What would a religion without professional clergy be like?

Sunstone said:

The two of us got to wondering what a religion without professional clergy would be like.

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So, do you think a clergy-less religion could be feasible?

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Would Judaism, Christianity, and Islam still be communal religions sans clergy?

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outhouse said:

No.

People don't have the collective communication skills to keep similar beliefs in imagination land without some central spokesperson.

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Riverwolf said:

I don't think that's true. The Slender Man mythos seems to do just fine keeping its canon intact without any central spokesperson. On the other hand, comic book continuity is all over the place despite having panels of editors whose job it is to keep it all straight.

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Sunstone said:

A few days ago, I was in a conversation with a friend on the topic of organized religion. The two of us got to wondering what a religion without professional clergy would be like. Given, of course, that perhaps the best way of deorganizing a religion would be to fire its professional clergy.

So, do you think a clergy-less religion could be feasible? If so why? If not, why not?

Would some hybrid religion that was largely clergy-less, but not entirely so, be feasible?

How would a clergy-less religion operate? Would Judaism, Christianity, and Islam still be communal religions sans clergy? Could Hinduism exist without clergy? What about the various Native American religions? Don't they already exist in large measure without professional clergy?

Would a clergy-less religion overall be a good thing? A bad thing? Why or why not?

Your thoughts, please.

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Sunstone said:

A few days ago, I was in a conversation with a friend on the topic of organized religion. The two of us got to wondering what a religion without professional clergy would be like. Given, of course, that perhaps the best way of deorganizing a religion would be to fire its professional clergy.

So, do you think a clergy-less religion could be feasible? If so why? If not, why not?

Would some hybrid religion that was largely clergy-less, but not entirely so, be feasible?

How would a clergy-less religion operate? Would Judaism, Christianity, and Islam still be communal religions sans clergy? Could Hinduism exist without clergy? What about the various Native American religions? Don't they already exist in large measure without professional clergy?

Would a clergy-less religion overall be a good thing? A bad thing? Why or why not?

Your thoughts, please.

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jtartar said:

Sunstone,
If you went to a clergy less religion, it seems that you would be returning to early Christianity. Remember what Jesus told his disciples: you are all Brothers, Matt 23:8. Jesus, speaking to his disciples, at Matt 23:1-9 shows that the in Christian Congregation, there should be NO high sounding titles, only to be called Brothers. The least one was the greatest, Matt 18:4, 20:25-28.
By a revelation from Jesus, Paul was given the rules of the power structure of the Christian Congregation, Gal 1:11,12, 1Cor 12:27-31.
Since all were told to do the same work, teach Christianity, it seems there was no place for a clergy, 1John 3:10, 2Thes 3:6-14.
If you have studied Typology, you will see that the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day, are the types, the Prriests and Clergy class are the anti types, Matt 23:13-36.

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samosasauce said:

Technically, Islam doesn't have clergy

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The Imamate (Arabic: إمامة&#8206 is a concept in Nizari Isma'ilism which defines the political, religious and spiritual dimensions of authority concerning Islamic leadership over the nation of believers. The primary function of the Imamate is to establish an institution between an Imam who is present and living in the world and his following whereby each are granted rights and responsibilities.[1]

The Nizari Imamate follows a genealogy of male Imams originating with Muhammad by his daughter Fatimah and cousin Ali and then through their son Hussein and his descendants up to the present day. Each ordained successor Imam of this lineage is charged with serving the Nizari Ismailis of his era who pay the zakat (tithe) dues to him as the designated Nizari Imam by giving them in return religious and spiritual guidance and also striving for their physical well-being to the best of his ability.

With respect to their spiritual nature, the Imams are considered incarnations of the divine word as well as conduits between God and the Ummah. Based on this belief, the Nizari Ismaili concept of Imamate differs from that of the Twelver's concept in that the Nizari Imams possess the authority to interpret the Quran according to the times and change or even abrogate any aspect of "The Way/The Path" (Sharia) of Islam.

The 49th and presently living Nizari Imam is Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan (IV).

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There is no class of ecclesiastics or clergy in the Bahá’í Faith. Rather, it is administered by a unique combination of freely elected councils and a complementary institution of appointed advisers. This administrative system operates at the local, regional, national, and international levels.

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