 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Chapter" religion – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Achapter (Latin:capitulum[1] orcapitellum)[2] is one of several bodies of clergy inCatholic,Old Catholic,Anglican, and NordicLutheranchurches or their gatherings.
The name derives from the habit of conveningmonks orcanons for the reading of achapter of theBible or aheading of theorder'srule.[2] The 6th-centurySt Benedictdirected thathis monks begin their daily assemblies with such readings,[1] and over time expressions such as "coming together for the chapter" (convenire ad capitulum) found their meaning transferred from the text to the meeting itself and then to the body gathering for it.[2] The place of such meetings similarly became known as the "chapter house" or "room".
A cathedral chapter is the body ("college") of advisors assisting thebishop of adiocese at thecathedral church. These were a development of the presbyteries(presbyteria) made up of the priests and other church officials ofcathedral cities in the early church. In theCatholic Church, they are now only established bypapal decree.[1]
In the event of an episcopal vacancy, cathedral chapters are sometimes charged with election of the bishop's replacement and with the government of the diocese. They are made up ofcanonpriests.[1] "Numbered" chapters are made up of a fixed number ofprebendaries, while "unnumbered" chapters vary in number according to the direction of the bishop. The chapters were originally led by the cathedral'sarchdeacon but, since the 11th century,[1] have been directed by adean orprovost.[2]
In theCatholic Church, the chapter appoints its own treasurer, secretary, andsacristan and – since theCouncil of Trent – canon theologian[3] andcanon penitentiary.[4] The same council approved of other local offices,[5] which might includeprecentors,chamberlains(camerarii),almoners(eleemosynarii),hospitalarii,portarii,primicerii, orcustodes. Canons are sometimes given the functions ofpunctator andhebdomadarius as well.[1] In theChurch of England, the chapter includeslay members, achancellor who oversees its educational functions, and aprecentor who oversees its musical services. Some Church of England cathedrals have "lesser" and "greater" chapters with separate functions.
In theUS Episcopal Church, the chapter is a meeting of those with the responsibilities of avestry for a cathedral church.[6]
A collegiate chapter is a similar body of canons who oversee acollegiate church other than a cathedral.
A general chapter is a general assembly of monks,[7] typically composed of representatives from all themonasteries of anorder orcongregation. The equivalent meetings of provincial representatives of Franciscan orders is called a Chapter of Mats.[8]
Catholic orders ofnuns or sisters also often holdgeneral chapters, periodic governing assemblies of the order that vary in geographic scope from congregants within a city to an international gathering. These are considered "a graced, holy time" and often involve long preparation of prayer and study to discuss future directions of the order.General chapters are also a time to elect officers and leadership (e.g.,Mothers).
Many orders of nuns or sisters have regular internal gatherings known as some form ofchapter that differs from "general chapter" – in some cases, these are called simply achapter. These are times for pragmatic, collective discussions about issues relevant to their communal lives (e.g., among the nuns or sisters of aconvent).[9]
A chapter of faults is a gathering for public correction of infractions against community rules and forself-criticism separate from standardconfession.[10][11]Some orders of nuns have a resonant practice of sharing their "faults," which differ from the confession ofsins. For example,cloistered, contemplativeDominican nuns in the U.S. use what they call aregular chapter for this purpose, during which the prioress invites members to accuse themselves of individual faults that go against community good. Participants may stand up and say, "Sisters, I accuse myself of (such and such a fault)." This exercise in humility is followed by the women prostrating themselves (known as thevenia) and the prioress assigning apenance. Theregular chapter is a demarcated event: "What has been spoken of at Chapter is never spoken of outside of the it."[12]
The assembled body of knights of a military orknightly order was also referred as a "chapter”.
| Distinctions (Lists) |
|    | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonies and events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related organisations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Related concepts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
