Section 2. Definitions  


Latest version.
  • A "Religious Corporations Law corporation" is a
      corporation created for religious purposes to which this chapter applies
      under section two-a  of  this  chapter.  Unless  the  context  otherwise
      requires,  whenever  "religious corporation" or "corporation" is used in
      this chapter,  such  term  shall  mean  a  "Religious  Corporations  Law
      corporation".
        An  "incorporated church" is a religious corporation created to enable
      its members to meet for divine worship or other religious observances.
        An "unincorporated  church"  is  a  congregation,  society,  or  other
      assemblage  of  persons  who  are accustomed to statedly meet for divine
      worship or other religious observances, without having been incorporated
      for that purpose.
        The term "clergyman" and the term "minister" include a duly authorized
      pastor, rector, priest, rabbi, and a person having authority from, or in
      accordance  with,  the  rules   and   regulations   of   the   governing
      ecclesiastical  body  of the denomination or order, if any, to which the
      church belongs, or otherwise from the church  or  synagogue  to  preside
      over and direct the spiritual affairs of the church or synagogue.
        The  term  "funeral  entity" means a person, partnership, corporation,
      limited  liability  company  or  other  form  of  business  organization
      providing  funeral  home services, or owning, controlling, conducting or
      affiliated with a funeral home, any subsidiary thereof  or  an  officer,
      director  or stockholder having a ten per centum or greater proprietary,
      beneficial, equitable or credit interest in a funeral home.