Editing Presbyterian polity (section)

===Minister<!--'Presbyterian minister' redirects here-->===
{{See also|Holy Orders#Presbyterian churches}}

In some denominations they are called ''Ministers of Word and Sacrament'', and in others they are called ''Teaching Elders''. Ministers called to a particular congregation are called ''[[pastor]]s'', and serve a function analogous to [[clergy]] in other denominations.<ref name="form1645">Westminster Assembly, 1645A ''"[[The Form of Presbyterial Church Government|The Form of Presbyterial Church-Government]]"'' (ASSEMBLY AT EDINBURGH, February 10, 1645, Sess. 16.
ACT of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY of the KIRK of SCOTLAND, approving the Propositions
concerning Kirk-government, and Ordination of Ministers). Online at [http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_standards/index.html?mainframe=/documents/wcf_standards/p395-form_presby_gov.html CRTA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406133712/https://reformed.org/documents/wcf_standards/index.html?mainframe=%2Fdocuments%2Fwcf_standards%2Fp395-form_presby_gov.html |date=2019-04-06 }}, retrieved on September 6, 2006.</ref> (Because ruling elders are often ordained in a fashion nearly identical to teaching elders, the distinction between lay and clergy is not as clear under the Presbyterian system as in others).{{sfn|Miller|1842}} The terms 'lay' and 'clergy' are not properly used in presbyterian polity.

Ministers may be considered equal in status with the other elders, but they have a distinct ordination and distinct function. They are the primary preachers and teachers, celebrants of sacraments. There are sometimes further distinctions between the minister and the other elders. Some Presbyterian denominations enroll ministers as members of their respective congregations, while others enroll the minister as a member of the regional presbytery. The presbyteries are responsible for the ordination of the ministers.

Until the 20th century, only men had been eligible for ordination as elders or ministers of the word and sacrament.
This is widely not the case any longer, although it is usually considered a demarcation issue, distinguishing "liberal" from "conservative" Presbyterian denominations. In North America, the [[Reformed Church in America]], [[Christian Reformed Church in North America]] (both of Dutch Reformed heritage), [[Cumberland Presbyterian Church]], [[ECO (denomination)|ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians]], [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States)|Evangelical Presbyterian Church]], [[Presbyterian Church in Canada]], and [[Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)]] are denominations with presbyterian polity which allow for the ordination of women.

The general assembly of a denomination often decides on what grounds a person may be ordained, but the ordination of ministers is the right of the presbytery or classis, and the right to extend a call to a minister is the privilege of the members of the parish or congregation.<ref name="form1645" />{{sfn|McHugh|1911}}<ref group=notes>As an example of qualifications for office as teaching elder, many denominations require a period of theological education at university level.</ref>