Called to Something Smaller
The snappy title is not my own. I have to credit an ordination service that took place some time ago, I think in Malaysia. The ordinands were spoken to about the nature of the role they were about to take on. In light of the discussions in the IICSA hearings, and on other blogs, the role of the clergy seems a good topic to consider.
They were given a document, one page, bullet points, not excessively wordy, of all the things that they might think were to be their roles. Teaching, for example, but, all Christians are called to that. Service, but all Christians are called to that. Helping the poor and oppressed, but all Christians are called to that. You're getting the idea. Even "revolution", and all Christians are called to that, too.
This is worth thinking about in the sense of considering what all Christians are called to do. We, as Christians, if we are, need to consider very deeply whether we leave others to do these things. Spreading the good news, all Christians are called to do that. How many really think that is so? Surely, "Why keep a dog and bark yourself"! We pay a minister, that's what they're there for. Or, "I don't have the training, or the time." Well, to a degree, perhaps that's fair enough. But one more of the things we are all called to do is to study God's word, and to pray. That ought, as we study more and pray more, to fit us more for this business of spreading. We can do so much more if there's more of us.
Now, if all Christians need to think about what they might do, then clergy need to think about how to use these resources. For every cleric who has despaired of ever getting anyone to do anything in their church, there is another who's constant refrain is "No, I'll do it myself"! I know, I've met him! He did a whole Maundy Thursday service, celebrate, read, preach, lead the singing, Gospel of the Watch, foot washing, and stripping the altar, all by himself. And he had been offered help. There are also an awful lot of clergy who much prefer to have clergy doing services of the word, rather than use Readers. Although they may use Readers if people are on holiday and no one "better" can be found!
If we do accept that "all Christians are called to that", the priesthood of all believers, there is no way that laity should be elbowed aside by over zealous clergy. And, it has to be said, some clergy are not necessarily the best preacher in their church, for example.
A set up where it is assumed that clergy are the best, or even the only, people to do most things, is very damaging to a church. It wears out the clergy, and minimises the gifts of all God's people. (I used to know a Bishop who talked about maximising the gifts of all God's people. A noble sentiment.) It also leads almost inevitably to a situation where a cleric may believe that they know better than other people. Thus a Bishop who will not take the word of a counsellor about who does or does not need help, but knows better. Or wishes to intervene in NHS treatment for mental illness.
I have met the cleric who thought she was ordained to save the world. That's already been done. You don't have to knock your socks off doing everything. Do your small part, and let someone else have a go to do theirs.
So what is/was the smaller thing that clergy are ordained to do? To paraphrase, encourage and energise God's people by leading worship. To encourage and energise them to do their bit. And I would like to add, to love them. Even if you despair of their taste in hymns. Insisting on changing all the hymns to the ones your previous church knew and liked is not love. Getting rid of the Reader and substituting your wife is not love. I have even known clergy who spoke of how awful it all was in the pulpit. You will have heard the saying, "Before you say anything, ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?" That too, is something all Christians are called to do.
They were given a document, one page, bullet points, not excessively wordy, of all the things that they might think were to be their roles. Teaching, for example, but, all Christians are called to that. Service, but all Christians are called to that. Helping the poor and oppressed, but all Christians are called to that. You're getting the idea. Even "revolution", and all Christians are called to that, too.
This is worth thinking about in the sense of considering what all Christians are called to do. We, as Christians, if we are, need to consider very deeply whether we leave others to do these things. Spreading the good news, all Christians are called to do that. How many really think that is so? Surely, "Why keep a dog and bark yourself"! We pay a minister, that's what they're there for. Or, "I don't have the training, or the time." Well, to a degree, perhaps that's fair enough. But one more of the things we are all called to do is to study God's word, and to pray. That ought, as we study more and pray more, to fit us more for this business of spreading. We can do so much more if there's more of us.
Now, if all Christians need to think about what they might do, then clergy need to think about how to use these resources. For every cleric who has despaired of ever getting anyone to do anything in their church, there is another who's constant refrain is "No, I'll do it myself"! I know, I've met him! He did a whole Maundy Thursday service, celebrate, read, preach, lead the singing, Gospel of the Watch, foot washing, and stripping the altar, all by himself. And he had been offered help. There are also an awful lot of clergy who much prefer to have clergy doing services of the word, rather than use Readers. Although they may use Readers if people are on holiday and no one "better" can be found!
If we do accept that "all Christians are called to that", the priesthood of all believers, there is no way that laity should be elbowed aside by over zealous clergy. And, it has to be said, some clergy are not necessarily the best preacher in their church, for example.
A set up where it is assumed that clergy are the best, or even the only, people to do most things, is very damaging to a church. It wears out the clergy, and minimises the gifts of all God's people. (I used to know a Bishop who talked about maximising the gifts of all God's people. A noble sentiment.) It also leads almost inevitably to a situation where a cleric may believe that they know better than other people. Thus a Bishop who will not take the word of a counsellor about who does or does not need help, but knows better. Or wishes to intervene in NHS treatment for mental illness.
I have met the cleric who thought she was ordained to save the world. That's already been done. You don't have to knock your socks off doing everything. Do your small part, and let someone else have a go to do theirs.
So what is/was the smaller thing that clergy are ordained to do? To paraphrase, encourage and energise God's people by leading worship. To encourage and energise them to do their bit. And I would like to add, to love them. Even if you despair of their taste in hymns. Insisting on changing all the hymns to the ones your previous church knew and liked is not love. Getting rid of the Reader and substituting your wife is not love. I have even known clergy who spoke of how awful it all was in the pulpit. You will have heard the saying, "Before you say anything, ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?" That too, is something all Christians are called to do.
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