priesthood

(prēst'hʊd') pronunciation

The character, office, or vocation of a priest.
The clergy.

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Hacker Slang: priesthood

[TMRC; obs.] The select group of system managers responsible for the operation and maintenance of a batch computer system. On these computers, a user never had direct access to a computer, but had to submit his/her data and programs to a priest for execution. Results were returned days or even weeks later.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: priesthood

Office of a spiritual leader expert in the ceremonies of worship and the performance of religious rituals. Though chieftains, kings, and heads of households have sometimes performed priestly functions, in most civilizations the priesthood is a specialized office. The priest's duties are concerned less with magic than with the right performance of ritual acts required by the divine powers. Many African societies, for example, differentiated between shamans and the priests responsible for the worship of tribal ancestors. Sacrifice is often one of the most important duties of the priesthood. Not every highly developed religion possesses a priesthood, the most notable exception being Islam. The idea of the "priesthood of all believers" was also a cardinal doctrine of the Reformation, and the Protestant belief that priests are not needed as intermediaries between church members and the Holy Spirit is seen most clearly in sects such as the Society of Friends.

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Wikipedia: priesthood

A priesthood is a body of priests, shamans, or oracles who are thought to have special religious authority or function. The term also refers to the office, dignity, authority, or character of a priest. Various restrictions may apply to who can join the priesthood and lead religious assemblies.

		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Hacker Slang. The Jargon File. Copyright © 2007. Read more
		Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Priesthood". Read more
		Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more

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