Editing Priesthood of all believers (section)

===Democratic churches===
Luther's doctrine of the universal priesthood of all believers gave laypersons and the clergy equal rights and responsibilities. It had strong, far-reaching consequences both within the Protestant churches and outside of them with respect to the development of distinct political and societal structures.

Luther had the intention to organize the church in such a way as to give the members of a congregation the right to elect a pastor by majority-decision and, if necessary, to dismiss him again.<ref>Treatise ''That a Christian Meeting or Congregation has the Right and the Power to Judge All Doctrines and Call, Install, and Dismiss Teachers, as Grounded on Scriptures'' [''Dass eine christliche Versammlung oder Gemeine Recht und Macht habe, alle Lehre zu beurteilen und Lehrer zu berufen, ein- und abzusetzen: Grund und Ursach aus der Schrift''], 1523</ref> The Lutheran church would get an institutional framework based on the [[Majority rule|majoritarian principle]], the central characteristic of [[democracy]].<ref>Heussi, p. 316.</ref><ref>Waldron, pp. 128-136.</ref> But mainly because of the strong political and military pressure from the Catholic powers, the developing Lutheran churches in the German territories had to seek the protection of their worldly rulers who turned them into [[State religion|state churches]].<ref>Graf, pp. 35-38.</ref> In the [[Scandinavia|Scandinavian countries]], Lutheran state churches were established, too.<ref>Heussi, pp. 330-331.</ref><ref>Olmstead, p. 6.</ref>

[[John Calvin]] put Luther's intended democratic [[church polity]] into effect. The church members elected lay [[Elder (Christianity)|elders]] from their midst who, together with pastors, teachers, and [[Deacon|deacons]], were also elected by the parishioners, formed the representative church leadership. To this [[presbyterian polity]], the [[Huguenots]] added regional [[synod]]s and a national synod, whose members, laymen and clergymen alike, were elected by the parishioners as well. This combination of [[Presbyterian polity|presbyteries]] and [[Synod|synods]] was taken over by all [[Calvinism|Reformed churches]], except the [[Congregational church|Congregationalists]] who had no synods.<ref>Heussi, p. 325</ref>

When Lutherans from Germany and Scandinavia emigrated to North America, they took over the church polity based on presbyteries and synods which had been developed by the denominations with Calvinist traditions (for example, [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]]).<ref>Wentz, p. 41</ref><ref>Olmstead, pp. 6, 140.</ref> In Germany, Lutheran churches established the first presbyteries in the 19th century, and after the downfall of the monarchies in 1918 synods were formed which assumed the task of leading the churches. They are made up of both laypersons and clergy. Since 1919, the Anglican church has also had a synod ([[General Synod of the Church of England|National Assembly]]), which has elected laypersons among its members.<ref>Moorman, col. 379.</ref>

It is a featured doctrine of [[Restoration_Movement|Restorationist]] churches, such as the [[Churches of Christ]].<ref name="Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Ministry">Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, {{ISBN|0-8028-3898-7}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8028-3898-8}}, 854 pages, entry on ''Ministry''</ref>{{rp|532}}