AGATE

Church orders are a new type of source emerging in the 16th century and an invaluable treasure trove for research. They reflect the position of the respective sovereign or magistrate, especially in the official determination of the state of confession and the resulting religious norms. The church ordinances of the various territories and imperial cities by no means only contain internal church-theological instructions (worship regulations such as prayer forms, liturgies and information on the frequency, times and contents of the sermon), but also numerous organisational regulations which extend into the area of competence of the state and police ordinances. As integral components, they also include employment requirements and modes for clergy, regulations on church discipline, visitation instructions as well as marriage and poor orders.