Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the church or broader political and sociocultural import. In a pejorative manner, "clericalism" is often used to denote an ecclesiolatry approach to issues beyond the church by either clergy or their supporters while the term has also been applied in a pejorative manner to describe the cronyism and cloistered political environs of the Church—mainly in reference to the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the Christian Church whose visible head is the Pope, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ, and that the sole Church of Christ which in the...
Outside of Catholicism, clericalism is used to denote the divisions between ordained clergy and lay leaders in some churches while the older meaning of the term—an application of church-based theory or thought to secular issues—seems rather lost in most current uses of the term. In the aforementioned use of the term, it is important to discern the difference between a belief in a seperation of church and state—which is not truly involving of clericalism—and the belief that church leadership should not be an internal and cloistered body that answers only to itself or that such leaders should not act as a powerful force in matters beyond the internal concerns of their church. Much debate in recent years over the sexual-abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church has brought about charges of "clericalism" in the sense of bishops and other leaders covering up the misactions of clergy under their leadership. In this application of the term, clericalism has come to imply a division between ordained church leaders—that such leaders have an exclusive society unto themselves—and the lay followers. This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. ...
Much debate over clericalism appears to dwell on whether the high clergy should have as much control over church offices and functions as they do and whether the hierarchical and authoritarian nature of the traditional Catholic systems of promotion for clergy is effective in contemporary society. Again, while the Catholic Church is most commonly at the centre of issues germane to clericalism it is not the only faith where charges of clericalism have been brought forth by those who feel the clergy has too much influence or should be reformed. Therefore the debate over clericalism and anti-clericalism is often really a debate over how and by whom the church should be lead and directed. Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious (generally Catholic) institutional power and influence in all aspects of public and political life, and the encroachment of religion in the everyday life of the citizen. ...
The term "clerk" derives from "cleric", since in medieval times the clergy were one of the few groups who could read, and therefore were often employed to do bookkeeping and similar work.
In many systems, clerics are restricted in the sort of weapons they can bear; the most common restriction, taken from European history, forbids the use of edged weapons such as swords.
Related to the cleric is the paladin, who in these games is typically a warrior aligned with a religious order, and who uses his martial skills to advance its holy cause.
While cleric in its strict sense means one who has received the ecclesiastical tonsure, yet in general sense it is also employed in canon law for all to whom clerical privileges have been extended.
While the obligation of obedience is binding on all clerics, it is strengthened for priests by the solemn promise made at ordination, and for all holders of benefices by the canonical oath.
When, however, a cleric who has received only minor orders or even tonsure, after losing his privileges, has been restored to the clerical state, this restitution, even when solemn, is merely ceremonious and is not considered as a new conferring of tonsure or minor orders.
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