State (religious life)
In Christianity, the word state may be taken to signify a profession or calling in life. St. Paul says, in I Corinthians 7:20: "Let every man abide in the same calling in which he was called".[1] States are classified in the Catholic Church as the clerical state, the religious state, and the secular state; and among religious states, again, we have those of the contemplative, the active, and the mixed orders.[2]
See also
- Catholic religious order
- Consecrated life
- Diocesan priest
- Religious minister
- Secular clergy
- Vocational Discernment in the Catholic Church
Notes
- ^ "1 Corinthians 7:20 Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called".
- ^ "State or Way (Purgative, Illuminative, Unitive) - Encyclopedia Volume - Catholic Encyclopedia".
 | This Catholic Church–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |