What is the rank from lowest to highest title, position, degree in the Christian church of today. And can someone without a doctorate degree confer a doctorate on someone else?
Thank you for your questions. However, I’m not sure that I understand what you’re asking, but I’ll try to answer.
Within a local church, the highest authority is usually a pastor (or a priest), or a board of elders. Some churches ordain deacons who may have some lower level of authority. Some churches are completely autonomous, and the pastor or elders report to nobody, other than Jesus Christ.
However, most churches are part of a larger organization. For example, in the Roman Catholic Church, the priests report to bishops, then cardinals, then the pope. Protestant churches often have overseeing organizations, or conventions. Among these, the Methodist denomination has a more rigid hierarchy, with bishops etc., while the Southern Baptist Convention has a less rigid hierarchy.
However, none of these organizations then recognize the authority of the others. For example, the Protestant churches do not recognize the authority of the catholic pope. There is no universal church organization that has authority over all of them–only Jesus Christ himself.
No, I don’t believe that someone without a doctorate degree can officially confer a doctorate on someone else.
I hope this helps, but please let me know if I haven’t adequately addressed your questions.
Thanks,
Owen