Clergy vs. Laity — What's the Difference?

Ordained religious leaders.

Support and participate in church missions.

Dedicated to religious service.

Engage in religious education.

Perform sacraments and rituals.

Contribute to the church community.

Provide spiritual guidance.

Non-ordained church members.

Interpret religious doctrines.

Balance religious and secular lives.

The body of people ordained or recognized by a religious community as ritual or spiritual leaders. See Usage Note at collective noun.

In religious organizations, the laity consists of all members who are not part of the clergy, usually including any non-ordained members of religious orders, e.g. a nun or lay brother.A layperson (also layman or laywoman) is a person who is not qualified in a given profession or does not have specific knowledge of a certain subject.In Christian cultures, the term lay priest was sometimes used in the past to refer to a secular priest, a diocesan priest who is not a member of a religious order.

Body of persons, such as priests, who are trained and ordained for religious service.

Laypeople considered as a group.

The body of men set apart, by due ordination, to the service of God, in the Christian church, in distinction from the laity; in England, usually restricted to the ministers of the Established Church.

All those persons who are not members of a given profession or other specialized field.

Learning; also, a learned profession.

People of a church who are not ordained clergy or clerics.

The privilege or benefit of clergy.

The common man or woman.

Clergymen collectively (as distinguished from the laity)

The unlearned, untrained or ignorant.

The people, as distinguished from the clergy; the body of the people not in orders.

The state of a layman.

Those who are not of a certain profession, as law or medicine, in distinction from those belonging to it.

Everyone except the clergy

Yes, laypersons can become clergy through a formal process of education and ordination specific to their religious tradition.

The clergy consists of ordained individuals within religious traditions, tasked with spiritual leadership and sacramental roles.

Clergy are responsible for leading worship, sacraments, and providing guidance, while the laity supports the church's mission through participation and volunteer activities.

The laity includes non-ordained members of a religious community who participate and support the church's mission without performing sacraments.

While laity may engage in teaching roles, such as Sunday school or small groups, they typically do not preach or perform sacraments unless specifically authorized within their church's practices.

Clergy support the community by providing spiritual leadership, pastoral care, and guidance in religious education and moral matters.

Becoming clergy involves a call to religious service, followed by theological education, mentorship, and a formal ordination process.

While the concept of clergy is common across many religions, specific roles and responsibilities vary according to each tradition's beliefs and practices.

Ordination signifies the clergy's formal authorization to perform religious rites, lead worship, and offer pastoral care within their community.

In some traditions, laity may lead certain aspects of worship or services in the absence of clergy or within specific lay ministry roles.

Clergy typically undergo formal theological education, which may include seminary training and advanced religious studies.

The laity do not hold sacramental authority but may have leadership roles within the church's administrative and volunteer activities.

The distinction emphasizes the complementary roles each group plays in the religious community, with clergy leading spiritually and laity supporting the church's broader mission.

Laity participate in church life through volunteer work, community outreach, religious education, and administrative roles.

The active involvement of laity enriches the religious community, providing diverse talents, supporting the church's mission, and fostering a sense of belonging and participation among members.