Search

[German Version] Licensing, as opposed to ordination, is usually an assignment of specific (mostly liturgical) tasks and functions to laypersons or the vesting of laypersons with permanent pastoral duties, performed in th…

[German Version] I. Religious Studies – II. Church History – III. Dogmatics – IV. Practical Theology – V. North America – VI. Missiology I. Religious Studies Generally speaking, the term laity (from Gk λαος/ laós, “people”) denotes adherents of a religious tradition who do not act as religious specialists or function within a defined socio-religious class (Priesthood, Monasticism). The use of the term is the…

[German Version] Since the 1970s, German-speaking Europe in particular has witnessed the development of pastoral vocations for Catholic laity who have completed a course of theological study. They work in parishes, team ministries, and deaneries, but also in regular pastoral care and in church staff positions. The nature of this ministry is not uniform but varies from country to country and from diocese to diocese – not least because of the shortage of priests. Questions need to be answered about …

…