13. What is the meaning of ordination in the context of the general ministry of the Church?
Throughout the candidacy process I, like many others, have struggled with the meaning of ordination. This struggle stems mainly from my belief in the priesthood of all believers. All believers are called to share in Christ’s ministry. We are after all, the body of Christ present in the world. However, there are those few who are called to ordained ministry; responsible for the specific tasks of word, sacrament, order, and service. A significant source of clarification for me was the book Pastoral Theology by Thomas C. Oden. In it he says, “Ordained ministry is different from the general ministry of the laity in that one is duly called, prepared, examined, ordained, and authorized to a representative ministry on behalf of the whole people of God” (Oden 26). One does not choose to be ordained. The church, recognizing the call, ordains an individual as one who is designated to fill a specific role in the church.
The “calling” of the ordained takes two forms. Not only has the ordained responded to the internal call where God has motivated the individual to seek ordination, but the ordained also has the affirmation of the external call which is the recognition by the faith community that God has indeed blessed an individual with the gifts and graces necessary for specific ministry. God has entrusted the faith community with the responsibility to set aside certain persons that will serve as ministers of word, sacrament, order, and service.
It is not enough just to recognize the call, but a person must prepare themselves through study and practical exercise. The preparation of the ordinand culminates in examination whereby the faith community confirms the individuals’ readiness for ordained ministry. Following careful examination, the ordinand then undergoes the rite of ordination whereby through the laying on of hands and intercessory prayer, the gift of ministry is received.
According to Oden, the process of ordination confers five things upon the ordinand: (1) the call of God is openly declared to be approved by the church; (2) the ministry is committed formally to the ordinand; (3) through the ordinand’s solemn vow, the one who has been called becomes obligated to the church in the sight of God to render the faithfulness in the ministry that the Lord requires; (4) the church is reminded that it is to recognize that the pastor has divine authority to teach; (5) the whole church earnestly prays to “commit to God” the ministry of one who is called, expecting that God will accompany this ministry. (Oden 31-32)
Oden also says that “the effective inner meaning of ordination is the earnest intercession of the church, invoking the Spirit to empower and bless this ministry” (Oden 30). Ordination is a means of grace whereby the church continues to affirm the apostolic tradition of passing on the sacred obligations of ministry. For me, what has helped to shape my understanding of ordination is the recognition that it is not so much about me as it is about the church. For over two-thousand years, it has been the tradition of the church to set aside for particular service men and women who the church recognizes as exhibiting a faithful response to God’s call. It would be much too easy to succumb to the sin of pride if I saw it any other way. It is ultimately the Church’s responsibility to affirm the call to ordination and confer upon the ordinand the rights and privileges of the office, while maintaining a high regard for the office not the individual.
I was approached recently by a person in my community who had a problem with the Church referring to anyone as “reverend.” I explained that it is not the person we hold in high esteem, but the office. Any ability that I or anyone else has to adequately fulfill the responsibilities and obligations of ordained office is a gift of grace from God. So, the office of the ordained is ultimately a gift from God and should be treated as such. Like any other gift, it should be accepted with humility and reverence.