a call to anglican priesthood

an exploration of "The Charge to Priests"

An Anglican Prayer Book 1989, page 587-588

by Canon Mark R D Long, Diocese of Pretoria, Anglican Church of Southern Africa

Introduction

Invited to preach by my friend and colleague at the 20^th Anniversary Eucharist of his ordination to the Priesthood I returned to the Scripture readings and "The Charge to Priests" (The Charge) found in An Anglican Prayer Book 1989's Ordination Service. Ordained to the Priesthood myself 20 years ago on 12 November 1989 alongside my friend, the sermon became a reflection on my own ministry and journey. The following reflects the direction of my sermon but is also a journey in itself.

In re-reading "The Charge to Priests" I was amazed on what a wonderful discourse it is on ministry, not only for clergy but for laity as well, and how focused it is on Jesus.

I found the themes of The Charge highlighted in the readings: Micah 2:5-7, Psalm 145:1-7, 2 Corinthians 5:14-19, and John 20:19-23. It may be worth referring to these and "The Charge to Priests" before you journey further.

Called through Baptism

The Charge begins by reminding all listening that the Priest will always remain a part of the Body of Christ, of the community of all believers; and that all believers – members of God's Church – have a wonderful call. This call, like the Trinity, is three-fold:

1. to witness to Jesus Christ as Lord of life;
   
2. to proclaim Jesus to the world; and
   
3. to walk in the footsteps of Christ.
   

If we link these three statements above to the Trinity then we discover, excitingly, that "to witness to Jesus as Lord of life" is to be involved as God's people in the creative work of God; "to proclaim Jesus to the world" is to be involved in the redeeming work of God; "to walk in the footsteps of Christ" is to be involved in the sustaining work of God. The call to witness and proclaim is in the broadest terms: to life and to the world. And we are called to do this primarily through example and action.

Both life and the world are our play-ground: we are called as God's people to a holistic embrace of all aspects and areas of life; there is no area we should not be. And we are not called to talk, we are called to act: "Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News, and if necessary use words" (attributed to St Francis of Assisi).

Made Deacon

The call to be made Deacon is one to which the Priest has already responded, and the Diaconate will always define the foundation on which the call to Priesthood is received. This is a call to service. The Charge reminds us that there are two aspects to this call:

1. to be a servant of God; and
   
2. to be a servant to God's people.
   

"The Charge to Deacons" (An Anglican Prayer Book 1989, page 583) gives greater clarity to these two statements: it is a special ministry of "humble service" and a call to serve "all people". The Diaconate finds its focus in seeking out the poor, the weak, the sick and the lonely, and thereby demonstrates that in serving those in need we serve Christ himself. The ministry of the Diaconate is for the Deacon to be immersed in the world to such an extent that the Deacon is able to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.

While acknowledging the above, "The Charge to Priests" subtly redefines the role of service for the Priest: it is no longer to "all people" but to "God's people". It may be argued that in terms of all humanity carrying the "image of God" these two phrases are synonymous. However, "The Charge to Priests" is attempting here to give some definition to the two roles, that of Deacon and that of Priest. The Deacon now to be ordained Priest will have other priorities, primarily that of making disciples. Service for the Priest will find its purpose in nurturing God's people as disciples, equipping them to witness to Jesus Christ as Lord of life, to proclaim Jesus to the world, and to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

Ordained Priest

"The Charge to Priests" focuses, for obvious reasons, on what it is to be called to ordination to the Priesthood. The calling to the Priesthood has many aspects, but is directed by the threefold description of the Anglican Priest as

1. priest,
   
2. pastor, and
   
3. teacher.
   

If we apply the image of the Trinity, then the "priest" is the creative role, the "pastor" the redemptive role, and "teacher" the sustaining role. Thus Priesthood in the Anglican context is not just about being "priest" – it is far more inclusive, holistic and abundant. Core to Anglican Christianity is balance, finding the via media, the middle way. The challenge for the Anglican Priest is to find the balance in being priest, pastor and teacher. It is a broad and challenging ministry to which we are called. Trinitarian imagery also gives focus to the different roles: to be priest is to build, to be pastor is to heal, to be teacher is to nourish.

The ministry of the Priest as "priest, pastor and teacher" is described as a lifetime of ministry in the following of Christ, sustained through an ever deepening practise of prayer, and enriched by daily reading and study of Scripture. The Priesthood requires a living relationship with Christ, and this relationship is nurtured in prayer and in immersion in Scripture. Prayer and study impel us into action: our relationship with Christ is the driving force of ministry.

The primary focus of the Priesthood, while directed by the roles of priest, pastor and teacher, is on making disciples. The Charge addresses the "How?" of making disciples with thirteen action words: bring, lead, proclaim, preside, intercede, help, share, rebuke, pronounce, care, bring back, guide, prepare. The detail describing these actions can be found by reading The Charge, but suffice it to say, the making of disciples begins with bringing people into relationship with Christ and ends with preparing them to embrace death and the fullness of eternal life. In addressing the "Why?" of making disciples The Charge states that the purpose is "that they may be saved through Christ for ever. " Anglican Priesthood is focused in the present, but embraces the eternal.

Conclusion

The Charge ends with the observation to the Priest that "This ministry will be your great joy and privilege", that it is a "weighty responsibility" that should not be undertaken lightly nor without a clear call from God; and that those whom God calls God will also strengthen. The weight of responsibility can be overwhelming, self-doubt can be destabilising, the expectation of others disheartening. But we have chosen obedience to the call of God, we are volunteers, there is no contract, just a license from the Diocesan Bishop empowering us to serve. We acknowledge this privilege, and we take joy from the fact that we minister not out of compulsion, but voluntarily in obedient response to God's call and in relationship with Anglican Church structures.

And on occasion we are paid.

9 December 2009

Mark R D Long

racism, classism & tribalism

The following is a letter I wrote to the Pretoria News (published 5 June 2009) in response to an article titled "It is the church's duty to preach racial harmony" by Rich Mkhondo (published on 1 June 2009) in the Comment section. The Pretoria News titled my response "Roots of racism lie in SA's colonial history":

I read with interest Rich Mkhondo's opinion (Comment 1 June 2009) on the church's duty to preach racial harmony. There can be no doubt that racism remains a key issue in our society: its roots lie in our colonial history, and can be traced back to attitudes in Europe well before van Reebeck ever set foot in the Cape. It is also true that the church is often, sadly, no more than a microcosm of wider society. However, as Mkhondo points out, the church has both the responsibility and the resources to engender new attitudes and more whole relationships.

I am aware that I write as a so-called "White" South African, and so struggle to fully comprehend the level of pain inflicted on so many fellow South Africans during the apartheid era. As part of my training as an Anglican Priest I was immersed in the township life of GaRankuwa in the mid 1980's, and was substantially conscientised to the realities of southern Africa and the devastating impact of racial discrimination as experienced by those who suffered under it. I realised, too, how I - as an oppressor by default of my heritage - was damaged as a person.

In our new democratic dispensation the word "racism" tends to be used to cover a broad perspective of negative and hurtful attitudes. For many so-called "Whites" racism is very specifically aligned to apartheid, and when the declaration is made "I am not a racist" it is often perceived by fellow South Africans to be a somewhat hypocritical statement, when in reality it is a heartfelt cry that rejects apartheid and embraces the new South Africa. What many of us so-called "Whites" struggle with is often classist attitudes - that during apartheid strongly underlay racial ones - and it is often (agreed, not always!) this classism that fellow South Africans experience as racism in today's society.

As the Anglican Church in Pretoria we have raised the issue of racism, together with classism and tribalism, as ones that must be addressed in all our communities. Key to the process is building relationships, creating awareness of different cultural perspectives, and creating a broader and more inclusive ownership of church life and worship.

MARK R D LONG, Garsfontein

clergy school - a perspective

Diocesan Clergy School, hosted and directed by UNISA, has been an inspiring experience. We have had some outstanding input from various high-calibre academics, including our own Anglican sub-Dean, Prof. Barney Pityana (also vice-Chancellor of UNISA). We have investigated the church’s role in rebuilding our society’s value base, while exploring the diversity of our call in dealing with the various moral challenges all South Africans face, seeking to find ways to reclaim our prophetic voice.

The importance of good ecumenical relationships is critical in allowing the church to speak with “one voice”, rather than with a fragmented denominationalism. Significant to this discussion is the issue of authority, and the Clergy School was asked to recognise four different types: traditional, rational, negotiated, symbolic; that we as Anglicans have a specific perspective on how these aspects influence our praxis, and our understanding of Scripture. The Bible is a consequence and not a cause of Faith, and as Anglicans we question what Scripture means, rather than simply what it says. These perspectives on authority and Scripture impact on our ecumenical relationships. There is a call on us to re-explore the message of Jesus, to regain a radical commitment to the Kingdom of God as put forward by Jesus, and as experienced in the early church, and to be relational – an emphasis on being rather than doing – and not legalistic in our interpretation both of Scripture and Tradition, while also recognising the social and economic relevance of Scripture.

We have been reminded that poverty should remain one of the church’s main preoccupations, that an “option for the poor” is preferential and not exclusive (i.e. not an “option against the rich”), and that transforming the plight of the poor includes the transformation of the wealthy. Sadly, excessive accumulation of monetary and material wealth is mostly at the expense of the poor, and actively ferments poverty. We were asked, “Is inequality ordained by God?” because our lifestyles as Christian people often suggest that it is! Interestingly, while the USA Constitution enshrines “Freedom” as an inalienable human right, our South African Constitution enshrines “Equality”. The lack of genuine equality in South Africa is an active cause of socio-economic domination by a South African elite - increasingly being referred to as the “new apartheid”! Top business structures in this country are still largely in the hands of white people, and despite a growing black middle class this remains an area of grave concern, especially for us as Church. The crisis we face, both as Christians and as South Africans, is that our Constitutional Democracy is deliberately misinterpreted for personal and financial gain. Twelve years into our new democratic society there is no consensus or collective commitment to definitive values, even though key values are enshrined in Constitutional dispensation that include human dignity, human rights and social justice. In South Africa the centre is falling apart as we struggle to maintain the consensus gained in 1994, and this is visible in the corruption, crime and other indicators of moral collapse. As Church, we need to exercise authority in bringing people back to the values of the Gospel and values as defined in the Constitution.

In considering the value-crisis in our society within the context of our Constitution and our Constitutional Democracy, the Clergy School was asked to consider three important questions:

What is it that undermines our Christian values in the communities in which we live?

How do we “hold the centre” as a faith community, individually and collectively?

How do we become effective moral agents?

In answering these questions it was noted that mission happens when the Church is in engagement with the World, and that in order to be effectively engaged we need to develop a moral outlook that is not simplifying or dismissive in attitude, but rather one that builds confidence, assertiveness and freedom. In addition, there is a need to recognise the syncretistic nature of African Christianity – something that is also true of the Western approach to the Christian Faith – if we are to build a new moral base in our society.

Underlying the above is the question, “How do we formulate a Christian society, and how do we influence South African society with this vision?” There are no simple answers, but a partial answer is that we need to own responsibility, backed by an informed personal position refined through public debate. We need to gain a high level of identification and agreement on the issues, and those that are of priority. We need to abandon an “all or nothing” approach in our Biblical interpretation in order to develop a public Theology, including openness to the integration of other societal disciplines (economics, politics …) with our Theological development. We need to acknowledge issues of pronounced patriarchy – men’s oppression of women – and the related pandemic of HIV/AIDS where poor black women in particular suffer: in this regard Biblical interpretation from a patriarchal perspective becomes an obstacle by habitually negating the validity of women’s experience. Once consensus is reached through dialogue, we need to find ways to translate our vision in such a way that it is palatable to a pluralistic society, which often embraces an “anything goes!” approach. We should not allow a concern that such translation will compromise our Christian foundation, for this is unlikely if we seek to uphold the values enshrined in our Constitution in the process.

We were challenged to embrace a pastoral response in interacting with our society, to be bridge-builders, building links between: constitutional rights and religious identity; the judging voices of Christians and those rendered voiceless by religion; fundamentalist/dogmatic voices and those demonised through these judgmental attitudes; fixed forms of traditional morality and fluid internalisation of the best of pluralistic views; the sacred and the profane; hurts of the past and the healing of the future. Essentially a challenge to allow the Church to be the Church, as hard and costly as this will be!

Going forward, we must not underestimate the influence of religion on society – the majority of South Africans claim to be Christian, and many others religious. The task is to move ahead as Church, to regain a progressive voice, and to develop tools that will help individuals to live out their faith. Do we have the courage, as Christians and as Anglicans, to regain our prophetic voice?

Acknowledgement must be given for the high level of academic input received, along with meaningful and stimulating engagement, that has informed the above reflection that contains the helpful insights of the following: Profs D Masoma, R Dolamo, M Masenya, C Landman; Drs J Aristide (President of Haiti), M Naidoo, P Lenka Bula; Canon Prof Martyn Percy and Rev’d Emma Percy. Our grateful thanks to each for their contribution to our week together, and to Bishop Dr J Seoka and Sub-Dean Prof B Pityana for their contribution and vision.

Canon Mark Long
1 April 2007