Explains the emergence and early evolution of the ordained ministry as a Christian development of Jewish practice. Addressing the changing role of the ordained ministry, Roger Beckwith looks both within and without the church walls in this journey of exploration. Whilst the clergy's traditional roles in education, counselling, social welfare and marriage guidance has been taken over by teachers, doctors, psychiatrists and social workers, inside, the ordained ministry is also under attack. With the campaign for the ministry of the laity and the prevalence of the Charismatic Movement, the claiming of exclusive rights for the clergy has become much more problematic. Do the clergy have any distinctive role at all? How did the belief arise that they do and can this be grounded in Scripture? Written with clarity and compassion, Elders in Every City explores the emergence and function of the ordained ministry against its historical background, and draws out important lessons for today's church.