I’ve thought, read, reflected, studied, explored… the various priesthood offices spending much time doing so over the past few years. In part in reflection on my own evolving calling, in part to be better able to share and relate the system with those of other faiths who I learn and serve with, and in part to help find ways to encourage a deeper understanding and embracing of them by me and the faith community. Perhaps other reasons exit as well. Today when I should be writing the last paper of my M. Div. I found myself sidetracked once again and was reading a few things on the Community of Christ website and it made me think “I should briefly write my thoughts before I go on to other things.
So here it is in extreme brief, perhaps more to come once the paper is written, submitted etc….
As it’s not on the list I’m adding: Apostles are called to be Apostles of Peace.
- Seventy are Ministers of Witness
- Evangelists are Ministers of Blessing
- High Priests are Ministers of Vision
- Elders are Ministers of Mission
- Bishops are Ministers of Generosity
- Aaronic ministers are Ministers of Presence
Within those Aaronic Ministers we find:
- Teachers model “Jesus as Peacemaker”
- Deacons model “Jesus as Comforter”
- Priests model “Jesus as Friend”
Thus we end up with:
- Deacons are ministers of presence modeling Christ as Comforter
- Priests are ministers of presence modeling Christ as Friend
- Teachers are ministers of presence modeling Christ as Peacemaker
- Elders are ministers of mission
- Seventy are ministers of mission and witness
- High Priests are ministers of vision (and mission?*)
- Bishops are ministers of vision and Generosity (and mission*? and presence?**)
- Evangelists are ministers of vision and blessing (and mission?*)
- Apostles are ministers of vision and Apostle’s of Christ’s peace (and mission?*)
- Presidents of the Church are ministers of vision (and mission?*)
- Community of Christ is called to be a prophetic people of the Temple, of sacrament, and of peace, seeking healing, reconciliation, and restoration for all of creation, uplifting the worth of all peoples, embracing diversity, allowing the Spirit to Breathe….
* As “elder” can be used to refer to the office of Elder or anyone in the Melchesidic priesthood perhaps it applies to just elders and the special calling within of Seventy, or perhaps High Priests as well. Though in this case we end up with Melcesidic ministers are ministers of Mission, and Elders do not have a particular model, apostle, or minister form of their own.
** As the Presiding Bishop is the President of the Aaronic Priesthood, and as Bishops are to “preside” over the Aaronic minister perhaps they to can claim the role of minister of presence in some aspects of their ministry. Also while all Bishops are High Priests serving as such, theoretically it is possible for one to be a Bishop without being a High Priest, in which case would be an Aaronic minister though reality they all are high priests.
What parts, if any of the ministries of each of these offices are not expressed through these reflections on them? Are there parts while not left out may be neglected or de-emphasis and should they be? Do melchesidic ministers also model Christ, or another aspect of the trinity as something? if so what? Should we also have “Community of Christ as _______”, “ disciples (friends/members) who make up Community of Christ as ________”, "“Missionary Elder as ________”, “Presidency as _____”….????
Peace,
— Lyle II