Simplify Christianity

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Sam_777

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Could you please correct the description of those Christians figures and their ranking, I took all my information from Wikipedia:

Positions:
  • Cardinal: an ordained bishop who can elect a new Pope.
  • Archbishop: is a bishop of higher rank.
  • Bishop: Apostolic successors.
  • Pastor: ?
  • Priest: A person appointed by the Pope to be responsible about a Catholic Church.
  • Curacy: ?
  • Apologist: A speaker person who defend the Christian religion on websites.
Places:
  • **Cathedral: **a big religious buildings for worship and contain residency buildings for the staff.
  • Church: A single religious building for worshipping only.
  • Parish: ?
  • Eparchy: Greek equivalent of the Latin term “provincia/province”
  • Archdiocese: is more significant than a diocese, an archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop.
  • Diocese: is the district under the supervision of a bishop, it is divided into parishes.
  • Deacon: is a ministry in the Christian Church.
  • Chapel: a small structure other than a parish church, for prayer and the celebration of Mass.
  • Oratory: another name for “Chapel”.
 
I’m sure a few others will help out but:

A Cardinal is a Bishop that has been elevated to the position of a Cardinal, it is not another rank as such, more of a elevated responsiblilty

An Archbishop is a Bishop that happens to be the Bishop of a Large city and as such they shepard more people. There is no difference between a ArchBishop and a Bishop

A Pastor is the priest in charge of a particular parish

A Priest is appointed by his bishop to be the conveyor of the Sacriments. He is in charge of the church building but his primary role is to shepard the people

A Parish is the territory that surrounds the Church which makes up its congregation, think of a parish as a provence and the church as the capital just on a much smaller scale.

Pax,
Blake
 
GunnerQuick said:
An Archbishop is a Bishop that happens to be the Bishop of a Large city and as such they shepard more people. There is no difference between a ArchBishop and a Bishop

A Pastor is the priest in charge of a particular parish
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An archbishop is, many times, in charge of other bishops under him in the metropolitan area he covers. Because there is only one of him and a larger flock, he cannot be everywhere at once. Often, there are bishops under him, sort of like associate pastors, with him being the pastor. It is a slightly higher rank than a bishop, but ONLY in the diocese he covers.

Another name for a Cure, or one in the curacy is an Associate Pastor. In some other countries, it means just a parish priest, which could be a pastor. It depends on the country you’re talking about, so it could be confusing. It will always mean Associate Pastor in most english speaking countries, though.

Your definition for apologist is funny. 😃 Apologists have no power, by the way, unless they are in the Church hierarchy as priests, etc.

A lot of terms have other names or dual terms that can be used to say the same thing.
 
GunnerQuick said:
I’m sure a few others will help out but:

A Cardinal is a Bishop that has been elevated to the position of a Cardinal, it is not another rank as such, more of a elevated responsiblilty
Click to expand...
Also, cardinals are the Pope’s “board of advisors” so to speak, and they are responsible for electing new popes.
 
To be clear about deacons:

The diaconate is the ministry; the deacon is the clergyman who ministers.

Deacons have had many roles in Christian history. One of the more confusing distinctions was between Deacon and Archdeacon. Archdeacons were priests who had overview for several parishes, acting as a unifying bureaucrat under his bishop. Deacons were, and are, men who assist primarily at the Liturgy/Mass in reading the Gospel, using incense, and aiding the priest(s) at the altar. Deacons are also called to go forth and spread the faith, as well as to bring holy Communion to the sick, instruct ignorant people, and many things. The role is not as strictly defined as the priest these days. 😃
prodigalson2011 said:
Also, cardinals are the Pope’s “board of advisors” so to speak, and they are responsible for electing new popes.
Click to expand...
Also, let’s think of cardinals as the “priests of the diocese of Rome”. If the Bishop of X has priests of the diocese of X who elect him, so the Bishop of Rome, as the servant of all servants of God, has special priests of his diocese, cardinals, who elect him as their bishop. By being elected the Bishop of Rome, he is the universal bishop too. This is why each cardinal is given his own church, his “titular” church: a parish attached to his title as a cardinal, so it’s like he’s a parish priest of the super-diocese called Rome. Each cardinal is thus an elector of the Pope, because each priest in any diocese is an elector for a bishop (I think).
 
A Cathedral is not necessarily larger than other churches in the area, nor has residences for it’s staff (although it may have both). It is simply the head church for a Diocese, and is presided over by the Bishop. His throne or “cathedra” is there.

There are relatively small cathedrals, and in some places there are churches larger than the cathedral. Saint Peter’s in Rome, for example, is a noncathedral church that is the largest in Europe.
 
Thanks everyone so far, so based on the above, here is the modifications (please feel free to re-modify):

Positions:
  • Cardinal: an ordained bishop who can elect a new Pope (is a bishop that has been elevated).
  • Archbishop: is a bishop of higher rank (happens to be the Bishop of a Large city).
  • Bishop: Apostolic successors.
  • Pastor: is the priest in charge of a particular parish.
  • Priest: A person appointed by his bishop to be responsible about a Catholic Church.
  • Curacy: is an Associate Pastor.
    -** Archdeacons:** priests who have overview for several parishes.
  • Deacon: the clergyman who ministers, who assist primarily at the Liturgy/Mass in reading the Gospel, using incense, and aiding the priest(s) at the altar.
  • Apologist: A speaker person who defend the Christian religion at websites (has no religious power).
Places:
  • **Cathedral: **a big religious buildings for worship and contain residency buildings for the staff.
  • Church: A single religious building for worshipping only.
  • Parish: is the territory that surrounds the Church which makes up its congregation, think of a parish as a province and the church as the capital just on a much smaller scale.
  • Eparchy: Greek equivalent of the Latin term “provincia/province”
  • Archdiocese: is more significant than a diocese, an archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop.
  • Diocese: is the district under the supervision of a bishop, it is divided into parishes.
  • Diaconate: is the ministry. ?
  • Chapel: a small structure other than a parish church, for prayer and the celebration of Mass.
  • Oratory: another name for “Chapel”.
 
Sam_777 said:
Diaconate: is the ministry. ?
Click to expand...
Sorry to confuse you, friend! :o

The diaconate is the ministry/office/status/position… of deacons. “Ministry”, here, means the set of responsibilities and actions that the deacons must take. A deacon is in the diaconate. A priest is in the presbyterate. A bishop is in the episcopate. A cardinal is in the cardinalate. These are nouns indicating the office and those in it.

The Diaconate (Deacons) consists of three responsibilities/offices: Word, Liturgy, and Charity.

Word: Proclaiming the Gospel in Mass; praying the Liturgy of the Hours every day
Liturgy: Aiding the priest at the altar, distributing holy communion
Charity: Distributing alms (poor-money) from the church to the poor, living the Gospel more perfectly.

The Presbyterate (Priests) consists of many responsibilities, the primary ones being:

Hearing confessions and absolving sin with the precious blood of Christ
Celebrating the holy sacrifice of Calvary and the Last Supper: called the Mass
Anointing the sick and dying with a blessing
Baptising
Often, priests are called to be pastor (Latin: shepherd) of a parish (a “church neighbourhood”, a district). They administrate one church, which is the Parish Church of the parish.
They teach the faith

The Episcopate (Bishops) consists of the higher realms. Everything a priest can do, a bishop is able to do, because priests are just assistants to bishops!

Bishops have the responsibility of Confirming those who are able to receive the Holy Spirit
They administrate an entire diocese, which consists of all parishes in the diocese.
They bless holy oils to be used for baptism, confirmation, and the anointing of the sick throughout the year
They are to preach the Gospel perfectly, and the whole faith. “Where the Bishop is, there is the Catholic Church”
They are the primary representatives of their diocese to Rome, and representatives of Rome to the diocese, and servants of the Pope.

The Cardinalate (Cardinals) consists of the Princes of the Church. They are the “priests of the diocese of Rome”, which is a super-high-archdiocese, above all others.

They elect the Pope
They act as his representative in the government structures of the Church

The Pope is our Holy Father who binds and looses all in heaven and on earth. 😉
 
A Cathedral is simply the parish church of a bishop or archbishop. It does not necessarily have to be a large building at all, though many are.
 
Thanks everyone, here is the modifications so far (please feel free to re-modify):

Positions:
  • Cardinal: an ordained bishop who can elect a new Pope (is a bishop that has been elevated), cardinals are only found in the Vatican.
  • Archbishop: is a bishop of higher rank (happens to be the Bishop of a Large city).
  • Bishop: Apostolic successors.
  • Pastor: is the priest in charge of a particular parish.
  • Priest: A person appointed by his bishop to be responsible about a Catholic Church.
  • Curacy: is an Associate Pastor.
    -** Archdeacons:** priests who have overview for several parishes.
  • Deacon: the clergyman who ministers, who assist primarily at the Liturgy/Mass in reading the Gospel, using incense, and aiding the priest(s) at the altar.
  • Apologist: A speaker person who defend the Christian religion at websites (has no religious power).
Places:
  • **Cathedral: **a religious buildings for worship ministered by a bishop.
  • Church: a religious buildings for worship ministered by a priest.
  • Parish: is the territory that surrounds the Church which makes up its congregation, think of a parish as a province and the church as the capital just on a much smaller scale.
  • Eparchy: Greek equivalent of the Latin term “provincia/province”
  • Archdiocese: is more significant than a diocese, an archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop.
  • Diocese: is the district under the supervision of a bishop, it is divided into parishes.
  • Chapel: a small structure other than a parish church, for prayer and the celebration of Mass.
  • Oratory: another name for “Chapel”.
 
Sam_777 said:
Thanks everyone, here is the modifications so far (please feel free to re-modify):

Positions:
  • Cardinal: an ordained bishop who can elect a new Pope (is a bishop that has been elevated), cardinals are only found in the Vatican.
  • Archbishop: is a bishop of higher rank (happens to be the Bishop of a Large city).
  • Bishop: Apostolic successors.
  • Pastor: is the priest in charge of a particular parish.
  • Priest: A person appointed by his bishop to be responsible about a Catholic Church.
  • Curacy: is an Associate Pastor.
    -** Archdeacons:** priests who have overview for several parishes.
  • Deacon: the clergyman who ministers, who assist primarily at the Liturgy/Mass in reading the Gospel, using incense, and aiding the priest(s) at the altar.
  • Apologist: A speaker person who defend the Christian religion at websites (has no religious power).
Places:
  • **Cathedral: **a religious buildings for worship ministered by a bishop.
  • Church: a religious buildings for worship ministered by a priest.
  • Parish: is the territory that surrounds the Church which makes up its congregation, think of a parish as a province and the church as the capital just on a much smaller scale.
  • Eparchy: Greek equivalent of the Latin term “provincia/province”
  • Archdiocese: is more significant than a diocese, an archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop.
  • Diocese: is the district under the supervision of a bishop, it is divided into parishes.
  • Chapel: a small structure other than a parish church, for prayer and the celebration of Mass.
  • Oratory: another name for “Chapel”.
Click to expand...
  1. A cardinal does not HAVE to be a bishop… it can be any ordained person. It just so happens that all cardinals in RECENT times have been bishops. A cardinal is a papal elector.
  2. An archbishop is a bishop of higher position, not rank.
  3. An apologist is one who explains the basis of the faith. It doesn’t have to be on a website and it doesn’t have to be a “defense”
  4. A cathedral is the seat of authority of the bishop of a diocese, and is likewise a church within that diocese (one might say it is the primary church of the diocese:shrug:)
    5)The parish is the church, it’s territorial area, and the lay people who live within that area all combined.
 
Apologist - One who explains the faith using logic and reason. The source of the word comes from the greek apologos - meaning the argument a lawyer would make in court. It is actually the ancient root of the english word “apology” - “to state one’s case.” It does not have to be on the web or even in written form. It could be entirely verbal. It is not a formal position or job. It is merely the name for an action. If a 10 year old child attempts to explain his/her faith to someone… then they are an apologist. (in the broadest sense of the word)

However, in normal cultural useage, the term “apologist” is often times reserved for those who have done some study or have some sort of training and make it their goal to explain the faith to others.

Similar but slightly different then evangelizing. Apologists usually are responding to a question, where as an evangelist is often reaching out to others and spreading the gospel.
Apologists are more likely to draw on science, philosophy, scripture, history, language, etc. Where as an Evangelist is more like a missionary.
 
Ambrosian said:
To be clear about deacons:

The diaconate is the ministry; the deacon is the clergyman who ministers.

Deacons have had many roles in Christian history. One of the more confusing distinctions was between Deacon and Archdeacon. Archdeacons were priests who had overview for several parishes, acting as a unifying bureaucrat under his bishop. Deacons were, and are, men who assist primarily at the Liturgy/Mass in reading the Gospel, using incense, and aiding the priest(s) at the altar. Deacons are also called to go forth and spread the faith, as well as to bring holy Communion to the sick, instruct ignorant people, and many things. The role is not as strictly defined as the priest these days. 😃

Also, let’s think of cardinals as the “priests of the diocese of Rome”. ???If the Bishop of X has priests of the diocese of X who elect him???, so the Bishop of Rome, as the servant of all servants of God, has special priests of his diocese, cardinals, who elect him as their bishop. By being elected the Bishop of Rome, he is the universal bishop too. This is why each cardinal is given his own church, his “titular” church: a parish attached to his title as a cardinal, so it’s like he’s a parish priest of the super-diocese called Rome. Each cardinal is thus an elector of the Pope, because each priest in any diocese is an elector for a bishop (I think).
Click to expand...
The Bishop of a diocese is NOT elected by the priests of the diocese. Bishops are appointed by the Holy Father (the Pope). Priests accept the Bishop as the Pope’s designated representative to serve the priests and people of the diocese. The bishop has authority from the Pope to ordain priests, but priests are subject to and accountable to the Bishop as the representative of the Pope.
 
Ambrosian said:
To be clear about deacons:

The diaconate is the ministry; the deacon is the clergyman who ministers.

Deacons have had many roles in Christian history. One of the more confusing distinctions was between Deacon and Archdeacon. Archdeacons were priests who had overview for several parishes, acting as a unifying bureaucrat under his bishop.

This is the first time I recall there is a position of Archdeacon in the Catholic Church. The normal progression is sub-deacon (possibly not used in the present day), deacon, and then ordination as a priest.There are permanent deacons who usually will not be ordained as priests. In this order of titles, it is doubtful a priest would be “demoted” to the level of a deacon because he has more responsibility. This term might be used if a deacon is in charge of more than 1 parish, or responsible for other deacons. Otherwise priests who currently serve as pastor of more than one parish would be called Archdeacons. This is not the case in the United States as far as I know.
Click to expand...
 
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