Universal Priesthood (doctrine)
The universal priesthood or the priesthood of all believers is a Christian doctrine believed by various Protestant denominations to be derived from several passages of the New Testament. The exact meaning varies from denomination to denomination, but generally entails a doctrinal responsibility or right to preach and expound the Christian faith, and this is appointed to every member of the church. It first came to the public eye when Martin Luther and his followers wrote, preached, and sang about a priesthood of all believers.
Read more about Universal Priesthood (doctrine): History Within Protestantism, Priesthood in Non-Protestant Traditions, Problems With Translations
Famous quotes containing the words universal and/or priesthood:
“The God whom science recognizes must be a God of universal laws exclusively, a God who does a wholesale, not a retail business.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“The priesthood is a marriage. People often start by falling in love, and they go on for years without realizing that that love must change into some other love which is so unlike it that it can hardly be recognised as love at all.”
—Iris Murdoch (b. 1919)