my confustion about Priest,Minister, Bishop, and Father.?

Question

I am from China and this is not a Christian country. However, when I read book, watch TV and see movies, I could often encounter these words like Priest, Minister, Bishop and Father.

Can you tell me who's whose boss? What kind of duty does each of them carry?

Thanks and Happy New Year 2008!

Answer 1

They are different names for the same thing. Different religions call them different names.

Answer 2

The Catholic church is organized around territories called "Parishes." A parish may be part of an inner city or, in more rural areas, may cover quite a bit of land. The number of members dictates where parish lines are drawn. Each parish is led and guided by one or more priests. They are also known as "Father," as in Father Parker, etc. A minister is the Protestant equivalent of a priest. They lead the congregations in prayer, manage the church, etc. In Catholicism, a "Monsignor" would be a senior priest, more or less like a regional manager might be in a corporation. A Bishop is the next level up. Like a vice-president. These are very powerful positions in the Catholic Church. Then come Arch-Bishops. They lead groups of Bishops. Then, finally, come Cardinals. There are only a few dozen of these in the world. Think of them as senior vice-presidents. The top, of course, is the Pope. The term Bishop can mean different things in Protestant Churches, but it very nearly always is a major supervisory position.

Answer 3

Okay, there is an heirarchy in all denominations. The high churches like the Roman Catholic church, and the Anglican church have priest who are called fathers. They all have superiors to answer to like Bishops, and then the Cardinals who all ultimately answer to the Pope or the Queen of England. The royal head is the leader of the Anglican church, where the Pope is the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Now then there are the low churches. There we have Baptists, and the like. These denominations have pastors, or ministers. They are interchangable one means the other. A misnister can be a pastor and a pastor can be a minister, usually it is a personal matter with the parish.
The duties vary from one to another but the main duty of every single one of them is to serve. If they can't do that then they should get out of the church immediatly. They are to serve the Christ's church which is a different matter altogether.
The Christ's church is a body of men and women in every denomination in the Christian congregations. You will find Christians in a Catholic church, an Anglican church, a Baptist church, and a Salvation Army church. But then .... you will also find Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists and Salvation soldiers in those churches. That means they are there for one reason or another but not for the Christ. The Christ's church covers the planet and He (the Christ) knows every single one of His servants, every single one of His flock. We are everywhere and we are amongst the Catholics, the Baptists, the Anglicans, the Presbyterians. But we are not just that denomination, we put the Christ before the catechism of any church.
I hope this helps some. It is very confusing I have to admit but the fundamentals are quite simple.
Have faith in Jesus the Christ as your saviour and the saviour of the whole world.

Answer 4

Priest and Father = an ordained Catholic priest
Bishop = is an ordained priest but has authority over a jurisdiction of priests and lay people. For example the diocese of Los Angeles has a bishop just as the diocese of Boston is headed by a bishop.
Minister = is a general term for one who ministers the Gospel. They can be either a priest, a leader within an Evangelical Church, a street side preacher etc.

Answer 5

A minister is a pastor...the person who leads the service in a Protestant Christian church.

Priests and bishops are typically associated with the Catholic church. Bishops are "higher" than priests. Priests also lead portions of the service, like ministers do.

"Father" is another term for a priest.

Answer 6

I think a Priest and father are the same, and a bishop is higher up in the hierarchy over them. I think mainly catholics use these terms. They could probably answer that better. A minister can be in any other Christian denomination. A minister, pastor, preacher are all about the same I think.

Answer 7

Bishop, Minister:

In the earliest Christian churches, officers appointed by the
apostles to have the oversight of respective churches;
the title "Bishop" ie; overseer, was applied to the same offcials. They were ordinarily the Pastors and teachers.
1 Timothy 5:15; 1 Peter 5:1.

Priest; Father, Catholic

Answer 8

Bishop is in charge of a diocese. Priests- who are also called ministers and given the title father- are under the authority of the bishop.

Answer 9

Its like a business in China There is the Big Boss GOD,
Then on earth God sent his Son Jesus to establish a church and before he sacrificed Himself on the Cross he did just thst by teaching the Apostles his followers.
They became "The first Bishops" so to speak with Peter the first Pope and in the world Almanac you can trace every Pope from Peter to the present Day.
Then there are the general managers Cardinals, then under managers bishops etc..down to the local Parish priests.
We call them "Father" out of respect we do not mean they are our REAL father or that they are the Father in Heavan, there is only one Father of all that is GOD. Who made everything. Before all matter "He Was" he is eternal the creator of all.

Answer 10

These are positions in the Catholic church. Christianity and the structure of various churches is so complex it can't really be answered here.

Briefly, your local church leader would be a priest, whom you would address as 'father'. Bishops are responsible for a number of priests. Minister is a sort of general term for clergy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Church
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthood_%28Catholic_Church%29

Happy reading!

Answer 11

That would take a long time explaining all religions,
This book 'The Handy Religion Answer Book' by John Renard is excellent for information about all religions.