, the great High Priest ((Hebrews 7:26), (Hebrews 8:2)) who conferred His priesthood upon His Apostles. ((John 20:21-23), (Matthew 28:19-20), (Mark 16:15-18), and (Acts 2:33))^[1]

There are three 'degrees' of ordination (or Holy Orders): deacon, presbyter, and bishop. Note that both bishops and presbyters are priests and that in common speech the latter term is used, "presbyter" being used only in rites of ordination and other places where a technical and precise term is required.

Ordination of a bishop is performed by several bishops; ordination of priest or deacon is performed by a single bishop. The ordination of a new bishop is also called a consecration. Many ancient sources specify that at least three bishops are necessary to consecrate another, e.g., the 13th Canon of the Council of Carthage (AD 394) states "a bishop should not be ordained except by many bishops, but if there should be necessity he may be ordained by three."^[2] and the first of "The Canons of the Holy and Altogether August Apostles" states "Let a bishop be ordained by two or three bishops" while the second canon thereof states "Let a presbyter, deacon, and the rest of the clergy, be ordained by one bishop";^[3] the latter canons, whatever their origin, were imposed on the universal church by the Seventh Ecumenical Council, the Second Council of Nicaea, in its first canon.^[4]

Only a person ordained to the priesthood may administer most sacraments, e.g., hear confessions or validly celebrate the Eucharist.

Consecration of an Orthodox Bishop. The priest being ordained is kneeling with the Gospel Book on his head while the ordaining bishops lay their right hands over his head.

Ordination of an Orthodox priest. The deacon being ordained is kneeling with the bishop's omophorion over his head and is being blessed by the bishop straightway before the Cheirotonia.

Eastern Orthodox subdeacon being ordained to the diaconate. The bishop has placed his omophorion and right hand on the head of the candidate and is reading the Prayer of Cheirotonia.

Details peculiar to the various denominations

The Roman Catholic Church requires that bishops be consecrated with the blessings of the Pope, as the guarantor of unity within the Church. Also, with the blessing of the Pope, a single bishop may consecrate another bishop, this dispensation being occasionally granted in extraordinary circumstances, e.g., in missionary settings or times of persecution.

In the Roman Catholic Church the majority of clergy are initially 'transitional deacons' before ordination as priest; 'permanent deacons' do not go on to priesthood: this allows married men to be ordained within the Roman Catholic Church.

While some Eastern churches have in the past recognized Anglican ordinations as valid,^[5] the current Anglican practice of ordaining women to the priesthood (and, in some cases, to the episcopate) has caused the Orthodox generally to rescind earlier declarations of validity and hopes for union.^[6] The Roman Catholic Church has never recognized Anglican orders as valid. Anglicanism recognizes Roman Catholic and Orthodox ordinations; hence, clergy converting to Anglicanism are not "re-ordained."

Some Eastern Orthodox Churches recognize Roman Catholic ordinations while others "re-ordain" Roman Catholic clergy (as well as Anglican Roman Catholic) who convert. However, both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches recognize Orthodox ordinations.

In the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, ordinations have traditionally been held on Ember Days, though there is no limit to the number of clergymen who may be ordained at the same service. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, ordinations may be performed any day of the year on which the Divine Liturgy may be celebrated (and deacons may also be ordained at the Presanctified Liturgy), but only one person may be ordained to each rank at any given service, that is, at most one bishop, one presbyter, and one deacon may be ordained at the same liturgy.^[7]

Notes

• There have long existed orders of clergy below that of deacon. In the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches (and, until 1970, in the Roman Catholic Church), one has to be tonsured a cleric and be ordained to sundry minor orders prior to being ordained a deacon. Although one may be said to be ordained to these orders, such ordinations are not reckoned as part of the sacrament of Holy Orders; in the Eastern Orthodox, the term Cheirothesia ("imposition of hands")^[7] is used for such ordinations in contrast to Cheirotonia ("laying on of hands") for ordinations of deacons, presbyters, and bishops.

• The following are positions that are not acquired by ordination:
  • Becoming a monk or nun or, generally, a member of a religious order, which is open to men and women; men in religious orders may or may not be ordained.
  • Offices and titles such as pope, patriarch, archbishop, archpriest, archimandrite, archdeacon, et cetera, which are given to ordained persons for sundry reason, e.g., to rank them or honor them.
  • Cardinals are simply electors of the Pope of Rome and are not an order of the priesthood. Presently, nearly all cardinals are bishops although several are priests and as recently as 1899 there was a cardinal who was a deacon when he died, having been a cardinal for 41 years (Teodolfo Mertel).

Protestantism

A Presbyterian ordinand making his ordination vows.

In most Protestant churches, ordination to the pastoral office is the rite by which their various churches:

• recognize and confirm that an individual has been called by God to ministry,
• acknowledges that the individual has gone through a period of discernment and training related to this call, and
• authorizes that individual to take on the office of ministry.

For the sake of authorization and church order, and not for reason of 'powers' or 'ability', individuals in most mainline Protestant churches must be ordained in order to preside at the sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion), and to be installed as a called pastor of a congregation or parish.

Some Protestant traditions have additional offices of ministry to which persons can be ordained. For instance:

• most Presbyterian and Reformed churches maintain a threefold order of ministry of pastor, elder, and deacon. The order of Pastor, the only one of the three orders considered "clergy", is comparable to most other denominations' pastoral office or ordained ministry. The order of elder comprises lay persons ordained to the ministries of church order and spiritual care (for example, elders form the governing bodies of congregations and are responsible for a congregation's worship life). The order of deacon comprises lay persons ordained to ministries of service and pastoral care.
• in the Methodist tradition, deacons are also ordained.^[8]

The ordination of a Lutheran pastor

For most Protestant denominations that have an office of bishop, such as Lutheranism and Methodism, this is not viewed as a separate ordination or order of ministry. Rather, bishops are ordained ministers of the same order as other pastors, simply having been "consecrated" or installed into the "office" (that is, the job) of bishop. However, some Lutheran churches also have valid apostolic succession.

Some Protestant Churches – especially Pentecostal and Charismatic ones – also have an informal tier of ministers. Those who graduate from a Bible College or take a year of prescribed courses are Licensed Ministers. Two more years of courses or graduation from a seminary or theological graduate school, as well as an exam by senior ministers, will result in one becoming an Ordained Minister. Licensed ministers are addressed as "Minister" and ordained ministers as "Reverend."

Non-denominational

In Christianity, the term non-denominational refers to those churches that have not formally aligned themselves with an established denomination, or remain otherwise officially autonomous. This, however, does not preclude an identifiable standard among such congregations. Non-denominational congregations may establish a functional denomination by means of mutual recognition of or accountability to other congregations and leaders with commonly held doctrine, policy and worship without formalizing external direction or oversight in such matters. Some non-denominational churches explicitly reject the idea of a formalized denominational structure as a matter of principle, holding that each congregation must be autonomous.

Non-denominational is generally used to refer to one of two forms of independence: political or theological. That is, the independence may come about because of a religious disagreement or political disagreement. This causes some confusion in understanding. Some churches say they are non-denominational because they have no central headquarters (though they may have affiliations with other congregations.) Other churches say they are non-denominational because their belief structures are unique.

Members of non-denominational churches often consider themselves simply "Christians". However, the acceptance of any particular stance on a doctrine or practice (for example, on baptism), about which there is not general unanimity among churches or professing Christians, may be said to establish a de facto credal identity. In essence, this would mean that each non-denominational church forms its own unofficial "denomination" with a specific set of tenets as defined by the beliefs and practices of its own congregation.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses do not have a separate clergy class, but consider an adherent's qualified baptism to constitute his ordination as a lay minister.^[9] Governments have generally recognized that Jehovah's Witnesses' full-time appointees (such as their "regular pioneers") qualify as ministers^[10] regardless of sex or appointment as an elder or deacon ("ministerial servant"). The religion itself asserts what is sometimes termed "ecclesiastical privilege" only for its appointed elders,^[11][12] but the religion permits any baptized adult male in good standing to perform a baptism, wedding, or funeral.^[13] There also is a Governing Body.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a rite of ordination is performed to bestow either the Aaronic or Melchizedek priesthood upon a worthy male member. As in the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions, great care is taken to assure that the candidate for priesthood is ordained by those with proper authority and ordained properly and validly; thorough records of priesthood ordination are kept by the church. Ordination is performed by the laying on of hands. Ordination to the office of priest in the Aaronic priesthood gives the ordained person the authority to:

• baptize converts and children over the age of 8 into the church
• bless and administer the sacrament (the Lord's Supper)
• participate in ordinations of others to the Aaronic Priesthood
• collect fast offerings for the Bishop (ordained Deacons and Teachers can also perform this)
• ordain other priests, teachers, and deacons

Ordination to the Melchizedek priesthood includes the authority to perform all the duties of the Aaronic priesthood, as well as ordain others to the Melchizedek or Aaronic priesthood, perform confirmations, bless and anoint the sick with oil, bless and dedicate graves, and other such rites. There are five offices within the Melchizedek Priesthood to which one could potentially be ordained:

• Elder
• High Priest
• Patriarch
• Seventy
• Apostle

"Ordination to an office in the Aaronic Priesthood is done by or under the direction of the bishop or branch president. Ordination to an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood is done by or under the direction of the stake or mission president. To perform a priesthood ordination, one or more authorized priesthood holders place their hands lightly on the person’s head."^[14]

Latter-day Saints believe in a line of priesthood authority that traces back to Jesus Christ and his apostles. The Church's founder, Joseph Smith, was ordained under the hands of apostles Peter, James, and John, who appeared to Smith as angelic messengers in 1829.

Judaism

Main articles: Semicha and Role of women in Judaism

Semicha (Hebrew: סמיכה‎, "leaning [of the hands]"), also semichut (Hebrew: סמיכות‎, "ordination"), or semicha lerabanim (Hebrew: סמיכה לרבנות‎, "rabbinical ordination") is derived from a Hebrew word which means to "rely on" or "to be authorized". It generally refers to the ordination of a rabbi within Judaism.

Islam

Main articles: Islam, Muslim, and Women as imams

Muslims do not formally ordain religious leaders. Ordination is viewed as a distinct aspect of other religions and is rejected. Islam does not have a formal and separated clergy.

Religious leaders are usually called Imams or Sheikhs or Maulana. The title Imam refers to someone who leads in prayer and can also be used in a linguistic sense for anyone who leads other Muslims in congregational prayers. Sheikh is an Arabic word meaning "old man" and is used as an honorable title for a learned man; Shaikhah refers to a woman learned in Islamic issues. This title is usually more prevalent in the Arabic countries. The word Maulana is a title bestowed upon students who have graduated from a Madrasah (Islamic theological school) throughout the Indian subcontinent region. Although different Muslim schools, universities or madrasas might follow different graduation ceremonies upon a student's complete of a 4 year B.A. of Islamic Studies or a 7-8 Alim Course, these ceremonies do not in any way symbolize ordination.

Buddhism

Novitiate Buddhist ordination

Main article: Vinaya

The tradition of the ordained monastic community (Sangha) began with the Buddha, who established orders of monks and later of nuns.

The procedure of ordination in Buddhism is laid down in the Vinaya and Patimokkha or Pratimoksha scriptures. There exist three intact ordination lineages nowadays in which one can receive an ordination according to the Buddha's teachings:^{[citation needed]}

• Dharmaguptaka Lineage
• Mulasarvastivadin Lineage
• Theravada Lineage

Mahayana

Saicho repeatedly requested that the government allow for the construction of a Mahayana Ordination Platform. Permission was granted in 822 CE, seven days after Saicho passed away. The platform was finished in 827 CE at Enryaku-ji temple on Mount Hiei, and was the first in Japan. Prior to this, those wishing to become monks/nuns were ordained using the Hinayana precepts, whereas after the Mahayana Ordination Platform, people were ordained with the Bodhisattva Precepts as listed in the Brahma Net Sutra. ^[15]

Theravada

Main articles: Sangha#Ordination_process, Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Theravada#Ordination , and Pabbajja

Pabbajja is an ordination procedure for novice Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition.

Posthumous ordination

In Medieval Sōtō Zen, a tradition of posthumous ordination was developed to give the laity access to Zen funeral rites. Chinese Ch’an monastic codes, from which Japanese Sōtō practices were derived, contain only monastic funeral rites; there were no provisions made for funerals for lay believers. To solve this problem, the Sōtō school developed the practice of ordaining laypeople after death, thus allowing monastic funeral rites to be used for them as well.^[16]

Fully ordained nuns

The legitimacy of fully ordained nuns (bhikkhuni/bhiksuni) has become a significant topic of discussion in recent years. Texts passed down in every Buddhist tradition record that Buddha created an order of fully ordained nuns, but the tradition has died out in some Buddhist traditions such as Theravada Buddhism, while remaining strong in others such as Chinese Buddhism (Dharmaguptaka Lineage). In the Tibetan lineage, which follows the Mulasarvastivadin lineage, the lineage of fully ordained nuns was not brought to Tibet by the Indian Vinaya masters, hence there is no rite for the ordination of full nuns. However HH the XIV. Dalai Lama has endeavored for many years to improve this situation.^[17] In 2005 he asked fully ordained nuns in the Dharmaguptaka Lineage, especially Jampa Tsedroen, to form a committee to work for the acceptance of the bhiksuni lineage within the Tibetan tradition,^[17] and donated 50.000€ for further research. The "1st International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role in the Sangha: Bhikshuni Vinaya and Ordination Lineages" was held at the University of Hamburg from July 18–20, 2007, in cooperation with the University’s Asia-Africa Institute. Although the general tenor was that full ordination was overdue, the Dalai Lama presented a pre-drafted statement^[18] saying that more time was required to reach a decision, thus nullifying the intentions of the congress.

New Kadampa Tradition

Main article: New Kadampa Tradition#Ordination

The Buddhist ordination tradition of the New Kadampa Tradition-International Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU) was developed by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in accordance with the changing needs of modern society. Unlike most other Buddhist traditions, including Mahayana schools such as Tibetan Buddhism, which follow the Hinayana ordination tradition as laid down in the Vinaya and Pratimoksha Sutras, the NKT-IKBU ordination is said to be 'based on' the Mahayana Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.

Ordination of women

Main article: Ordination of women

The ordination of women is often a controversial issue in religions where either the office of ordination, or the role that an ordained person fulfills, is traditionally restricted to men, for various theological reasons.

In Christianity

The Christian priesthood has traditionally been reserved to men. Some claim that women were ordained deacons in the first millennium of Christianity, but their claims are disputed. After the Protestant Reformation and the loosening of authority structures within many denominations, most Protestant groups re-envisioned the role of the ordained priesthood. Many did away with it altogether. Others altered it in fundamental ways, often favoring a rabbinical-type married minister of teaching (word) and discarding any notion of a sacrificial priesthood. A common epithet used by Protestants (especially Anglicans) against Catholics was that Catholics were a 'priest-ridden' people. Hatred for priests was a common element of anti-Catholicism and pogroms against Catholics focused on expelling, killing, or forcefully 'laicizing' priests.

Beginning in the twentieth century, many Protestant denominations began re-evaluating the roles of women in their churches. Many now ordain women. A woman named Deborah was a judge of the ancient Israelites according to the biblical book of Judges. Based partially upon this precedence, other Protestant and non-denominational organizations, grant ordination to women. Other denominations refute the claim of a precedent based on Deborah's example because she is not specifically described as ruling over Israel, rather giving judgments on contentious issues in private, not teaching publicly,^[19] neither did she lead the military.^[20][21] Her message to her fellow judge Barak in fact affirmed the male leadership of Israel.^[22][23] The United Church of Canada has ordained women since 1932. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America ordains women as pastors, and women are eligible for election as bishops. The Episcopal Church in the United States of America ordains women as deacons, priests and bishops. The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church ordains women at all levels including deacon, priest and bishop. Other denominations leave the decision to ordain women to the regional governing body, or even to the congregation itself; these include the Christian Reformed Church in North America and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The ordination of women in the latter half of the 20th century was an important issue between Anglicans and Catholics since the Catholic Church viewed the ordination of women as a huge obstacle to possible rapprochement between the two churches.

The Catholic Church has not changed its view or practice on the ordination or women, and neither have any of the Orthodox churches; these Churches represent approximately 65% of all Christians worldwide. In response to the growing call for the ordination of women, Pope John Paul II issued the statement Ordinatio Sacerdotalis in 1995. In it, he gave reasons why women cannot be ordained, and defined that the Holy Spirit had not conferred the power to ordain women upon the Church. In the wake of this definitive statement, many theologians considered the issue settled, but many continue to push for the ordination of women in the Catholic Church. Some have even begun protest churches.

In Judaism

The ordination of women rabbis in Judaism closely parallels that of women ministers in Protestantism. Historically all-male, female rabbis began being allowed by more liberal congregations in the middle of the twentieth century. Most Orthodox congregations do not allow women rabbis. Policy regarding the ordination of women differs among the different denominations of Judaism.

See also

• Fellowship Of Vocation
• Ordination exams

References

1. ^ [1] "The Orthodox Faith — The Sacrament of the Holy Priesthood", Retrieved 2011-08-03
2. ^ [2], "Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers — The Seven Ecumenical Councils, p641", Retrieved 2011-08-03
3. ^ [3], "Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers — The Seven Ecumenical Councils, p839", Retrieved 2011-08-03
4. ^ [4], "Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers — The Seven Ecumenical Councils, P790", Retrieved 2011-08-03
5. ^ "Orthodox Statements on Anglican Orders"
6. ^ [5]"Unity Faith and Order - Dialogues - Anglican Orthodox," Introduction, par. 2 ("From Moscow to Lambeth (1976-8)
7. ^ ^{a b} Sokolof, Archpriest Dimitrii (1899), Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services, Jordanville, New York: Holy Trinity Monastery (published 2001), pp. 132–136, ISBN 0-88465-067-7, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/sokolof/services.toc.html 
8. ^ Order of Service: Ordination of a Deacon and Ordination of a Minister of the Word, Uniting Church in Australia
9. ^ "Beliefs—Membership and Organization", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2009-09-01, "Jehovah's Witnesses have no clergy-laity division. All baptized members are ordained ministers"
10. ^ For example, the U.S. Supreme Court case Dickinson v. United States found that Dickinson should have been considered a minister by his draft board because of his ordination by baptism as a Jehovah's Witness and his continued service as a Jehovah's Witness "pioneer". Online
11. ^ "Russian Federation Federal Law", Chapter 1, Article 3, Paragraph 7, as cited by Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2009-09-01, "Ecclesiastical privilege is protected by the law. A clergyman may not be prosecuted for refusal to testify on circumstances that became known to him during confession."
12. ^ "Who Are Jehovah's Witnesses?", Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses, As Retrieved 2009-09-01, "Who Are Jehovah's Witnesses?...The worldwide organization is directed by an unpaid, ecclesiastical governing body serving at the international offices in Brooklyn, New York."
13. ^ "Question Box", Our Kingdom Ministry, November 1973, page 8, "Weddings and funerals may be conducted by any dedicated, baptized brother as permitted by law."
14. ^ Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood Part B Lesson 5>
15. ^ Mahayana Ordination Platform "Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism."
16. ^ William M Bodiford, Soto Zen in Medieval Japan (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1993), 195-96.
17. ^ ^{a b} A New Possibility
18. ^ Statement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Bhikshuni Ordination in the Tibetan Tradition
19. ^ Judges 4:5
20. ^ Judges 4:6, 10, 14
21. ^ Grudem, Wayne (2004). Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of more than 100 Disputed Questions. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, Inc.. p. 864. ISBN 157673840X. http://www.efbt100.com/index.php. 
22. ^ Judges 4:6-7 & 14
23. ^ Grudem, Wayne (2004). Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of more than 100 Disputed Questions. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, Inc.. p. 864. ISBN 157673840X. http://www.efbt100.com/index.php. 

External links

• Can Women Preach? by James H. Boyd
• Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An analysis of over 100 Disputed Questions by Wayne Grudem
• J. Frederick, 2001 "What Presbyterians Believe about ordination", Presbyterians Today, May 2001
• International Buddhist Monk Ordination Program
• Legality of Online Ordination
• Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church (LEPC)
• Ministry: a Call Without Compromise by James H. Boyd
• Sects & Sectarianism - The origins of Buddhist Schools