Now Derek is away from office seems like a good time to ask..........
...Does the Church need clergy ?
What really is Gods Eternal Purpose ?
Is Christ our Head and are we allowing Him to indwell in us ?
http://ptmin.org/fullyemerge.htm
Discuss.
PS We meet this Friday to discuss last weeks film Babettes feast.
9 comments:
One of the interesting discussion points from last nights meeting about Babettes Feast was the personality of the pastor. Whilst alive he had started the 'church' and his personality, his ways, his prayers were being kept alive by the sisters after his death. Holding on to his memory, but also kind of worshipping him eg lighting candles in front of his picture, which had prominence at their meetings. Still divisions and anxieties took hold within the group.
Did they really need the pastor or just Grace ?
Or does "The Pastor" represent Christ, who the sisters and the flock have tried to follow - but by keeping rules, not by following his example?
But... good question Julie! It's said that Catholics worship the Father, Son and Holy Mother; that other churches worship Father, Son and Holy Scripture and still others worship F, S and Holy Pastor. Is this a problem we recognise?
http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/2007/01/the_starfish_an.html
Trying again:
http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/
add:-
2007/01/the_starfish_an.html
Clergy:
several thoughts here partly around the concept of the "priesthood of all believers" (see 1 Peter chapter 2) and differences between various expressions as to the function of clergy.
Perhaps I am less happy with the use of the word "priest" as in one sense we are all priests of God and the only intermediary between ourselves and God is Jesus. However I accept that in some, such as the Anglicans, there is a specific meaning attached to the word.
However I have seen too many churches were there are no external controls and error has crept in; thus we need some form of government and control to prevent any excesses: this is a useful role of the cleergy.
There were leaders in the early church - deacons and apostles specifically mentioned in Acts. Whatever we call them the function is the same.
However I still have some niggles about only a "priest" being able to preside over the communion in CoE; possibly this is where my own background is sneakily showing!
With regard to Babette's Feast and the reverence attached to the pastor I think it can be seen in both contexts. The film has many layers.
It is an allegory of Christ and it also shows the dangers of elevating people to a Godlike position. I have come across some followers of certain dynamic preachers and teachers and they almost seem to reverre the indivdual more than God. If xxxx has written this it must be right!
Recently I heard - possibly tongue in cheek - that somebody in the USA wanted to attest a witness statement using "A purpose Driven Life" rather than the Bible on the grounds that their pastor seemed to place more importance on the book than The Book!
With regard to Babette's Feast and the reverence attached to the pastor I think it can be seen in both contexts. The film has many layers.
It is an allegory of Christ and it also shows the dangers of elevating people to a Godlike position. I have come across some followers of certain dynamic preachers and teachers and they almost seem to reverre the indivdual more than God. If xxxx has written this it must be right!
Recently I heard - possibly tongue in cheek - that somebody in the USA wanted to attest a witness statement using "A purpose Driven Life" rather than the Bible on the grounds that their pastor seemed to place mre importance on the book than The Book!
Sorry about double posting - if I take too long thinking the page apparently expires and I get soem strange things happening....
We need to be careful not to revere our pastors, or even be-little them. They play an important part to play in the churches function. We need someone to oversee what is happening in the church and keep control or we end up with another Texas scenario, or any other cult that you want to mention. They do a good job, they work long hours, they do more than we realise and they have poor pay in relation to others. There are great demands put upon their lives and the lives of their families. Let’s not do away with them. Let’s praise them for what they do. But let’s also be realistic and not lift them high to a position equal or near that of Jesus. I agree with r t choke we are all priest in my eyes but some are chosen to be apostles, some teachers and preachers, some pastors, some evangelists, and some to be prophets.
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