Why Everyone Should Wear a Priest’s Collar
Read this passage from Body Politics by John Howard Yoder:
Sometimes the early Christians said they were all priests; sometimes they said that the priesthood was done away with. The concrete social meanings of the two statements, though verbally opposite, were the same. All members of the body a like are Spirit-empowered.
The monopoly of the sacrificial celebration that enables and delimits human access to the divine is swept away. The priestly person as the primary agent of access to the divine is swept away with the special ceremonies. Jesus was the last sacrifice and thus he was also the last priest. The antipriestly impact of this change, although expressed emphatically in the Pauline writings and in Hebrews, is one of the dimensions of redemption least noted and least honored in Christian history.
Translation: You have a part to play in God’s redemptive work through the church. It’s not just for “staff,” it’s for all of us. Your gifts are valid in the church. Use them.
There's a lot of churches dying because the congregants are leaving it to the pastor to handle the “evangelism stuff”. “That's what he's paid for, after all, right?” By not taking responsibility for the most critical of the jobs we're given as Christians, and leaving that to the “staff”, we're letting our church as a whole basically atrophy and eventually die. Jason's got a great line there: “Your gifts are valid in the church. Use them.” Absolutely.
Spot on! (hope that's not too British?!) Oh well, excellent, then!
Forgive me for prodding, but if we draw Yoder's statement to its logical conclusion, aren't we doing away with “staff” completely? Isn't it essentially a radical call for de-institutionalization? Oh, Yoder.
Prod. In a word, yes. That's where Yoder's conclusion would eventually end up. It would be a logistical nightmare for where we find ourselves now in the West, but I think that's where Yoder would go.
Look at the emphasis of our beloved Luther: ““All of us who have been baptized are priests without distinction…the sacrament of ordination, therefore, can be nothing other than…choosing a preacher…â€Â
I wouldn't go so far as to say it is a de-institutionalization as much as I would say it's a de-centralization of the power structure in the church.
Yoder's words do seem to point to that, though I think Justin was simply using them as a “call-to-arms” for the laity to take more initiative in the work our Church is doing. I don't want to get started on the whole “de-institutionalizing” of the church here… nothing good from that way comes.
The fact that all believers are now priests is a beautiful thing; we all have direct access to the reconciliation and connection with the Father. I haven't read Yoder… yet, however I don't think the bible would tell us to cut out biblical “churches” as Paul planted them with a fervor in the cities of Asia Minor. And these churches had leaders, pastors, elders, etc… but perhaps what we are seeing in the West is a dysfunction in our churches called lack of discipleship. I have been thinking of this a lot lately… the church as an institution has taken discipleship to be an option after membership rather than a vital piece of your relationship with God. Are we disciples of Christ or members of The Church On Every Corner In America. Are we seeking to be disciples of Christ and seeking to coach others in this discipleship… or are we comfortable being the guy who takes his family to church because that is what you must do to get into God's favor ending up in heaven someday?
Two things: 1) From whence is that Luther quote?; and 2) I agree that it's definitely a call for de-centralization of power… but it's my belief that de-centralization would/will/should inevitably and necessarily lead to de-institutionalization. Institutions draw their strength from centralization of power… without it, they crumble, you dig?
I think they point to that, too!
And I appreciate the “call to arms” as well, BUT I think it does Yoder injustice to use that passage for something other than its intended message… or to water it down. It seems to me that if we take Yoder seriously, we must do nothing other than seriously consider the consequences of these words (and the rest of his work in this book and elsewhere), which seem to be de-institutionalization.
1. Babylonian Captivity of the Church
2. I see your line of reasoning. Maybe we should be asking the question, “Is/should the church be an 'institution' at all?” In other words, did Jesus ever intend for his Body to be an institution?
I don't think the answer is no leadership at all. That's chaos. And impossible. (The dirty little secret with “no leadership” is that there actually is leadership. Someone had to lead the decision to have no leadership.)
It's clear from Scripture that God intends to have leaders for his people. What I think Yoder is saying, and I agree with, is that the community of believers has a deeper role in leading the local church than they currently possess. I don't think having leaders is tantamount to being institutionalized.
Yeah, yeah. I don't think de-institutionalization = no leaders. Instead, de-institutionalization means a significant giving-away of power — and therefore a flattening of the hierarchy which fuels itself with power — that leads to a recovery of leadership among the (formerly) powerless. “Leaders” does not equal “bad”. “Leader who monopolizes power” DOES equal “bad”.
Yes. Exactly. Are we disagreeing?
I am 100% okay with hierarchies in the church being flattened.
I love you.
Wow. I have to say that I completely disagree with this, based on theology and experience, although it makes sense based on our differing experiences (I'm a convert to Catholicism from Lutheranism and Non-denominationalism, I'm 23).
I don't mean to be a constant nag, but how do we deal with the ordained ministers of the New Covenant that are called apostles (cf. Eph. 4:11), elders (Jas. 5:14), bishops (1 Tim. 3:1), and deacons (1 Tim. 3:8ff)? How about in James, for example, when somebody is sick, the elders are called in and not just 'normal laity'? How about the myriad of quotes from the years of the Apostles regarding them being the Bishops and the laity listening to them? What is the meaning of excommunication that the Scriptures talk about?
I believe there is more to hierarchy then some sort of 'un-cool thing of the past'. It's Biblical. Paul himself was an Apostle, a Bishop, who, precisely because he was a pastor, gave commands to people.
Lastly, if what you are saying is true, and much of it is, how do you deal with the following verses in Titus 1?
7 For a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8 but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled;
9 he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.
10 For there are many insubordinate men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially the circumcision party;
11 they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for base gain what they have no right to teach.
Sounds pretty hierarchical to me. Where is that in today's 'modern' trends?
One more thing. I can't say I “completely” disagree. Of course, as Hebrews points out, we are all priests of the New Covenant who are all supposed to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. Instead of getting rid of the offices which Jesus gave through Paul, we should just come to a better understanding and embracing of the lay vocation, without diminishing the beauty of the ordained ministry. Both are equally holy. Both are equally given. Both are equally necessary for the Kingdom of God. And we ought to discern which vocation Jesus gives to us and pray for the grace to accept it with courage and joy.
Watch out for Yoders —– either Anabaptists or throwovers to a lesser faith!!
Love, Love, Love, LOVE LOVE this TRUTH! I believe the body of Christ desperately needs to understand and assimilate this into our practice!
Love, Love, Love, LOVE LOVE this TRUTH! I believe the body of Christ desperately needs to understand and assimilate this into our practice!