Caliph, Or Khalif (Arab. Successor), is the highest ecclesiastical dignitary among the Mohammedans, vested with absolute authority, both religious and political. The caliphs are regarded as the vicars or representatives of Mohammed. When Bagdad was taken by the Tartars, and the caliphate destroyed, the Mohammedan princes appointed in their respective dominions a special officer to discharge the spiritual functions of the caliph. In Turkey he was' called mufti (q.v.), and in Persia, sadue.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More