Children of the Promise by Michael Keiser

Author:Michael Keiser
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781418475833
Publisher: AuthorHouse

A major responsibility for these new deacons was the daily welfare of the poor people in the Jerusalem Church. The deacons, however, were also active in evangelism and preaching, as we see in the activities of both Stephen and Philip. (See Acts 7 and 8.) Their ministry was one of authority under the bishop. St. Ignatius writes of them: “ . . . the deacons (who are most dear to me) have been entrusted with a service under Jesus Christ.” The deacons also assisted with public worship, and it became their particular function to publicly read the Holy Gospel, as well as to assist with distributing Holy Communion. Today, deacons continue the same kind of work -- visiting the sick, leading educational programs, helping the poor, doing youth work – among other things. While anyone who is called to serve as a priest must first serve in the order of deacon, there are also those who are called to serve specifically in the deaconate as a permanent ministry: such men are usually chosen from the congregation in which they will serve. They will be educated for their ministry, but normally do not attend a seminary as a full-time student.

Beginning with the apostolic church, and continuing for centuries before it fell in disuse, there was an order of deaconess for women. This ministry paralleled that of male deacons. Deaconesses assisted at the baptisms of women, because there were concerns about modesty when the women were totally immersed in the water. But, they also visited and took Holy Communion to sick women. They also saw to the proper behavior of women during worship. After some centuries, the ministry of deaconess died out, but the Orthodox Church never abolished it. The ordination rite is still extant, and with proper education of the faithful as to what is proper ministry is, there is no reason why the order of deaconess could not once again serve God in the Church.

We have discussed the order of deacons before the order of priests (presbyters), because, historically, deacons were introduced into the life of the Church before priests. By the second century the three orders of clergy were clearly bishop, priest and deacon. St. Ignatius wrote to the church in Magnesia: “I advise you, be eager to act always in godly concord; with the bishop presiding as the counterpart of God, the presbyters as the counterpart of the council of the apostles, and the deacons . . ..”

We know from early Christian writings that the bishop presided at worship, with the presbyters sitting at either side of him, and the deacons assisting the bishop in the conduct of worship. The presbyters (now called “priests”) acted as co-celebrants with the bishop as he offered the Liturgy, but their primary function seems to have been to act as a council of advice to the bishop. The bishop was the sacramental head of the community – the one who presided at all liturgical and sacramental functions.

Over the course of time, the functions of bishops and priests changed.

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