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To: Uncle Chip; Petrosius; Iscool
re: prebuteros

Presbuteros means "elder." The Greek word for a priests is ierei. A bishops os episkopos. In the early Church, the ordained ministers were called "elders." They performed the same functions that are performed by priests.

Priests do not appear until the second century because until then the Christian communities were not large enough to require additional clergy. A priest is a bishop's deputy. A deacon is a priest's assistant. These are the only three ordained levels in the Church, regardless what you call them.

459 posted on 07/24/2007 8:26:20 AM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50
In the early Church, the ordained ministers were called "elders." They performed the same functions that are performed by priests.

Priests do not appear until the second century because until then the Christian communities were not large enough to require additional clergy

You say priests and elders are the same...But didn't show up til the 2nd century...But the bible says they were there in the 1st century...

473 posted on 07/24/2007 9:31:34 AM PDT by Iscool (OK, I'm Back...Now what were your other two wishes???)
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