Posted on 07/26/2014 4:41:46 AM PDT by michaelwlf3
I am coming up on my first year as an ordained minister in a continuing Anglican church, and I have noticed that participating on political forums (even when the topic is religious) I find that my opinions and postings more often than not generate more hatred than anything else. Among the things I often hear are that the laity are the real priests and that I am a Pharisee, that my vocation disqualifies me from offering an opinion on anything Christian because I am too narrow minded, and (my personal favorite) because I look too Catholic I must be a child molester.
Are these people really Christians?
They must be, they keep telling us that others aren't Christians without any idea of what is in the "other's" heart.
In fact, I think they must be the elite of the elite when it comes to being Christians - like the chastised hypocrites called Pharisees, they are often only too eager to tell us how dang Christian they are.
I ask myself that same question when I see someone trying to incite a flame war between Protestant and Catholic Christians.
Interesting for sure. As a Catholic who used to be a Lutheran, the question of authority has historically been perhaps the most divisive, leading to continual fragmentation of Protestant denominations. Being a pastor is a tough job. God bless you in your journey.
“With Faith urging us we are forced to believe and to hold the one, holy, Catholic Church and that, apostolic, and we firmly believe and simply confess this Church outside of which there is no salvation nor remission of sin… Furthermore, we declare, say, define, and proclaim to every human creature that they by absolute necessity for salvation are entirely subject to the Roman Pontiff.”2
Pope Clement V, Council of Vienne, Decree # 30, 1311?1312, ex cathedra:
The reason you feel this way is because you are far too focused on self than on Christ. You take yourself far too seriously. Complaining on an internet forum about “them?” Teach us, o holy one, how we should reverence you!
Sincerely,
An ordained Baptist preacher and former pastor
I don’t think God calls any of us to earn a paycheck peddling Him.
Hi, Michael. I note that you have said you are an ordained minister. Does that mean you are a pastor or does it mean that you are a deacon?
A lawyer and a couple of cops helped with that.
Being the grandson of a Baptist minister and the son of a Deacon, I have to ask if that SOB is really a Christian.
Some are just jerks that need an arse whipping.
/johnny
“The reason you feel this way is because you are far too focused on self than on Christ.”
Yep. Some clergy tend to wonder what people think of them instead of what they can contribute to what people think of Him.
Because the entire concept of “Protestant” invites each individual to be their own “Pope”.
One interpretation is as good as another, as long as I convince myself that I am being guided by the Holy Spirit.
Thus, anyone claiming to be in authority, who disagrees with me is an anathema.
Usually it takes decades for a pastor to develop the us vs them (with “us” being the clergy and “them” being the folks in the pews) attitude. I predict that you will have a very unfruitful career unless you can learn to love them for all their warts. A shepherd works constantly for his flock, but the flock never does anything for him. Nothing, that is, but survive and thrive. And that is the shepherd’s mission.”
Well said - I am not Methodist but a clergy person serves Christ by serving His people. Clergy expecting constant gratitude will be disappointed - don’t look for it. One must just love the flock where they are - and pray that God will give you all you need to follow His lead.
You seem to be forgetting the Holy Apostle Paul’s plea on behalf of himself and Barnabas in which he appealed to the Mosaic Law’s prohibition on muzzling an ox.
I’m a lapsed Protestant who’s lapsed precisely because so many of the Protestant clergy insist on supplanting the bible with Marxism and sodomy and enthusiastically support truly subversive activities like the current invasion by illegal alien minors.
Don’t worry about these people on FR. They are mostly Catholic-haters. Anything, then, that looks remotely Catholic is something they will attack.
Prayers for you.
Once baptized a Catholic, aren’t you always a Catholic? You may be an inactive Catholic, but you are still baptized (and maybe confirmed) in the Catholic Church. Those marks stay on your soul.
The Left is disproportionately represented in church matters. They have an agenda, and want to have a deciding role in church affairs.
Perhaps you should reread the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
G Larry has it pretty much right. On Planet Protestant, the clergy are the hired help, coming and going at the say of the congregation — which is not amused when the help gets up on its hind legs and behaves like it has authority. This is an ecclesiological problem common to all reformation sects. Pope Francis has spoken more than once about clericalization of the laity.
Bottom line: on some level, you believe in the Sacrament of holy orders. Your congregation, like most protestants, does not. Think about that for a while.
I’ll pray for you.
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