Marshmallow, I am sorry for your sake that you are apparently one who may be named among those who are incapable of walking and chewing gum at the same time. It causes you to be more slim-sightful than in-sightful, unfortunately.
Paisley's ministry was to be found both in the pulpit and at the podium. Quibbling about a year spent here or there doing this or that is all very irrelevant and overly pedantic when you realize that for Paisley his entire life's work was an outworking and extension of his Christian ministry -- as it often is with other ministers who have served in public life (e.g., former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee).
There really is no "secular" vs. "sacred." It's all sacred.
Just to be fair and for purposes of contrast for what has played out on the Catholic side of things (and to be diametrically opposite that of Paisley's sensibilities) one reasonably suspects that St. Sabina's Father Michael Pfleger considers his political agitation and spreading of his Marxist "liberation theology" in Chicago's "projects" to be every bit as much an outworking and extension of his "ministry," as well.
Perhaps you'll recall some of his antics at Jeremiah Wright's church back in 2008
Massachusetts Democrat (and erstwhile pedophile) Congressman, Fr. Robert Drinan wore his collar throughout his Congressional service until Pope John Paul II (whom I happen to greatly admire as a statesman in his own right) declared that priests should no more run for and serve in political office. One may rightly infer that Drinan saw public service as his ministry (somewhere between all the serial molestations), as well.
I guess your priest friend wouldn't grant you absolution for listening to a Paisley sermon after all, is that it?
FReegards!
"Walking and chewing gum" is indeed an impressive achievement (beyond me alas) but being in
two different places simultaneously would be a little more challenging, I feel.
Not easy to conduct a Bible study when one is leading a political protest march down the Shankhill Rd. Difficult to provide spiritual counseling when one is huddled at party headquarters working on political position papers. Hard to deliver a sermon on Scripture when one is being interviewed by the BBC about your latest threat to boycott a meeting with the Catholic opposition. Not easy to come to the Church bake sale when one is in Strasbourg on Monday and Tuesday and in Westminster for the remainder of the week. Difficult to get to the Wednesday evening church service when one is meeting with the paramilitary leadership of the UVF.
That might be a little too much even for Paisley's unquestioned powers, wouldn't you say?
All of those activities are political activities and those who engage in them are known as politicians. When the Presbyterian Church ordains men for ministry, I doubt if any of those things are part of the job description.
As for Paisley's political activities being an extension of his Christian ministry, one could say the same about any politician who professes Christianity and attempts to put his Christian principles into action. However, that in no way negates the fact that he is a politician.
