Dear readers: Discerning God's calling for one's life is an important matter. It is not about "keeping up with the Joneses" nor is it about "getting ahead of the competition." One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to follow peer pressure or otherwise being misguided by the lack of accurate knowledge of what you are considering to pursue.
Dear Miss Iris: Like you, I have long thought that God has called me to serve the people and minister to the marginalized. Now the question is, should I pursue a path to become a priest? What are your recommendations? -- Annie, Gresham, Oregon.
Dear Miss Annie: In my rather old-fashioned theological and ecclesiological understanding of holy orders, there are three distinct roles and missions given to deacons, presbyters (priests, or elders) and bishops. In contemporary churches, diaconate is often made less that what it is supposed to be, as diaconate is usually used as a "stepping stone" for seminarians to eventually become priests (yes, there are so-called "permanent diaconate", but it is rare). According to the New Testament
, roles of a priest is primarily of "word and prayer", that of sacerdotal (priestly) function and of teaching; on the other hand, deacons were responsible for what we may call "pastoral" works today. It makes a lot better sense for a deacon to be
a pastor, according to the traditional ecclesiology. So if your aim (and as you discern your God-given destiny for your life) is to "serve the people and minister to the marginalized" then your pursuit should
focus on diaconate as a goal.
This having said, 90 to 95 percent of what a church does (that is, outside the sacraments of the holy eucharist, etc.) can be done without any ordained person. Regular daily offices can be said by anyone, and outreach missions can of course be done by any non-ordained person.
I believe that God knows your heart, and I hope you know what is on your heart. Often holy orders is taken for all the wrong reasons and motives by people whose mentality is very little different from the secular "career-oriented" people. Holy orders is not about climbing up the church corporate ladder, nor about earning a longer style before your name (i.e., from "The Reverend" to "The Very Reverend" to "The Right Reverend" to "The Most Reverend"). If this is your driving motive and expectation, you will be disappointed and be frustrated.
It is my belief that if you are truly called by God to become a deacon, a priest, or a bishop, or to pursue a religious life (as a monastic or an oblate) then you are created to be one. It should come to you naturally to the depth of your heart. Part of the modern problem is that we have such a big presumption about "equality" in this "democratic" society so that anyone can be anything. I believe that each person is uniquely created with differing talents and temperaments, so that as a whole society has all the different ingredients for a vibrant community and common well-being.
If you are good at doing something else -- if you are a successful business owner, for example, then probably you should perfect that path for the glory of God and use the wealth and success to benefit
the poor and suffering.
+Sarah.
Dear Miss Iris: Like you, I have long thought that God has called me to serve the people and minister to the marginalized. Now the question is, should I pursue a path to become a priest? What are your recommendations? -- Annie, Gresham, Oregon.
Dear Miss Annie: In my rather old-fashioned theological and ecclesiological understanding of holy orders, there are three distinct roles and missions given to deacons, presbyters (priests, or elders) and bishops. In contemporary churches, diaconate is often made less that what it is supposed to be, as diaconate is usually used as a "stepping stone" for seminarians to eventually become priests (yes, there are so-called "permanent diaconate", but it is rare). According to the New Testament
, roles of a priest is primarily of "word and prayer", that of sacerdotal (priestly) function and of teaching; on the other hand, deacons were responsible for what we may call "pastoral" works today. It makes a lot better sense for a deacon to bea pastor, according to the traditional ecclesiology. So if your aim (and as you discern your God-given destiny for your life) is to "serve the people and minister to the marginalized" then your pursuit should
focus on diaconate as a goal.
This having said, 90 to 95 percent of what a church does (that is, outside the sacraments of the holy eucharist, etc.) can be done without any ordained person. Regular daily offices can be said by anyone, and outreach missions can of course be done by any non-ordained person.
I believe that God knows your heart, and I hope you know what is on your heart. Often holy orders is taken for all the wrong reasons and motives by people whose mentality is very little different from the secular "career-oriented" people. Holy orders is not about climbing up the church corporate ladder, nor about earning a longer style before your name (i.e., from "The Reverend" to "The Very Reverend" to "The Right Reverend" to "The Most Reverend"). If this is your driving motive and expectation, you will be disappointed and be frustrated.
It is my belief that if you are truly called by God to become a deacon, a priest, or a bishop, or to pursue a religious life (as a monastic or an oblate) then you are created to be one. It should come to you naturally to the depth of your heart. Part of the modern problem is that we have such a big presumption about "equality" in this "democratic" society so that anyone can be anything. I believe that each person is uniquely created with differing talents and temperaments, so that as a whole society has all the different ingredients for a vibrant community and common well-being.
If you are good at doing something else -- if you are a successful business owner, for example, then probably you should perfect that path for the glory of God and use the wealth and success to benefit
the poor and suffering.
+Sarah.
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