Written by: Ren Sydrick | 03 May 2013 | Clergy

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For a list of active ministers please see the Active Clergy (Who to go to for Help) article.

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Contents

• What is the Clergy? 
• Here is a List of the Active Clergy
• What is the Synod?
• What is the Seminary?
• What is Confiding/Confession?
• What are the Clerical Ranks? What are their roles?

What is the Clergy?

The clergy is the area of the Temple that deals specifically with the spiritual well-being of the community as a whole. The clergy are not spiritual authorities, but they are entrusted with helping guide people along their Jedi journeys. Additionally, the clergy are not mental healthcare professionals, they are guides; if a member is feeling particularly emotionally distressed, they should seek the appropriate clinical help.

As a non-profit religious organization, TotJO has the ability to license and ordain ministers to serve in a clerical capacity. All ministers can officiate weddings and conduct other religious ceremonies. Both licenses and ordinations are legal in every state in the US and may be in foreign countries (check with your local civil authorities for guidelines).

To become a Minister of the Force you must be licensed or ordained by TotJO; it is not a certificate that makes you a minister but our records on file.

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What is the Synod?

The Synod is a clerical body that oversees the broad functions of the Clergy. The Synod, like the Council - but subject to the decisions of the Council - facilitates, administers, and organizes the Clergy by providing direction and implementing policies and updates.

The current members of the Synod may be found here.

To view the Synod Charter please click here.

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What is the Seminary?

The Seminary is the section of TotJO that deals with the Clerical Training Program.

Details on the Seminary may be found here.

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What is Confidence/Confession?

Confidence is the word we at the Temple use for "confession". Jedi do not have sin, confidence is a private and confidential conversation between the Confider (the person speaking to the Minister) and the Confidant (the Minister providing the service).

If a member is struggling spiritually, or they need someone to talk to, or they need some guidance, then that is what the Clergy are there for.

Please be aware that while all Clergy Persons at the Temple are trustworthy people and can be approached for help, only those who have been ordained are bound by the Oath of the Confidant; Licensed Ministers, temporary or not, are not bound by this oath.

Past acts are confidential, however Ministers have a duty to report future acts to relevant authorities if they believe you are a danger to yourself or another.

Not all countries recognise Confidence's confidentiality. If a crime is admitted during Confidence it is possible that, if required to in a court of law, the minister will have to give details of what was said. Please check local civil laws on the issue, or ask the minister prior to Confidence whether this applies.

The Oath of Confidence:

"I profess before all that I, [legal name], born the dd/mm/yyyy, shall honour the Seal of Confidence as prescribed by the Temple of the Jedi Order and its Clergy. That which I come to know, through my service to any other fellow human being, through interaction, observation or from other's account, I will not divulge to any other, in recognition that these matters are by nature Secret. I understand that should I compromise or violate this Oath, my statute as a Clergy member, regardless of grade or position, shall be forfeit."

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What are the Clerical Ranks? What are their roles?

Licensed Clergy Person (LCP)

A Licensed Clergy Person is authorized to conduct liturgical ceremonies and services and to create a personal ministry consistent with the Doctrine of the Order, online and off-line. A Licensed Clergy Person is expected to regularly contribute to the Temple's sermon calendar and to engage in clerical outreach in accordance with policies set by the Synod and the Clergy. A Licensed Clergy Person is encouraged to create a clerical handbook. A Licensed Clergy Person shall not act as a Confidant. A Licensed Clergy Person is authorized to use the honorific "Reverend," but may not append a clerical suffix to his/her name.

Ordained Clergy Person (OCP)

In addition to the powers and duties of a Licensed Clergy Person, an Ordained Clergy Person may act as a Confidant under clerical seal and may conduct an ordination ceremony for another Ordained Clergy Person with the authorization of the Council (or the Council's designee). An Ordained Clergy Person is expected to regularly contribute to the Temple's sermon calendar and to engage in clerical outreach in accordance with policies set by the Synod and the Clergy. An Ordained Clergy Person is specifically expected to reach out to and build rapport with those in the Temple who do not have Teaching Masters, and to lend support and counsel to other members of the Clergy. An Ordained Clergy Person is authorized to use the honorific "Reverend" and to append the clerical suffix "OCP" to his/her name.

Senior Ordained Clergy Person (Sr. OCP)

In addition to the powers and duties of an Ordained Clergy Person, a Senior Ordained Clergy Person may ordain members of the Clergy with the authorization of the Council (or the Council's designee). A Senior Ordained Clergy Person is expected to regularly contribute to the Temple's sermon calendar and to engage in clerical outreach in accordance with policies set by the Synod and the Clergy. A Senior Ordained Clergy Person is specifically expected to reach out to and build rapport with those in the Temple who do not have Teaching Masters, and to lend support and counsel to other members of the Clergy. A Senior Ordained Clergy Person is also expected to see the "big picture" of the Temple's spiritual welfare, looking for themes that need to be addressed and areas of potential growth, and to convey these observations to the Clergy in order to address the Temple's spiritual needs.

Seminarian

A Seminarian is a Temple member who has been admitted to and begun studies in the Seminary. While Seminarians are not authorized to conduct liturgical services outside the Temple, they may compose and publish sermons as any member of the Clergy, and they may preside over live services within the Temple with the consent of the Assistant Pastor for the Seminary.

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