Changes

== Deacons today ==

== Deacons today ==

These two different understandings of the office of deacon persist today. The [[Church of England]]retained most of the hierarchical system known to the Roman Catholic Church from which it had broken away. It did not, of course, retain the position of Pope or Cardinal (the bishops who elect the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church). If an Anglican deacon is expected to be in that position for only six months to a year prior to being ordained a priest, he is styled a "transitional" deacon. If that is not the church's expectation, he is termed a "perpetual" deacon.

These two different understandings of the office of deacon persist today. The [[Church of England]] retained most of the hierarchical system known to the Roman Catholic Church from which it had broken away. It did not, of course, retain the position of Pope or Cardinal (the bishops who elect the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church). If an Anglican deacon is expected to be in that position for only six months to a year prior to being ordained a priest, he is styled a "transitional" deacon. If that is not the church's expectation, he is termed a "perpetual" deacon.

Thus only the hierarchical churches continue to have the Apostolic position known as the "diaconate," i.e. the order of deacons. Yet all these churches recognize the need for the functions performed by deacons, whether the particular church body considers them to be ordained clergy or laymen.

Thus only the hierarchical churches continue to have the Apostolic position known as the "diaconate," i.e. the order of deacons. Yet all these churches recognize the need for the functions performed by deacons, whether the particular church body considers them to be ordained clergy or laymen.