The rules for clerics say that clerics cast spells from the cleric spell list, and never restrict those, except by alignment. (The same thoughts apply to druids and other spell-preparing divine casters as well.) The implication is that a cleric has access to all cleric spells (except those forbidden by his or his deity's alignment). For the spells for the Core Rulebook, I think this fact.
However, as soon as new source books are considered, the question arises, are new spells automatically added to a cleric's spell list? For general rule books, like the Advanced Player's Guide, or Ultimate Magic, I think, this can generally be assumed. Are the rules supposed to be read like this?
But what of the various spells spread around through, for example, Pathfinder Campaign Setting source books? As an example, there are new spells in the Rival Guide. Are divine spell casters assumed to be able to prepare new spells like these by default, or would they have to go through some kind of process to gain access to them? What would such a process entail? Or, can divine spellcasters "research" spells, like wizards can as indicated in the Core Rulebook?
How do you handle this in your game? Are there recommendations by the game's designers?
The rules for clerics say that clerics cast spells from the cleric spell list, and never restrict those, except by alignment. (The same thoughts apply to druids and other spell-preparing divine casters as well.) The implication is that a cleric has access to all cleric spells (except those forbidden by his or his deity's alignment). For the spells for the Core Rulebook, I think this fact.
However, as soon as new source books are considered, the question arises, are new spells automatically added to a cleric's spell list? For general rule books, like the Advanced Player's Guide, or Ultimate Magic, I think, this can generally be assumed. Are the rules supposed to be read like this?
But what of the various spells spread around through, for example, Pathfinder Campaign Setting source books? As an example, there are new spells in the Rival Guide. Are divine spell casters assumed to be able to prepare new spells like these by default, or would they have to go through some kind of process to gain access to them? What would such a process entail? Or, can divine spellcasters "research" spells, like wizards can as indicated in the Core Rulebook?
How do you handle this in your game? Are there recommendations by the game's designers?
Clerics have access to every cleric spell. There's no mechanics for gaining access or researching, because they don't. They can just wake up one morning and pray for a spell they've never asked for before, because a new book came out listing it.
That being said, it's entirely reasonable for a GM to say "No, I'm not allowing spells from this source" or something like that. But that's true of any new material. And depending on the worldsetting in the GM's game, he might make you go find an obscure subsect of your deity's temple to learn the new spells, or make you see them in action first, or any other restrictions he wants. But by RAW, you just get them.
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Most people state what books are allowed, implying that spells in other books are not allowed. By the rules, they do get access to every printed spell.
The best houserule I have seen is 'Core spells plus one outside source spell per cleric level'. Keeps things in check while allowing some customization.