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In [[Orthodox Church|Orthodoxy]] and [[Catholicism]], apostolic religious life is a form of [[Consecration|consecrated]] life within the Church wherein the members profess [[vow]]s of [[chastity]], [[poverty]] and [[Duty|obedience]] within a Congregation or Community approved by the Church. Shared community life is an integral part of this form of consecrated life. They are called "Religious", who are called to "Religion". In other words, the Religious in the Church are those particularly [[Fidelity|vow]]ed individual members of Religious Communities who practice the consecrated life of "Religion"; such a person is called "a Religious". This terminology is not intended to imply that the regular [[laity]], single and married, who are [[Baptism|baptized]] members of the Church are in any way irreligious or lacking in true devotion or genuine faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The [[Saint Paul|Apostle Paul]] himself taught that those who were unmarried or widowed and without a spouse were able to devote themselves to God without distraction, and that this is a ''preferable'' form of life, saying, "he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better". See [[I Corinthians|First Corinthians]] chapter 7.

In [[Orthodox Church|Orthodoxy]] and [[Catholicism]], apostolic religious life is a form of [[Consecration|consecrated]] life within the Church wherein the members profess [[vow]]s of [[chastity]], [[poverty]] and [[Duty|obedience]] within a Congregation or Community approved by the Church. Shared community life is an integral part of this form of consecrated life. They are called "Religious", who are called to "Religion". In other words, the Religious in the Church are those particularly [[Fidelity|vow]]ed individual members of Religious Communities who practice the consecrated life of "Religion"; such a person is called "a Religious". This terminology is not intended to imply that the regular [[laity]], single and married, who are [[Baptism|baptized]] members of the Church are in any way irreligious or lacking in true devotion or genuine faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The [[Saint Paul|Apostle Paul]] himself taught that those who were unmarried or widowed and without a spouse were able to devote themselves to God without distraction, and that this is a ''preferable'' form of life, saying, "he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better". See [[I Corinthians|First Corinthians]] chapter 7.

In [[Protestantism]] a truly religious life is defined as distinct from the outward form of any kind of formal, institutionally organized religion, but not necessarily opposed to it, as being directed to God by means of the [[Five Solas]], without any necessity of belonging to a [[convent]] or [[monastery]]. Protestant communities of like-minded believers have formed for mutual support and encouragement, such as the [[Amish]] and the [[Moravian]]s, and colonies of [[Puritanism|Puritans]]. Those communities governed by a chief pastor and senior leadership committees and boards of directors who regulated religious and social practice often resembled [[medieval]] monasteries and those communities that grew up around them in the centuries preceding the [[Protestant Reformation]]. Their descendants today believe as they did, that to belong to Christ as a member of His Body, is to be obligated in thanksgiving to God to live the devoutly religious life that He has revealed in the Bible, with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and that it is impossible to do more than that; so that vows are not needed, except as a [[Psychology|psychological]] help to remaining faithful by a [[contract]] of formal promise of commitment to do what the Christian is already bound to do as a true believer committed to God, a promise which is generally regarded as redundant, a rather silly addition to the life of a Christian, making a distinction which can unfortunately provoke a sense of [[elitism]]. See [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] chapters 12 and 13.

In [[Protestantism]] a truly religious life is defined as distinct from the outward form of any kind of formal, institutionally organized religion, but not necessarily opposed to it, as being directed to God by means of the [[Five Solas]], without any necessity of belonging to a [[convent]] or [[monastery]]. Protestant communities of like-minded believers have formed for mutual support and encouragement, such as the [[Amish]], [[Hutterites]] and the [[Conservative Mennonites]], and colonies of [[Puritans]]. Those communities governed by a chief pastor and senior leadership committees and boards of directors who regulated religious and social practice often resembled [[medieval]] monasteries and those communities that grew up around them in the centuries preceding the [[Protestant Reformation]]. Their descendants today believe as they did, that to belong to Christ as a member of His Body, is to be obligated in thanksgiving to God to live the devoutly religious life that He has revealed in the Bible, with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and that it is impossible to do more than that; so that vows are not needed, except as a [[Psychology|psychological]] help to remaining faithful by a [[contract]] of formal promise of commitment to do what the Christian is already bound to do as a true believer committed to God, a promise which is generally regarded as redundant, a rather silly addition to the life of a Christian, making a distinction which can unfortunately provoke a sense of [[elitism]]. See [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] chapters 12 and 13.

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