Talk:religious priest

RFD discussion: September–December 2023
SOP? P. Sovjunk (talk) 09:06, 26 September 2023 (UTC)


 * How bizarre. Is a "non-religious priest" even possible? Equinox ◑ 22:55, 27 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Yup! This terminology predates the modern usage. "Religious" here refers to the literal sense of being bound to a rule (influenced by the Christian folk etymology ) or being set aside for religious life (i.e. following the three evangelical counsels and belonging to a religious order). A non-religious priest is called a secular or diocesan priest, which is what most parish priests are. It's quite common in certain Catholic circles to hear references to "religious priests" and "diocesan priests" in counterdistinction to each other. Andrew Sheedy (talk) 00:27, 28 September 2023 (UTC)
 * Delete, but we're missing the appropriate adjectival sense at (i.e. "pertaining or belonging to religious or consecrated life"). Andrew Sheedy (talk) 00:29, 28 September 2023 (UTC)
 * If such a sense is added, it should be “pertaining or belonging to a religious order”; secular priests are also supposed to lead a religious life. But is this specific sense used in other collocations than religious priest (and, obviously but circularly, religious order)? --Lambiam 11:42, 15 October 2023 (UTC)
 * The most accurate definition would probably be "pertaining or belonging to a religious order or congregation". Collocations with this sense of "religious" include: religious life, religious congregation, religious sister, religious habit (i.e. the garment worn by religious), religious house (a convent or monastery), religious vows, religious rule (the rule of life of a religious order), etc. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head. Because of the possible ambiguity involved, I don't think this sense is used postpositively much, or if it is, it is used in context where it could also be interpreted as substantive (especially in informal usage, "a religious" is a member of a religious order or congregation, with the plural being simply "religious", so "They are religious" is, IMO, more likely to be a noun than an adjective when used in this sense). Andrew Sheedy (talk) 19:19, 15 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Delete' Ioaxxere (talk) 04:47, 14 October 2023 (UTC)
 * Delete, nothing to add to what Andrew said and it seems to be covered adequately at religious now. —Al-Muqanna المقنع (talk) 20:02, 15 November 2023 (UTC)

RFD failed Denazz (talk) 21:47, 6 December 2023 (UTC)