What exactly is a priest? Even in a secular context, most people have some sense of the role of a priest, but what a priest in fact is, is not so obvious. The priest is both a historical and medieval figure and a modern profession that is changing in today's society. In this book, the author explores the role of the priest historically and theoretically through four parts, each organized around a specific question. First, what are the origins of the priestly role? Where does it come from, and which historical factors have shaped today's perceptions of the priest? Second, what is the priest’s mandate? What mission is this role intended to fulfill? Third, what are the priest's functions or core tasks in church and society? Fourth and finally, what are a priest’s objectives? What is the aim of this service? Through the exploration of these questions, based on a Nordic and evangelical-Lutheran context, the book contributes to a theological theory of the priest’s profession, tailored to our contemporary era. The digital edition of the book also includes an appendix consisting of ordination vows from the Reformation to the present day, a collection of sources that both documents and comments on the development from 1539 to today. The book is aimed at theology students, priests, and church leadership. It may also be of interest to religious scholars, intellectual historians, and others curious about the role of the priest as a cultural phenomenon.