Editing Holy orders (section)

== Other concepts of ordination ==
Ordination ritual and procedures vary by denomination. Different churches and denominations specify more or less rigorous requirements for entering into office, and the process of ordination is likewise given more or less ceremonial pomp depending on the group. Many Protestants still communicate authority and ordain to office by having the existing overseers physically lay hands on the candidates for office.

=== Methodist churches ===
The American [[Methodist]] model is an episcopal system loosely based on the Anglican model, as the Methodist Church arose from the Anglican Church. It was first devised under the leadership of Bishops [[Thomas Coke (Methodist)|Thomas Coke]] and [[Francis Asbury]] of the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] in the late 18th century. In this approach, an [[Elder (religious)|elder]] (or 'presbyter') is ordained to word (preaching and teaching), sacrament (administering Baptism and the Lord's Supper), order (administering the life of the church and, in the case of bishops, ordaining others for mission and ministry), and service. A [[deacon]] is a person ordained only to word and service.

In the [[United Methodist Church]], for instance, seminary graduates are examined and approved by the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and then the Clergy Session. They are accepted as "probationary (provisional) members of the conference." The resident bishop may commission them to full-time ministry as "provisional" ministers. (Before 1996, the graduate was ordained as a transitional deacon at this point, a provisional role since eliminated. The order of deacon is now a separate and distinct clergy order in the United Methodist Church.) After serving the probationary period, of a minimum of two years, the probationer is then examined again and either continued on probation, discontinued altogether, or approved for ordination. Upon final approval by the Clergy Session of the Conference, the probationer becomes a full member of the Conference and is then ordained as an elder or deacon by the resident bishop. Those ordained as elders are members of the Order of Elders, and those ordained deacons are members of the Order of Deacons.

[[John Wesley]] appointed Thomas Coke (above mentioned as bishop) as 'Superintendent', his translation of the Greek ''episcopos'' ("overseer") – which is normally translated 'bishop' in English. The British Methodist Conference has two distinct orders of presbyter and deacon. It does not have bishops as a separate order of ministry. The [[British Methodist Church]] has more than 500 superintendents,{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} who are not a separate order of ministry but a role within the order of presbyters. The roles normally undertaken by bishops are expressed in ordaining presbyters and deacons by the annual Conference through its [[President of the Methodist Conference|president]] (or a past president); in confirmation by all presbyters; in local oversight by [[District Superintendent (Methodism)|superintendents]]; in regional oversight by chairs of Districts.

=== Presbyterian churches ===<!-- This section is linked from [[Presbyterian polity]] -->
[[Presbyterian]] churches, following their [[Scotland|Scottish]] forebears, reject the traditions surrounding overseers and instead identify the offices of bishop (''episkopos'' in Greek) and elder (''presbuteros'' in Greek, from which the term "presbyterian" comes). The two terms seem to be used interchangeably in the [[Bible]] (compare [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+1.5-9 Titus 1.5–9] and [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Tim+3.2-7 I Tim. 3.2–7]). Their form of [[Ecclesiastical polity|church governance]] is known as [[presbyterian polity]]. While there is increasing authority with each level of gathering of elders ('Session' over a congregation or parish, then presbytery, then possibly a synod, then the General Assembly), there is no hierarchy of elders. Each elder has an equal vote at the court on which they stand.

Elders are usually chosen at their local level, either elected by the congregation and approved by the Session, or appointed directly by the Session. Some churches place limits on the term that the elders serve, while others ordain elders for life.

Presbyterians also ordain (by laying on of hands) ministers of Word and Sacrament (sometimes known as 'teaching elders'). These ministers are regarded simply as Presbyters ordained to a different function, but in practice they provide the leadership for the local Session.

Some Presbyterians identify those appointed (by the laying on of hands) to serve in practical ways ([https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts+6.1-7 Acts 6.1–7]) as deacons (''diakonos'' in Greek, meaning 'servant'). In many congregations, a group of men or women is thus set aside to deal with matters such as congregational fabric and finance, releasing elders for more 'spiritual' work. These persons may be known as 'deacons', 'board members' or 'managers', depending on the local tradition. Unlike elders and ministers, they are not usually 'ordained', and are often elected by the congregation for a set period of time.

Other Presbyterians have used an 'order of deacons' as full-time servants of the wider Church. Unlike ministers, they do not administer sacraments or routinely preach. The [[Church of Scotland]] has recently begun ordaining deacons to this role.

Unlike the Episcopalian system, but similar to the United Methodist system described above, the two Presbyterian offices are different in ''kind'' rather than in ''degree'', since one need not be a deacon before becoming an elder. Since there is no hierarchy, the two offices do not make up an 'order' in the technical sense, but the terminology of holy orders is sometimes still developed.

=== Congregationalist churches ===
[[Congregationalist church governance|Congregationalist]] churches implement different schemes, but the officers usually have less authority than in the presbyterian or episcopalian forms. Some ordain only ministers and rotate members on an advisory board (sometimes called a board of elders or a board of deacons). Because the positions are by comparison less powerful, there is usually less rigor or fanfare in how officers are ordained.

=== Irvingian churches ===
[[Irvingian]] churches teach a fourfold ministry of "apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors."<ref name="Cannon2009">{{cite book |last1=Cannon |first1=John |title=A Dictionary of British History |date=21 May 2009 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-955037-1 |page=127 |language=English}}</ref>

===Latter Day Saint movement===

==== The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ====
{{Main article|Priesthood (Latter Day Saints)}}
[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) accepts the legal authority of clergy to perform marriages but does not recognize any other sacraments performed by ministers not ordained to the Latter-day Saint priesthood. Although the Latter-day Saints do claim a doctrine of a certain spiritual "apostolic succession," it is significantly different from that claimed by Catholics and Protestants since there is no succession or continuity between the first century and the lifetime of Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS church. Mormons teach that the priesthood was lost in ancient times not to be restored by Christ until the nineteenth century when it was given to Joseph Smith directly.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a relatively open priesthood, ordaining nearly all worthy adult males and boys of the age of twelve and older. Latter-day Saint priesthood consists of two divisions: the Melchizedek Priesthood and Aaronic Priesthood. The Melchizedek Priesthood because Melchizedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek. The lesser priesthood is an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is called the Aaronic Priesthood because it was conferred on Aaron and his sons throughout all their generations.<ref name="GospePrinciples">{{cite web|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-14-priesthood-organization?lang=eng |title=Gospel Principles Chapter 14: Priesthood Organization |publisher=churchofjesuschrist.org |date=2012-02-21 |access-date=2012-08-13}}</ref>
The offices, or ranks, of the Melchizedek order (in roughly descending order) include apostle, seventy, patriarch, high priest, and elder. The offices of the Aaronic order are bishop, priest, teacher, and deacon. The manner of ordination consists of the laying on of hands by two or more men holding at least the office being conferred while one acts as voice in conferring the priesthood or office and usually pronounces a blessing upon the recipient. Teachers and deacons do not have the authority to ordain others to the priesthood. All church members are authorized to teach and preach regardless of priesthood ordination so long as they maintain good standing within the church. The church does not use the term "holy orders."

====Community of Christ====
{{Main article|Priesthood (Community of Christ)}}
Community of Christ has a largely volunteer priesthood, and all members of the priesthood are free to marry (as traditionally defined by the Christian community). The priesthood is divided into two orders, the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchisedec priesthood. The Aaronic order consists of the offices of deacon, teacher and priest. The Melchisedec Order consists of the offices of elder (including the specialized office of seventy) and high priest (including the specialized offices of evangelist, bishop, apostle, and prophet). Paid ministers include "appointees" and the general officers of the church, which include some specialized priesthood offices (such as the office of president, reserved for the three top members of the church leadership team). As of 1984, women have been eligible for priesthood, which is conferred through the sacrament of ordination by the laying-on-of-hands. While there is technically no age requirement for any office of priesthood, there is no automatic ordination or progression as in the LDS Church. Young people are occasionally ordained as deacon, and sometimes teacher or priest, but generally most priesthood members are called following completion of post secondary school education. In March 2007 a woman was ordained for the first time to the office of president.