The Pastor’s Titles With rich insight, Gordon W. Lathrop in his book The Pastor: A Spirituality, deconstructs the various titles by which Christian pastors are called. He suggests that they are all good names, but that they also are never fully accurate. These are “broken” titles which we must use with care. Priest. Christian leaders offer no sacrifices, nor are they priests alone, set apart from the priesthood of all believers. But the title, appropriately used, points to the pastor’s job of proclaiming Christ’s sacrifice and presiding as the assembly offers sacrifices of praise. Presbyter (elder). The Greek word describes a person of age and, presumably, wisdom. The title, however, may refer to a younger person called and ordained to serve the congregation, reminding us that one’s wisdom is not to be found solely in one’s experience but in the One who has been made unto us “wisdom from God” (1Cor. 1:30). He likewise deconstructs Reverend (even Jesus said, “Why do you call me good?”), Father (Jesus warned us, “Call no one father…”), Rector — which means “ruler” (“…it shall not be so among you”). In our day, when Minister can represent a high government official and when “serving” others can often create unhealthy dependencies, we must be careful to clarify this designation. Preacher, originally meant to describe one who announces Good News, has come to often designate one who scolds with a loud voice and pounding fists. Justin Martyr used the word “Presider,” but today we say “President,” and immediately we are back in the realm of political power that may suggest authoritarian control. What about “Pastor”? It is certainly a good word to describe the care and oversight a Christian leader must exercise. But what does it say about the church? Are congregation members then dumb animals who cannot think or act for themselves, who dumbly follow and wait to be fed? Furthermore, in the Bible “shepherd” was a metaphor for kingship, which more often than not led to the fleecing of the flock. Lathrop even addresses our contemporary tendency to add one’s first name to the title: like, Pastor Mike. The common use of this form of address speaks to our culture’s casualness and desire for intimacy. But he is cautious about recommending this, reminding us of Bonhoeffer’s important reminder from Life Together that all relationships in the Christian community are not immediate but mediated through Christ. Lathrop warns us, “…this title, too, is symbolic, full of longing for a thing that cannot be delivered by [the pastor] alone…”. Competent pastors and mature congregants will recognize that all these titles are “broken,” metaphorical, and insufficient to communicate the true nature of the vocation. We hold them lightly even as we seek to live up to the truths they tell us. from: internetmonk
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:11:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015