|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
deacon
deacon, the rank in the Christian ministry next below the presbyter (priest) and bishop. The institution of the diaconate is traditionally seen in the ordination of the ‘seven men of honest report’ by the imposition of hands for the service of the poor and the distribution of alms (Acts 6: 1–6), though the word is not found there. Where it occurs in the NT in a technical sense (Phil. 1: 1, 1 Tim. 3: 8) it is in conjunction with ‘bishop’; deacons seem to be assistants to the bishops. In the Pastoral Epistles the deacons are a separate class of Church officials, charged chiefly with material duties. They first appear in the third place after bishops and presbyters in the Letters of St Ignatius. In the patristic age, when the office was normally held for life, their functions varied from place to place. Although deacons were (and still are) barred from celebrating the Eucharist or giving absolution, they commonly read or chanted the Epistle and *Gospel, assisted in the distribution of the consecrated elements to the people, and directed the prayers of the laity. In the W. their liturgical functions were curtailed in 595, but their responsibility for collecting and distributing the alms gave them importance, and the archdeacon, the chief deacon in a given place, became the bishop's principal administrative officer. Their influence diminished in the Middle Ages and in most W. episcopal Churches the diaconate has become only a stage in preparation for the priesthood. The Second *Vatican Council (1962–5), however, envisaged the possibility of restoring a permanent diaconate (which has been retained in the E. Church), and in some countries RC bishops have ordained older married men as deacons, though young men ordained deacon are still bound to *celibacy. At the Reformation the C of E retained the order of deacon. In 1986 it was made open to *women, as was already the case in some other Provinces of the Anglican Communion.
In many Protestant Churches the name is applied to holders of an office in the ministry. In the Lutheran Church the word denotes an assistant parochial minister, even though in full Lutheran orders. J. Calvin recognized two classes of deacons, those who administered the alms and those who cared for the sick and poor; these remain the functions of deacons in Presbyterianism. In the Baptist and Congregational Churches deacons assist the pastor and distribute the elements at the Communion. See also following entry. |
|
|
Cite this article
E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-deacon.html E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon In non-Christian Greek the word is used of officials who act on behalf of rulers, with their authority, such as ambassadors or heralds. Hermes is called a ‘deacon’, diakonos, because he carried out the commissions of the gods. Paul is a diakonos of God as being his authoritative mouthpiece. What is common to the various functions is their mediatorial work— Paul is an ambassador to the Gentiles, a reconciler between the two branches of the Church, Gentile and Jewish, holding them in unity through his collection for Jerusalem and at the same time urging ex-Jews to accept his principles i.e. of separation from the institutions of Judaism.
The deacons in the Church are to embody personal integrity and their role is that of a scribe, whereas the task of teaching is entrusted to the presbyter—bishops (1 Tim. 3: 2, 5). From Rom. 16: 1, where Phoebe is mentioned, it would seem that in the NT women could be regarded as deacons. It has often been supposed that the Seven appointed to assist the Twelve (Acts 6: 1–6) were the first deacons, since their function was to minister (Greek, diakonein), and ‘serve tables’, but in the event Stephen and Philip engage in evangelistic enterprises on their own account, and the Seven were more the antecedents of the presbyterate than the Church's diaconate. The functions of the latter were administrative and liturgical in the early Church, but they were not inferior officers. They acted as the bishop's agents, and they remained deacons for life. Only as the presbyters, under local pressures, gradually assumed some of the bishops' functions did the diaconate in the West become less important. At last, in the Middle Ages, the diaconate became merely a probationary stage on the way to the priesthood (presbyterate). When Jesus is recorded as saying that he came ‘not to be served but to serve’ (Greek, diakonein, Mark 10: 45), the meaning is that he is not the kind of great person in the world who has agents around to go out and do his bidding; he has his own duties to do himself. |
|
|
Cite this article
W. R. F. BROWNING. "deacon." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "deacon." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-deacon.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "deacon." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Churches, an ordained minister ranking below that of priest (now, except in the Orthodox Church, typically in training for the priesthood). In some Protestant Churches, a deacon is a lay officer appointed to assist a minister, especially in secular affairs; in the early Church, a deacon was an appointed minister of charity.
The word is recorded from Old English (in form diacon) and comes via ecclesiastical Latin from Greek diakonos ‘servant’, in ecclesiastical Greek ‘Christian minister’. |
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "deacon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "deacon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-deacon.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "deacon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-deacon.html |
|
deacon
dea·con / ˈdēkən/ • n. (in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox churches) an ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest. ∎ (in some Protestant churches) a lay officer appointed to assist a minister, esp. in secular affairs. • v. [tr.] appoint or ordain as a deacon. DERIVATIVES: dea·con·ship / -ˌship/ n. |
|
|
Cite this article
"deacon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "deacon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-deacon.html "deacon." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon. The rank in the Christian ministry below that of bishop and priest or presbyter. The order has its New Testament warrant from Acts 6, the commissioning of Stephen and others to serve the poor, and in 1 Timothy 3, as ministers serving with presbyters. Today the diaconate, open to men and women, has become little more than a preparatory step to priesthood.
Revd Dr John R. Guy |
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "deacon." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "deacon." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-deacon.html JOHN CANNON. "deacon." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon (Gk. diakonas, ‘helper’) Ordained minister who serves as a priest's assistant in Christian churches. The institution of the diaconate can be traced to the New Testament, which describes the ordination of seven deacons (Acts 6) to carry out the administrative work of the early Church.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"deacon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "deacon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-deacon.html "deacon." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon The rank in the Christian ministry below that of bishop and priest or presbyter. The order has its New Testament warrant from Acts 6. Today the diaconate, open to men and women, has become little more than a preparatory step to priesthood.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "deacon." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "deacon." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-deacon.html JOHN CANNON. "deacon." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon OE. diacon — ecclL. diāconus — Gr. dā́konos servant, messenger. (eccl.) Christian minister (cf. diākoneîn serve).
Hence deaconess XVI. |
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-deacon.html T. F. HOAD. "deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-deacon.html |
|
Deacon
Deacon (Gk., diakonos, ‘servant’). Christian minister next below priest.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN BOWKER. "Deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deacon.html JOHN BOWKER. "Deacon." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon see orders, holy . |
|
|
Cite this article
"deacon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "deacon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-deacon.html "deacon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-deacon.html |
|
deacon
deacon
•blacken, bracken, slacken
•Sri Lankan
•Alaskan, Gascon, Madagascan, Nebraskan
•Aachen, darken, hearken, kraken, Marcan, Petrarchan
•Interlaken
•beckon, Deccan, pekan, reckon
•Mencken
•awaken, bacon, betaken, forsaken, Jamaican, mistaken, partaken, shaken, taken, waken
•godforsaken
•archdeacon, beacon, Costa Rican, deacon, Dominican, Mohican, Mozambican, Puerto Rican, weaken
•quicken, sicken, stricken, thicken, Wiccan
•silken
•Incan, Lincoln
•brisken, Franciscan
•barbican • Rubicon • Gallican
•Anglican
•Helicon, pelican
•basilican, Millikan, silicon
•publican • pantechnicon • Copernican
•African • American • hurricane
•lexicon, Mexican
•Corsican • Vatican • liken
•Brocken, Moroccan
•falcon, Lorcan, Majorcan, Minorcan
•Balcon, Balkan
•gyrfalcon
•awoken, bespoken, betoken, broken, foretoken, oaken, outspoken, plain-spoken, ryokan, spoken, token, woken
•heartbroken
•Lucan, toucan
•Saarbrücken • Buchan • Vulcan
•drunken, Duncan, shrunken, sunken
•Etruscan, molluscan (US molluskan), Tuscan
•Ardnamurchan • lochan
|
|
|
Cite this article
"deacon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "deacon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-deacon.html "deacon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-deacon.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
