I'm a young woman training to be a priest - AMA

[humanwinginglife]

As the title says. Any questions I'd be happy to answer!

[Monday55]

Priestess you mean? How young is young ?

[Sandysandwich]

Is being a priest a full time job or will you have to have another job as well?

[humanwinginglife]

@Monday55

Priestess you mean? How young is young ?

No, my job title will be priest. I am mid twenties.

[PermanentTemporary]

I associate priest with the Catholic Church but that's presumably not right. Which religion and why does being a leader in that religion appeal?

[humanwinginglife]

@Sandysandwich

Is being a priest a full time job or will you have to have another job as well?

I am training to be a full time stipendiary priest so I won't have another job. Some people choose to be non-stipendiary however or part time which would mean to survive, they would continue their jobs.

[humanwinginglife]

@PermanentTemporary

I associate priest with the Catholic Church but that's presumably not right. Which religion and why does being a leader in that religion appeal?

I am Christian and training in the CiW (which is basically CofE but in Wales).

It was a calling rather than an appeal but since I've been training, the desire to me is to show love, exercise compassion and modernise (without taking away from those who prefer traditional) but more to show the frailty of humanity and that, I am an average, approachable, very normal young woman!

[ManSplainin]

@Monday55

Priestess you mean? How young is young ?

Yes, like when my mother and my sister and various other women went to medical school to become doctresses.

[humanwinginglife]

Mansplainin - I guess woman priests are still unfamiliar

[titchy]

I suspect it's because priest is associated with the Catholic Church, and obvs no female priests there. Vicar is what most people would refer to the equivalent in the CofE.

[titchy]

Where do you want to minister once you're qualified? Community, prison, hospital, other?

[Cakeandslippers]

Have you always been religious? When you say it's a calling, how do you know? I'm late 30s and still no idea if I've taken the right path or where I'll end up. I'm always interested when I of people who just know what they want to do.

[5zeds]

What’s the difference between a priest and a vicar?

[mynameischloe]

How can I attend church and believe in evolution at the same time?

[LaQuern]

Was is your (based in Biblical teaching) response to extremes of the evangelical movement who say that womens cannot be pastors, as only men can do this.

[PhotoDad]

@5zeds

What’s the difference between a priest and a vicar?

I'm not the OP but to save her answering this one: at least in the C of E, a vicar is one type of priest (who is in charge of a parish church or a group of parish churches). Chaplains, some senior clergy (eg archdeacons) and various people who work in cathedrals (deans, canons) -- they are all also priests, but not vicars, because they're not attached to a parish church. (Sorry if I've got that wrong!)

[humanwinginglife]

@titchy

Where do you want to minister once you're qualified? Community, prison, hospital, other?

I'd love to do rural ministry. I've done small placements in hospital and prison which were great experiences but I wouldn't say they were for me long term!

[CPL593H]

Did you do a theology degree before starting training?

[humanwinginglife]

@Cakeandslippers

Have you always been religious? When you say it's a calling, how do you know? I'm late 30s and still no idea if I've taken the right path or where I'll end up. I'm always interested when I of people who just know what they want to do.

No I haven't always been religious. I didn't come to faith until late teens. The calling is super super hard to express, it's like a feeling/knowing. Something which you can't really say no to without feeling something 'amiss'. I had some experiences which confirmed it

Sorry to hear you feel the way you do. I truly believe we all have a calling in life to something - secular or religious

[CPL593H]

@5zeds

What’s the difference between a priest and a vicar?

They are different words for the same thing in Anglicanism (C of E etc)

[Hibye23289]

How much will you get paid? How long is the training?

[EmmaH2022]

Just interested generally
do you study in a residential place? Is it long hours? Are there many women training?

[OnTheBrinkOfChange]

Would you have ever become a nun?

[humanwinginglife]

@5zeds

What’s the difference between a priest and a vicar?

Nothing much tbh within the CofE and CiW apart from official job title. I think a lot of priests are referred to as the 'vicar' or 'rev' but there really isn't any difference unless of course it's from a different denomination. Baptist ministers are often titled 'pastor' or 'vicar'.

[CPL593H]

@PhotoDad

I'm not the OP but to save her answering this one: at least in the C of E, a vicar is one type of priest (who is in charge of a parish church or a group of parish churches). Chaplains, some senior clergy (eg archdeacons) and various people who work in cathedrals (deans, canons) -- they are all also priests, but not vicars, because they're not attached to a parish church. (Sorry if I've got that wrong!)

Your answer was better than mine

Sorry, I'm not the OP either @humanwinginglife humanwinginglife

[Thewolvesarerunningagain]

So what activities do you do in training? What have you enjoyed learning most/least?