|
A religious or political elder (in Greek, Presbyter) is valued for his or her wisdom, by the logic that the older you are the more you know. The concept of an elder was common in parts of the world where what is now called civilization had taken over. The elders in the Bible were also called Scribes or Pharisees. Elders are typical of societies where oral history plays a large part; in societies with patrilineal descent, elders are frequently male, whereas in societies with matrilineal descent, elders are often female. However, both men and women may be elders of a particular society.
United Methodism
An Elder is someone who has been ordained by a Bishop to the ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Order. The office of Elder, then is what most people tend to think of as the pastoral office. Ordination to the office of Elder is open to both women and men.
Mormonism
Elder is a title for an adult male member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon who has the Melchizedek Priesthood. Male missionaries of the Church, who typically serve for two years beginning at age 19, are considered elders despite their youth.
Congregationalism
In some Protestant churches, an elder is a senior member of an individual church who is a lay and non-salaried minister. This is a defining characteristic of a Presbyterian church, which draws its name from the Greek language for 'elder'. The elders provide either an advisory or a ruling role in the decision process of local issues; though most modern churches now emphasize the participation of all confirmed members.
Jehovah's Witnesses
Among Jehovah's Witnesses, an elder is an "older man" appointed to teach the congregation, according to Bible requirements. It is rare that an elder would be a man under thirty years of age.
An elder works within an arrangement known as a body of elders, each assigned to specific congregational tasks entailing oversight of the congregation. Each congregation has a chairman, or presiding overseer, typically the most mature elder.
Elders are not clergy in the common sense of the term. For example, elders are not addressed as "Elder Smith", therefore elder is not a title.
Traveling overseers and those involved in the writing of the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses are considered elders.
Elders recieve no monetary compensation for their work.
| It is requested this article be expanded. Please improve it according to its listing on Wikipedia:Requests for expansion, or in any other way that you see fit. Once the requested improvements have been completed, you may remove this notice and the page's listing.
|
| 
