superintendent
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superintendent
A senior clergyman in many Protestant churches who is responsible for a church district or diocese. His role is comparable to that of a bishop or dean in other denominations.
Der Superintendent besuchte unsere Gemeinde, um den neuen Pfarrer in sein Amt einzuführen.
The superintendent visited our congregation to install the new pastor in his office.
Careful: 'Der Superintendent' in German is a high church office in the Protestant church. It is not the same as the English 'superintendent', which can mean a building manager, police chief, or school official.
Der Superintendent unserer Landeskirche hält morgen eine Predigt.
The superintendent of our regional church is giving a sermon tomorrow.
The word comes from Latin and literally means 'der Aufseher' (the overseer) (super = over; intendere = to direct one's attention to something, to supervise). This describes his leadership function.
Zu den Aufgaben des Superintendenten gehört die Aufsicht über die Pfarrer seines Kirchenkreises.
The superintendent's duties include supervising the pastors in his church district.
This word is used almost exclusively in the context of the Protestant church. You will often find it together with words like 'Kirchenkreis' (church district), 'Synode' (synod), 'Pfarrer' (pastor), or 'Gemeinde' (congregation/parish).
Die Wahl des neuen Superintendenten findet auf der nächsten Synode statt.
The election of the new superintendent will take place at the next synod.
pastor
'der Pfarrer' and 'der Superintendent' both refer to clergy members in the Christian church. The difference is mainly the level of responsibility. A 'Pfarrer' usually leads a single congregation and is directly responsible for church services, pastoral care, and the people in that local community. A 'Superintendent' has a higher leadership role, often over several congregations in a church district. The words can be confused because both are church offices. In everyday language, however, people usually say 'Pfarrer' when talking about the local congregation. 'Superintendent' fits when referring to leadership over several congregations, especially in Protestant churches.
Der Superintendent besuchte die Gemeinde, weil ein neuer Pfarrer eingeführt wurde.
The superintendent visited the congregation because a new pastor was being installed.
Nach dem Gottesdienst sprach der Pfarrer mit den Eltern über die Taufe.
After the church service, the pastor spoke with the parents about the baptism.