Past tense of ordain; officially appointed to a religious office, or decreed by authority or fate.
From Old French ordener, from Latin ordinare meaning 'to arrange in order, appoint,' from ordo (order, rank). The religious sense developed from the idea of placing someone in their proper order or rank within a hierarchical system.
The word 'ordained' beautifully captures two concepts: human appointment and divine destiny. When someone is 'ordained' as a minister, they're both officially appointed by church authority and believed to be called by divine will—the same word encompasses both earthly bureaucracy and heavenly purpose.
Ordination historically excluded women from religious authority; the word carries gendered power structures from religious institutions that restricted women's access to ordained roles.
Use 'appointed,' 'designated,' or 'established' in secular contexts; acknowledge ordination's gendered history when discussing religious authority.
["appointed","designated","established","authorized"]
Women's ordination in various Christian and Jewish denominations (20th century onward) represents reclamation of spiritual authority against historical erasure.
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