What is the meaning of ordination?
The term “ordination” refers to an appointment, or consecration, of an individual to a formal function within a church community or denomination. The positions of Catholic priest and Protestant minister always require some form of ordination.IdentificationThe word “ordination” derives from the Latin “ordinare,” which means “to set in order” or “to organize.” According to Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, only in later Latin did the word take on the meaning “to appoint to office.”HistoryAccording to the Anchor Bible Dictionary, ordination has its roots in biblical history. The biblical accounts of the consecration of the Levites (Numbers 8:5-13) and the appointment of Joshua (Numbers 27:15-23, Deuteronomy 34:9) “became important in the later Jewish and Christian practices.”MisconceptionsIt is commonly assumed that all Christian denominations regard ordination as a sacrament, a ritual instituted by Jesus Christ. However, only the Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches recognize it as
