A nominated or elected lay official of any of various Christian Churches, especially of a Presbyterian Church.
（各基督教会，尤指长老会的）非神职官员，长老
Example sentencesExamples
In addition to ministers, many Baptist churches had ruling elders, assistants, exhorters, deacons, deaconesses, elderesses, and evangelists.
He is ruling elder at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, PA.
Recently a Presbyterian Church in America ruling elder posted a blog stating his stance on an earlier discussion regarding the Pope's comments on Sunday sports.
He's been going through the records of his late wife, Florence, who was the church's clerk of session for 30 years and a ruling elder, in search of information and old photos or a memorial booklet.
Definition of ruling elder in US English:
ruling elder
noun
A nominated or elected lay official of any of various Christian Churches, especially of a Presbyterian Church.
（各基督教会，尤指长老会的）非神职官员，长老
Example sentencesExamples
He is ruling elder at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, PA.
He's been going through the records of his late wife, Florence, who was the church's clerk of session for 30 years and a ruling elder, in search of information and old photos or a memorial booklet.
Recently a Presbyterian Church in America ruling elder posted a blog stating his stance on an earlier discussion regarding the Pope's comments on Sunday sports.
In addition to ministers, many Baptist churches had ruling elders, assistants, exhorters, deacons, deaconesses, elderesses, and evangelists.