Who are considered clergy?

Clergy are individuals who have been ordained or appointed to lead religious ceremonies and provide spiritual guidance within a specific faith tradition. This group typically includes ministers, priests, pastors, rabbis, and other religious leaders. Their primary role is to serve the spiritual needs of their congregations, administer sacraments, and perform ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

The understanding of clergy as church leaders is fundamental because these individuals possess specific training and responsibilities that distinguish them from members of other professions, such as healthcare providers, who focus on physical healing, or teachers in religious studies, who might educate others about religious beliefs but are not necessarily involved in the religious leadership or practice themselves. Similarly, government officials do not play an intrinsic role in spiritual leadership or religious ceremonies, which solidifies the definition of clergy as those primarily recognized within the context of religious communities.