clergy

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clergy

ministers, priests or pastors of churches. Historically clergy were exempt from trial or punishment before the secular courts, which was known as benefit of clergy. On the other hand, until the House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001, clergy could not sit in the House of Commons. (Lords Spiritual who sit in the House of Lords are still excluded from the Commons.)

Collins Dictionary of Law © W.J. Stewart, 2006

CLERGY. All who are attached to the ecclesiastical ministry are called the clergy; a clergyman is therefore an ecclesiastical minister.
2. Clergymen were exempted by the emperor Constantine from all civil burdens. Baronius ad ann. 319, Sec. 30. Lord Coke says, 2 Inst. 3, ecclesiastical persons have more and greater liberties than other of the king's subjects, wherein to set down all, would take up a whole volume of itself.
3. In the United States the clergy is not established by law, but each congregation or church may choose its own clergyman.

A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.

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References in periodicals archive ?

The police filed sedition charges against 36 individuals, including eight clergymen, over 'The Real Narcolist' videos supposedly made by Peter Joemel Advincula, alias 'Bikoy,' in April.

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Government prosecutors have set on August 9 the preliminary probe on the cases filed by the police against the clergymen and several opposition figures.

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The governor, who said the clergymen stand in the place of nobility and truth for the people, urged them to preach against corruption in its entirety, describing it as one of the challenges confronting the country.

Akeredolu Charges Clergy To Preach, Pray Against Corruption

After the clergymen and the parents tell the mother of rice about the girl's rite of passage ceremony, she will be asked to bow to the parents, monks and other relatives who are attending the ceremony.

A rite of passage: Reviving an ancient Khmer ceremony

Clergymen and lay leaders participated in guarding the ballots, explaining their involvement in terms of protecting the people's choice.

Catholic

Vatican City [Vatican City], Feb 25 (ANI): Ending the four-day summit on "The Protection of Minors in the Church" here, Pope Francis called clergymen who perpetrated sexual abuse as "tools of Satan," on Sunday (local time).

Abusive clergy tools of Satan: Pope

Paradise is constantly walking on the edge of Iranian cinema's red lines, and the result is a remarkably funny film that pokes fun at stereotypes about clergymen and their perception in and outside Iran.

Lok Virsa to screen Iranian film 'Paradise' on Aug 18

Igga, while addressing the congregation at All Saint Cathedral Church of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan in Juba Sunday, claimed some said some clergymen were orchestrators of violence.

Cleric promoting violence in South Sudan, says VP

Regarding the conspicuous absence of Catholic clergymen joining in the protests against racism in Charlottesville following the white supremacist demonstrations in that city (NCR, Feb.

Sin of racism

The government's final endorsement of a legal revision enabling it to impose income taxes on the religious community is drawing a backlash from both clergymen and civic groups.

Cabinet endorses taxation on clergymen

The move to sack archbishop Sebastia Attalla Hanna was meant to "blackmail him and put pressure on him and all the Arab clergymen," his office said in a statement, the publication reported.

Greek Orthodox Church In Jerusalem Fires Palestinian Archbishop

Bahrain: Amendments that would ban clergymen from being members of political societies or active in politics will be debated today by MPs, five of whom are themselves clergymen.