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". 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.
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".
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