Rule 1030 As used in this article, a “member of the clergy” means a priest, minister, religious practitioner, or similar functionary of a church or of a religio…

A "member of the clergy" includes priests, ministers, and other religious leaders who serve a church or religious group. This covers a wide range of religious roles, not just traditional Christian leaders.

This definition matters because other rules in this section give clergy members special legal protections related to private conversations made in confidence. Knowing who counts as clergy helps people understand whether those protections apply to their situation.