Talk:Clergy

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Clerics and the Clergy

I was taught some time ago that it is not proper to use "clergy" as a plural for clerics. A cleric is a member of the clergy. Clerics are member of the clergy. Clergy is a singular noun, and should be reface by the article "the." --Fr Lev 13:45, July 3, 2008 (UTC)

Training

"There is no set universal rule for the training of clergy, and there is some variation among the local churches (autocephalous churches)."

Goodness, it varies from diocese to diocese in most jurisidctions, that is, if there is any training at all !! Chrisg 14:11, July 3, 2008 (UTC)

Did local churches mean dioceses here? Was it correct the way it was? Or should it be to dioceses? - Andrew 14:24, July 3, 2008 (UTC)

Local church, in Orthodox ecclesiology, refers to the diocese. --Fr Lev 15:00, July 3, 2008 (UTC)

Patriarch Alexii regards the Russian Orthodox Church as a "Local Church". Similarly Metropolitan Kalistos Ware in "The Orthodox Church" (eg p7 2nd edition). Chrisg 15:10, July 3, 2008 (UTC)

There is more than one sense of "local" when it modifies "Church." When it is discussed in ecclesiology, "local Church" usually refers to the diocese. As Metropolitan John Zizioulas points out, New Testament usage refers to the Church (singular) of a city. The local Church is the Church gathered around the bishop. It is a commonplace of ecclesiology that the local Church, i.e., the diocese, is the "whole" Church. It is not lacking. As Metropolitan Kallistos himself writes, "In particular, the fullness of the local Church is not to be found in each eucharistic celebration considered in isolation: it is to be found rather in the local diocese – all the priests and eucharistic gatherings in communion with the local bishop, who in his turn is in communion with all the other bishops of the universal Church" ("How to Build the Local Church."(http://www.exarchate-uk.org/Exarchate/Local_church.html) —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Fr Lev (talkcontribs) .

I think we can evade the problem by rephrasing as 'there is no set, universal rule for the training of clergy' - thoughts? — by Pιsτévο talk complaints at 10:39, July 4, 2008 (UTC)