I very much appreciated this quote from an article by Rose Marie Berger in the most recent Sojourners, and thought it connected well to our book theme:
It is our work to live in "day-tight compartments"--receiving our daily bread, doing good, offering hospitality, choosing compassion and forgiveness, serving "the least of these," singing, praying, and, when night comes, giving our bodies and souls over to sleep.
19 November 2006
17 November 2006
Mea Culpa
Might we also confess that we may have caused such services?
I think it is correct that some of Lathrop's later reflections on study, etc., are not thoroughly conditioned by his confessional, "broken symbols" stance at the beginning of the book. He too glibly baptizes his own culture (TV is bad, books are good). I of course also agree with his view--we don't watch TV in our household and read all the time--but the broken symbols approach would suggest that he should at least have some questions for himself about the culture of pastoral life he is encouraging.
I need do the same, or risk thinking all Christians have to live a life that looks like my life.
I think it is correct that some of Lathrop's later reflections on study, etc., are not thoroughly conditioned by his confessional, "broken symbols" stance at the beginning of the book. He too glibly baptizes his own culture (TV is bad, books are good). I of course also agree with his view--we don't watch TV in our household and read all the time--but the broken symbols approach would suggest that he should at least have some questions for himself about the culture of pastoral life he is encouraging.
I need do the same, or risk thinking all Christians have to live a life that looks like my life.
16 November 2006
Dying and Liturgy
In the final chapter Lathrop writes, "And of course, the hard and messy work of actually dying is usually not evoked in Christian liturgy, the slow sense of suffocation and increasing pain and disconnection that makes up the reality of many, many deaths."
Actually, I've been to a few worship services over the years where these words would accurately describe my response.
Actually, I've been to a few worship services over the years where these words would accurately describe my response.
13 November 2006
For a person who revels in holding two ideas in tension, paradox, etc., Lathrop comes out with some powerful and unequivocal statements in the chapter on the pastor in study. For example, "Pastors owe it to their congregations as a moral obligation of their vocation, to be persons of study." (p. 101)
I must say I took great comfort in the way Lathrop developed his case for a life of curiosity and study in connection with the first article of the creed. Not long after I became a pastor the popular imagination of the church began operateing out of anxiety on account of membership decline. The type of scholarly pastors I admired when I was a young man and college student soon appeared archaic and irrelevant as the leadership craze?, crisis? gripped the church. Lathrop's proposal here invites us to operate out of a basic confidence in out identity as people "in but not of the world."
I must say I took great comfort in the way Lathrop developed his case for a life of curiosity and study in connection with the first article of the creed. Not long after I became a pastor the popular imagination of the church began operateing out of anxiety on account of membership decline. The type of scholarly pastors I admired when I was a young man and college student soon appeared archaic and irrelevant as the leadership craze?, crisis? gripped the church. Lathrop's proposal here invites us to operate out of a basic confidence in out identity as people "in but not of the world."
12 November 2006
Broken Symbols
One of the key insights in the first chapter of Lathrop's book is that of "broken symbols." Lathrop emphasizes that most of the titles pastors take for their role- priest, shepherd, pastor, reverend, father, mother- can only function as metaphor, and thus are best understood as broken symbols, true precisely in the way their untruths point to a deeper truth.
I found this insight particularly helpful today as I preached on the widow's mite pericope. The pericope actually begins with the statement against the scribes- a statement that, if you replace the term "scribe" with "pastor"- perfectly fits the modern pastor. Wears long robes, sits in a fancy chair in the synagogue, says long prayers, etc. For the pastor to function honestly in the congregation, the pastor needs to recognize their scribe-like status, and confess and acknowledge all the inherent dangers of the office, not to mention the inherent dangers of being professionally religious.
I found this insight particularly helpful today as I preached on the widow's mite pericope. The pericope actually begins with the statement against the scribes- a statement that, if you replace the term "scribe" with "pastor"- perfectly fits the modern pastor. Wears long robes, sits in a fancy chair in the synagogue, says long prayers, etc. For the pastor to function honestly in the congregation, the pastor needs to recognize their scribe-like status, and confess and acknowledge all the inherent dangers of the office, not to mention the inherent dangers of being professionally religious.
Broken Symbols
One of the key insights in the first chapter of Lathrop's book is that of "broken symbols." Lathrop emphasizes that most of the titles pastors take for their role- priest, shepherd, pastor, reverend, father, mother- can only function as metaphor, and thus are best understood as broken symbols, true precisely in the way their untruths point to a deeper truth.
I found this insight particularly helpful today as I preached on the widow's mite pericope. The pericope actually begins with the statement against the scribes- a statement that, if you replace the term "scribe" with "pastor"- perfectly fits the modern pastor. Wears long robes, sits in a fancy chair in the synagogue, says long prayers, etc. For the pastor to function honestly in the congregation, the pastor needs to recognize their scribe-like status, and confess and acknowledge all the inherent dangers of the office, not to mention the inherent dangers of being professionally religious.
I found this insight particularly helpful today as I preached on the widow's mite pericope. The pericope actually begins with the statement against the scribes- a statement that, if you replace the term "scribe" with "pastor"- perfectly fits the modern pastor. Wears long robes, sits in a fancy chair in the synagogue, says long prayers, etc. For the pastor to function honestly in the congregation, the pastor needs to recognize their scribe-like status, and confess and acknowledge all the inherent dangers of the office, not to mention the inherent dangers of being professionally religious.
09 November 2006
Face to Face continued
Our first book discussion face-to-face went very well... the next meeting is the first Wednesday in December at EVP on East Washington at 8:30 a.m., for those interested.
For on-line discussion, let me offer the following list of questions for people to weigh in on:
1. I always pay attention to prose. How do you analyze or comment on Lathrop's unique prose style?
2. Is it helpful to center pastoral ministry in liturgy and catechism? Are there other more helpful ways to categorize?
3. One of our group suggested that in the literature on pastoral ministry, there's always a "third." That is, according to our calls, we are ministers of Word & Sacrament, but then a third is always added. The most popular "third" right now is "leadership." But Lathrop proposes "taking up an offering for the poor" as the "third" function of clergy. Are you convinced? What are other "thirds" you've heard?
Those are enough questions to get us started. I'll respond with individual posts on these questions this next week.
For on-line discussion, let me offer the following list of questions for people to weigh in on:
1. I always pay attention to prose. How do you analyze or comment on Lathrop's unique prose style?
2. Is it helpful to center pastoral ministry in liturgy and catechism? Are there other more helpful ways to categorize?
3. One of our group suggested that in the literature on pastoral ministry, there's always a "third." That is, according to our calls, we are ministers of Word & Sacrament, but then a third is always added. The most popular "third" right now is "leadership." But Lathrop proposes "taking up an offering for the poor" as the "third" function of clergy. Are you convinced? What are other "thirds" you've heard?
Those are enough questions to get us started. I'll respond with individual posts on these questions this next week.
27 October 2006
The Pastors of the Round Table
I finished reading Lathrop's short book last night. I had spread my reading out over a long period of time in order to think through the devotional topics he raises in my own context, in my own life.
There is much to like in the book. There's quite a bit that I disagree with, but when I disagree, it tends to be on topics I think that Lathrop chooses because they are his own fancy, and then he wishes to make his own personal culture the culture of pastors writ large. We all have this tendency, I imagine.
But even on these points where I disagree, the book still forces me to ponder, if this is his argument on how to be a pastor, what's my counter-argument?
One brief example: He thinks pastors should act like wait-staff in an upscale restaurant he visits periodically. He doesn't like it when wait-staff in more common restaurants come up to your table and say, "Hi my name is <>, I'll be your server tonight", apparently because he believes this is to centered on the person rather than the office.
Although I disagree- the wait-staff who introduce themselves are well-intentioned, and are simply being friendly in a mid-west kind of way. Nevertheless, the image of pastor as wait-staff is itself fruitful and helpful, and I have to think through which kind of waiter I'd like to emulate.
If I were characterize the book in one sentence, I'd say it is a "chivalric code for pastors." I'd be interested to know whether Gordon Lathrop would agree on this point, or take umbrage.
I look forward to conversations here on the blog, and at Java Bay in Stoughton beginning at 8:30 a.m., November 1st.
There is much to like in the book. There's quite a bit that I disagree with, but when I disagree, it tends to be on topics I think that Lathrop chooses because they are his own fancy, and then he wishes to make his own personal culture the culture of pastors writ large. We all have this tendency, I imagine.
But even on these points where I disagree, the book still forces me to ponder, if this is his argument on how to be a pastor, what's my counter-argument?
One brief example: He thinks pastors should act like wait-staff in an upscale restaurant he visits periodically. He doesn't like it when wait-staff in more common restaurants come up to your table and say, "Hi my name is <>, I'll be your server tonight", apparently because he believes this is to centered on the person rather than the office.
Although I disagree- the wait-staff who introduce themselves are well-intentioned, and are simply being friendly in a mid-west kind of way. Nevertheless, the image of pastor as wait-staff is itself fruitful and helpful, and I have to think through which kind of waiter I'd like to emulate.
If I were characterize the book in one sentence, I'd say it is a "chivalric code for pastors." I'd be interested to know whether Gordon Lathrop would agree on this point, or take umbrage.
I look forward to conversations here on the blog, and at Java Bay in Stoughton beginning at 8:30 a.m., November 1st.
22 September 2006
Meeting Face to Face
Anyone who lives in the Madison, Wisconsin area is also invited to a face-to-face book discussion at Java Bay in Stoughton on November 1st from 8:30-10 a.m.
14 September 2006
Welcome to the conversation
If you haven't already done so, go and pick up or order Gordon Lathrop's little book the pastor: a spirituality. We'll begin discussing it on this blog November 1st of 2006. Professor Lathrop has graciously agreed to read, and sometimes comment on, the blog.
The congregation I serve, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church in rural Cambridge, Wisconsin, is observing "the year of the catechism." As my own exercise in a lifelong catechumenate, I am reading Lathrop's book slowly, and finding ways for it to shape and transform my own pastoral ministry. I invite you to do the same, and join the conversation.
If you are especially interested in this project, and would like to be a co-author of the blog, please let me know, and I'll send you an invitation.
The congregation I serve, East Koshkonong Lutheran Church in rural Cambridge, Wisconsin, is observing "the year of the catechism." As my own exercise in a lifelong catechumenate, I am reading Lathrop's book slowly, and finding ways for it to shape and transform my own pastoral ministry. I invite you to do the same, and join the conversation.
If you are especially interested in this project, and would like to be a co-author of the blog, please let me know, and I'll send you an invitation.
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