new church life: september/october 2014
involves a war against falsities. Since the masculine mind
has a particular capacity for this war, it is his special
responsibility, but of course, not without the support of
women.
He concluded by highlighting some of his chief
concerns. One is that we should h ave a doctrinal rather
than a social focus so that there is doctrinal integrity in
the Church – not to the neglect of people, but as a primary
focus of a priest’s job. Another concern is for the objectivity
The Rev. Michael D.
which is a masculine trait brought to the priesthood.
Gladish stating that
priests represent the
The second paper, “Rethinking the Representative
Lord, and must be in
Nature of the Priesthood in the New Church,” was
integrity in accord with
the representation.
presented by the Rev. David Lindrooth. He said that our
purpose as a church is a heaven from the human race –
providing for a connection with the Lord Jesus Christ in His Divine Human.
Priests are not intermediaries. Representatives were abrogated to promote a
direct relationship with the Lord.
He said he thinks of the priest’s representative role as the least important
part of the job. He also said that under the surface there is an apparent struggle
about power. He hears a lot of concern about control when the reality is that
we as priests have little control, and in any case, control should not be our
motivation. To the degree people feel informed by what we are offering, we
will be successful as pastors. He stressed the goal of people within the Church
seeing the Lord for themselves in His Word.
Among the points touched on in discussion were: that men and women
everywhere in the Word have different representations, where most consistently
men represent the Lord, and women represent the church; that the difference
in churches before vs. after the Lord’s advent is that we now have direct access
to the Lord; that what is now represented by the priesthood is the Lord Jesus
Christ, who made Himself visible in a masculine form; and that representation
is about function, and when we do the job of teaching, we represent the Lord.
Business session: The Rev. James P. Cooper, past Secretary of the Council
of the Clergy, had agreed to look into a mechanism for the Council to make
decisions in the absence of plenary meetings. Sometimes questions that come
up between meetings cannot easily be dealt with, simply because we lack a
process to make inter-meeting decisions as a Council.
After much discussion, the Council agreed to give authority to the
members of Consistory and Advisory, chaired by the Secretary of the Council
of the Clergy, to make decisions regarding business of the Council between
meetings. Such decisions could then be ratified or not at the next meeting of
the full Council.
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