A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. A cleric ( Ancient Greek κληρικός - klērikos clergyman (pl It is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches
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Catholic Church
The title "dean" is conferred upon a the pastor of a parish who serves as a senior figure, though usually without specific jurisdictional authority, over a section of a diocese. [1] These are sometimes referred to as "rural deans," and are expected to show a degree of leadership among the pastors of the region, known as a deanery. This function is sometimes titled vicar forane. "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane. An episcopal vicar serves a similar function, but has more formal authority and specific powers under Canon Law. A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority
In recent years, the Catholic Church in England and Wales has introduced the custom of designating Cathedral Deans, formerly known as Cathedral Administrators. However, the term differs slightly from the Anglican usage as Catholic Deans do not necessarily preside over the cathedral chapter (this function belonging to the office of Provost), and are not necessarily required even to be a member of the chapter. A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches More commonly, in places throughout the world where a cathedral chapter has not been erected (as for instance, in the United States, where there are no chapters at all), the term Rector is used for the priest who serves as chief administrator of a cathedral church. The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic
Another important use of the term within the Catholic Church is in the office of the Dean of the College of Cardinals, who serves as senior member of that body. The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the President of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank Cardinal Angelo Sodano is the current dean. Angelo Sodano (born 23 November 1927 is the Dean of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church.
Anglican Communion
In the Church of England and elsewhere in the Anglican Communion, the dean is the chief resident cleric of a cathedral or other collegiate church and the head of the chapter of canons. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the Daily office of worship is maintained by a College of canons; a non-monastic or Chapter ( Latin capitulum) designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran If the cathedral or collegiate church has its own parish, the dean is usually also rector of the parish. The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic However, in the Church of Ireland the roles are often separated, and most cathedrals in the Church of England do not have associated parishes. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican In the Church in Wales, however, most cathedrals are parish churches, and their deans are now also vicars of their parishes. The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. In the broadest sense a vicar (from the Latin Vicarius) is a representative anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior
In some parts of the Communion (particularly in the Scottish Episcopal Church and, formerly in some cathedrals in England), the senior resident cleric in a cathedral is a provost. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches Each diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church has a dean of the diocese, this is a cleric who, rather than heading the cathedral staff, assists the bishop in the administration of the diocese. In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight In this way, a Scottish Episcopalian dean is similar to an archdeacon in the other member churches of the Communion (a post that does not exist in the Scottish church). A position of archdeacon is a senior position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, and in some other Christian denominations above that of most In the Anglican Church of Canada, the roles of senior cleric of the cathedral are combined in one person who is referred to as "Rector of Cathedral and Dean of Diocese". The Anglican Church of Canada is the sole Canadian representative of the Anglican Communion. Thus, Peter Elliott is Rector of Christ Church Cathedral and Dean of New Westminster. This article is about the Canadian Anglican priest For the athlete see Peter Elliott (athlete. Christ Church Cathedral is the Anglican Cathedral in Vancouver British Columbia. The Diocese of New Westminster is one of six dioceses of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and the Yukon of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The style The Very Reverend distinguishes a cleric as a dean (or a cathedral provost). The Very Reverend is a style given to certain religious figures For example, the Very Reverend June Osborne is Dean of Salisbury Cathedral. The Very Reverend June Osborne (born 1953 Manchester, England, United Kingdom) is Dean of Salisbury, the first woman to serve as a dean Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture
Some important deans include the deans of St Paul's, the Canterbury and Westminster Abbey. The Dean of St Paul's is the head of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London, England and an extremely influential position in the The Dean of Canterbury is the head of the Chapter of Canterbury Cathedral in England. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Westminster Abbey is a royal peculiar, not the seat of any bishop or a cathedral, but is led by a dean. A Royal Peculiar (or Royal Peculier) is a place of worship that falls directly under the jurisdiction of the British monarch, rather than a Diocese The deans Washington National Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin are likewise important clerics in their churches. Washington National Cathedral, whose official name is the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is a Cathedral of The Episcopal Church. Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, formally known as The National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick Dublin or in the Irish language
In many parts of the Anglican Communion, parishes are grouped together to form deaneries, each being a constituent administrative district of the diocese. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Catholic Church and the Church of England. Usually, a deanery is led by one of the incumbents of the deanery's parishes, who is called a rural dean, but in more urban areas this has often been replaced by the title area dean or regional dean. The incumbent of a Benefice, usually the Parish priest, in Anglican Canon law holds the temporalities or assets and income Such a dean chairs the meeting of the deanery's clergy (which, like a cathedral, is called a chapter), and may also chair a deanery synod. Rural Deans (and those known by alternative titles) rank as primi inter pares of their chapters, and do not have the seniority of cathedral or diocesan deans. In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery (more commonly simply referred to as a Deanery Primus inter pares ( Latin) or First among equals is a phrase which indicates that a person is the most senior of a group of people
The head of an Anglican theological college or seminary may also be called a dean (in common with its use in education). A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is a specialized and often live-in Higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is a specialized and often live-in Higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students In Academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit or over a specific area of concern or both Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency
Subdean
A subdean serves as a dean's deputy.
United Methodism
United Methodist Christians often speak of a Dean in terms of the Dean of the Cabinet. Every Annual Conference has a Bishop's Cabinet made up of the District Superintendents under the Bishop's appointment, as well as occasionally a few other conference officials. One of these Superintendents is chosen by his/her colleagues to serve as the Dean, usually for one year. This Dean then has certain administrative and leadership responsibilities, and is accountable to the Bishop.
Other uses
In various other religious denominations, the title, "dean" may be used informally in its wider sense of a senior or venerated member of a congregation. The title may also used in its academic sense in parochial schools.
See also
References
- ^ Dean. In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery (more commonly simply referred to as a Deanery In Academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit or over a specific area of concern or both Catholic Encyclopedia. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia Retrieved on 2007-02-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori
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