What is the difference between a priest and a prophet?

A priest facilitates relationships with the divine; a prophet often criticizes the facilitator and his or her methods.

Mark Muess: "A priest stands in the middle between the gods and humanity; and often functions by way of offering prayers or sacrifices to the gods on behalf of other human beings."

That was Associate Professor Mark Muesse of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennesse.

Mark Muesse: "A priest is the most common category; throughout most of the world's religions you will find an individual who functions as a priest. A prophet on the other hand, is someone who speaks for God or serves as a mouthpiece for God."

And prophets tended to materialize mainly in monotheistic traditions, when religious bureaucracies drew focus away from a person or community's connection to God.

Mark Muess: "Prophets were often critical of the priest and those who have gotten too friendly with the institutions of power and have forgotten the message of God. And so the prophets functioned to call people back to God – and often that meant being critical of the religious institutions that the people were associated with."

Old Testament figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, and Islam's founder Mohammed may be the best-known prophets, but they weren't necessarily the first. An ancient Persian may have them beat.

Mark Muess: "Zoroaster is often believed to have been the first prophet, someone who came and spoke on behalf of God to call the Iranians, the people of his time, back to the singular worship of Ahura Mazda."

Some say we still have prophets today. But as might be expected, not everyone agrees on this. While the Church of Latter Day Saints considers its top man a spokesman for God, Muslims believe Mohammed stands as the final prophet.

For Faith and Friction, this is Yates and Yates.