To be or not to be... a cleric that is

I have just come up with the clearest statement of why I should not be pursuing ordination that I have managed to think to date.

Setting aside for a moment that due to the sometimes inconsistent way our government deals with clergy [think in particular of the fact that clergy are agents of the state when they officiate weddings], I have legally been a member of the clergy since December 2003. According to canon law of the church into which I have since been confirmed, that does not much matter anymore ;-)

The statement itself comes from a renewed understanding of the importance of the ministry of all Baptised Christians. Last year I attended a day long workshop sponsored by my diocese and keynoted by the presiding bishop. It really freed up my thinking in this area.

So without further ado:

If this shift is going to work, some of us who certainly would have sought ordination in decades past need to remain among the laity. That is a significant element in the strategy to balance out issues of clericalism.

I may or may not personally be among the "some of us", but it certainly bears deep consideration.

Deep peace of the morning to you.