Saturday, August 6, 2011

Why is a Manse called a Manse?

Was talking to someone the other day about the manse and they asked me why it was called a manse? A good question and despite living in one for some time, I had no idea why it/they are called Manses. So I went to my good friend Wikipedia and culled the following information.
“A manse (ˈmæns; from Latin mansus, "dwelling", from manere, "to remain") is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist or United Church. The implication is that the minister has been called by God and will remain until he/she is called elsewhere.
When selling a former manse, the Church of Scotland always requires that the property should not be called "The Manse" by the new owners, but "The Old Manse" or some other acceptable variation. The intended result is that "The Manse" refers to a working building rather than simply apply as a name.”
So now, you and I both, know why a house occupied by a Church minister is called a manse.
Just as a footnote of sorts, in some other denominations, it would/could be called a Parsonage or a Vicarage.

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