Shawn Anthony — bless his heart — is having agita over the cost of seminary textbooks (“The Campus Bookstore Lament”) but a rather warm feeling towards his bound paper children. My advice: get over that feeling right now. Last night I was culling my groaning bookshelves, and it seems to be a task I do… Continue reading Sell the books back
Category: Ministerial formation
Red Ken’s letter is a good example for younger ministers
At age thirty-six, perhaps there are others better equipped to offer advice to younger ministers, but they don’t blog. Right now, read and bookmark the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone’s remarks following yesterday’s bombings. I’ve long liked him for having a keen interest in city transport, for his role local government, and for putting the… Continue reading Red Ken’s letter is a good example for younger ministers
Options for ordination: UCC
Chuck Currie forwards without comment a news release about a proposal that will come to the United Church of Christ General Synod (Atlanta!) this summer. Since the subject of alternative formation and fellowship has come up several times before, I can’t help but be interested. Now, I have to wonder if there is a difference… Continue reading Options for ordination: UCC
Unfellowshipped ministers mistreated?
James asked the question at Unity, and bid me reply. Sure. He writes: I have been led to believe that although the UUA affirms congregational polity, and thus the right of a congregation to ordain whom it chooses, that the professional association — or at least professinals within the UUA — look askance at such… Continue reading Unfellowshipped ministers mistreated?
Discussing ministerial formation and ordination
I’d like to point those interested in ministerial formation and ordination options to a paper from the “third-way” Vineyard USA: a group that’s notoriously hard to pigeon-hole. (To describe them is to say more about yourself than them, so I shan’t.) Get a copy of their 2002 paper, Ordination, Licensing & Commissioning from Tri Robinson,… Continue reading Discussing ministerial formation and ordination
The role of the church in ordination
Let me be quite plain. Despite some vestiges of Universalist polity in the Unitarian Universalist Association, particularly around ministerial formation, credentialling, and ordination, the Universalist structure is defunct. By church, for these purposes, we have to consider the congregational, not the trans-congregation meaning of Church. I might (underscore, might) want to see it restored, but… Continue reading The role of the church in ordination
Framework for ministerial education
Call me funny, but some kind of structure in the ministerial formation meta-curriculum is a good thing. Indeed, that’s what you get in a theological education, and your accredited seminary isn’t going to let you go with an M.Div. without a basic education. But that gets back to what’s basic. This isn’t going to be… Continue reading Framework for ministerial education
Wish list wish
Jim at Peregrinato did a kind thing and made the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) of the UUA available as an Amazon.com “so you’re” list. Thanks — that’s the kind of thing we ought to do, by which I mean, produce time-saving conveniences for the common good. Which is why I’m linking it. The list doesn’t… Continue reading Wish list wish
Desert island selection #2
In the reading meme I wrote about, I mentioned I would memorize a classic work of pastoral care, if I was in a Farenheit 451-like situation. I probably wouldn’t take along The Reformed Pastor, but I definitely would take . . . 2. Minister’s Prayer Book, edited and with an introduction by John W. Doberstein… Continue reading Desert island selection #2
Graduation day
I know of at least two seminarians who became Masters of Divinity today. Such good news! Today divinity, tomorrow the world!