CHANCELLOR
A lay officer under a bishop, who is judge of his court. In the first ages of the church the bishops had those officers, who were called church lawyers, and were bred up in the knowledge of the civil and canon law: their business was to assist the bishop in his diocese.
We read of no chancellors till Henry the Second’s time; but that the king requiring the attendance of the bishops in his councils, it was thought necessary to substitute chancellors in their room for the despatch of business.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
chancellor
(Latin: cancellarius, man at the barrier)
Term which came to mean a notary, then the official charged with writing and sealing crown documents, and finally, the guardian of the great seal of state. From the days of Charlemagne, this office was generally held by an ecclesiastic. Cardinal Wolsey, Archbishop Arundell (1386-1388), and Sir Thomas More (1529-1534), the last-named the first layman thus honored, are famous English Catholic chancellors. In the recent German Empire, the chancellor was president of the federal council and so, under the emperor, was charged with the direction of imperial affairs. In England , the lord high chancellor is the keeper of the state seal; as the highest law officer he is the speaker of the House of Lords, a member of the cabinet, and appoints all the judges and justices of the peace, and, among other duties, supervises the interests of minors and lunatics. There is a lord chancellor in Ireland exercising similar legal powers. The chancellor of the exchequer is the British minister of finance. The titular head of a university is frequently called the chancellor. Catholics are excluded from the office of lord chancellor in England , on the grounds that this dignitary is the patron of many Church of England livings, but, however, it may be held by Jews and freethinkers. In canon law , the bishop of each diocese appoints a priest as diocesan chancellor, who in virtue of this office becomes an ecclesiastical notary and is charged with the care, arrangement, and indexing of the diocesan archives, records of dispensations, of ecclesiastical trials, etc. As notary he has to draw up all the written documents used in the official government of the diocese and to authenticate documents when necessary.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Chancellor
(, bel-tem; Sept. and ). The original word signifies a commander, or lord of the edicts or causes; it was the Chaldee title of the Persian governor at Samaria, but is rendered in our version “chancellor” (Ezr 4:8-9; Ezr 4:17).
Chancellor
(Cancellarius), a lay officer who is judge in a bishop’s court, under his authority. “In ancient times bishops had jurisdiction in particular causes, as in marriages, adultery, last wills, etc., which were determined by them in their consistory courts. But when many controversies arose in these and other causes, it was not consistent with the character of a bishop to interpose in every litigious matter, and it became necessary for the bishop to depute some subordinate officer, experienced both in the civil and canon law, to determine those ecclesiastical causes, and this was the original of diocesan chancellors. Henry II of England, requiring the attendance of bishops in his state councils, and other public affairs, it was thought necessary to substitute chancellors in their room, to dispatch those causes which were proper to the bishop’s jurisdiction. In a few years a chancellor became such a necessary officer to the bishop that he was not to be without him; for if he would have none, the archbishop of the province might enjoin him to depute one, and if he refused, the archbishop might appoint one himself. The person thus deputed by the bishop has his authority from the law, and his jurisdiction is not, like that of a commissary, limited to a certain place and certain causes, but extends throughout the whole diocese, and to all ecclesiastical matters; not only for reformation of manners, in punishment of criminals, but in all causes concerning marriages, last wills, administrations, etc.” (Hook, Church Dictionary, s.v.). In England the chancellor presides in the bishop’s court; and is called his vicar-general, as being clothed with the bishop’s authority. In Ireland the chancellor has no ecclesiastical jurisdiction, all matters pertaining to his office being executed by a distinct officer, called the vicar- general. Bingham, Orig. Ecclesiastes bk. 2, ch. 7, 5; Marsden, Churches and Sects, 331.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Chancellor
one who has judicial authority, literally, a “lord of judgement;” a title given to the Persian governor of Samaria (Ezra 4:8, 9, 17).
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Chancellor
CHANCELLOR.See Beeltethmus and Rehum.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Chancellor
chansel-er: The rendering in Ezr 4:8, Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:17 of the Hebrew , beel teem; Septuagint , Baal (Ezr 4:9), , Balgam (Ezr 4:17), the latter being an incorrect translation of Hebrew . In 1 Esdras 2:16, 25, , Beeltethmos (compare Ezr 4:8) occurs as a corruption, doubtless of , beel teem. The term in question designates an Assyrian office, namely, that of the master or lord of official intelligence, or postmaster (Sayce).
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Chancellor
The word in the original signifies ‘master of counsel or decrees.’ It was the title of a Persian officer. Ezr 4:8-9; Ezr 4:17.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Chancellor
A state officer.
Ezr 4:8-9; Ezr 4:17 Cabinet