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The article discusses general priesthood in the 16th- and 17th-century Lutheran Church in Germany. The proscriptions regarding clergy developed by the founder of Lutheranism German theologian Martin Luther are analyzed, political aspects of the clergy in the early Lutheran Church are described, and political aspects of the interpretation of Luther's religious laws by the clergy are examined. Information is offered on the roles of the Lutheran priesthood and laiety in advancing social reforms as well as church reforms.

Introduction The incidence of vulvodynia in American women has been reported to be between 8.3 % and 16 %. However, there is no consistently effective standardized treatment for vulvodynia. Aim To determine the feasibility and potential effects of using a standardized acupuncture protocol for the treatment of women with vulvodynia. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was vulvar pain, and sexual function was the secondary outcome. Pain was assessed by the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and function was measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Methods Thirty-six women with vulvodynia met inclusion criteria. The women were randomly assigned either to the acupuncture group or to the wait-list control group. The 18 subjects assigned to the acupuncture group received acupuncture two times per week for 5 weeks for a total of 10 sessions. Results Reports of vulvar pain and dyspareunia were significantly reduced, whereas changes in the aggregate FSFI scores suggest significant improvement in sexual functioning in those receiving acupuncture vs. those who did not. Acupuncture did not significantly increase sexual desire, sexual arousal, lubrication, ability to orgasm or sexual satisfaction in women with vulvodynia. Conclusion This was the first randomized controlled pilot study to examine the use of acupuncture for the treatment of vulvodynia. The acupuncture protocol was feasible and in this small sample appeared to reduce vulvar pain and dyspareunia with an increase in overall sexual function for women with vulvodynia. This study should be replicated in a larger double-blinded randomized controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]