Clerics in my Traveller Universe

As priests have higher social standing at least in the Empire, it makes sense to use my popular revamped Nobles career tables to create a Priest career.

St Augustine

These tables assume that the priest is a Christian, ordained by the Orthodox Catholic Church. There are of course other religious groups IMTU, all of which do things differently.

The following assumes that a young man takes the priestly orders as his Traveller career.  Contrary to CT rules, an experienced PC can pursue ordination after completing a normal career, so not all Clerics start at age 22.

Skill Tables for a Clerical Career

Enlistment: 8+

DM of +2 if EDU 8+

Survival 4+

DM of +1 if INT 7+, -1 to -3 if home planet is anti-religious

Ordination: 6+ No DM

Elevation: 11+ No DM

Retention: 4+ No DM

Personal Development Table	Education Table	Service Skills Table	Advanced Education Table
+1 Intelligence	Recruiting	Leader	Leader
+1 Education	Steward	Administration	Recruiting
Carousing	Leader	Carousing	Liaison
Jack of All Trades	Administration	Liaison	Instruction
Leader	Vehicle	Streetwise	Jack of All Trades
Streetwise	Medical	Instruction	Computer

Mustering Out	Cash
+1 Intelligence	500
+1 Education	500
+1 Social Standing	1000
High Passage	2000
Travellers' Aid Society	4000
Icon	6000

Rank Table

Rank	Title
0	Deacon
1	Priest
2	Archpriest/Abbot
3	Bishop
4	Archbishop
5	Metropolitan
6	Patriarch

Sacramentally, all ranks from Bishop upwards are equal, but their administrative functions differ. Also, the extent of their jurisdictions vary depending on the size of the world, its overall population and the numbers of the Faithful on a world.

Other notes:
Priests are not eligible for Retirement pay until age 42, or after 4 terms.  Note that the skill tables include no weapon skills at all, as Orthodox clergy are forbidden to use violence, at the risk of censure or loss of priestly rank.
An Abbot is the head of a monastery - most monks are not ordained. 

After rank 2, the player will have to do some explaining as to why his priestly character is jaunting around the galaxy as a Traveller; perhaps as an auxiliary bishop or missionary priest. Or perhaps he is assigned to a TAS station or a Mercy Ship.