clerk

religion

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June 24, 2026

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The term "clerk" has multiple meanings. In a religious context, it refers to a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church. These individuals are often referred to as priests, ministers, or deacons. Historically, clerks in rural parishes were frequently the sons of merchants.12

Within religious communities, such as those in the Roman Catholic Church, there are "clerks regular." These are members of religious orders, like the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), who are formally directed towards active ministry. They live a common life, take vows, and are often placed at the disposal of the pope for specialized works such as education, missions, and preaching. This contrasts with "laymen" or "laypeople," who are not ordained or part of the clergy.312

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Society of Friends
Polity
There is an official, the clerk, but the responsibility of the clerk is not to preside in a parliamentary manner but rather to feel for a “sense of the meeting,” which draws together the thinking of the meeting to the point of action.
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There is an official, the clerk, but the responsibility of the clerk is not to preside in a parliamentary manner but rather to feel for a “sense of the meeting,” which draws together the thinking of the meeting to the point of action.
Read More