One credential For All?

[Gregory Matthews]

See:

http://atoday.org/ted-asks-for-universal-ministerial-credential/

An interesting comment from the above:

The committee noted that the amount of time and energy consumed by dealing with the fallout from the San Antonio vote is distracting from the mission of the church, is alienating many young people and is increasingly damaging the image of the church in the societies which the Church in Europe is trying to reach.

[CoAspen]

Knock....knock....

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

while I understand that not all ordained ministers have gone to seminary, if "credentialed" ministers are to be labeled the same as "ordained" ministers, why should anyone bother to go to seminary?

[Gregory Matthews]

The general policy in the NAD is that ordained clergy should have graduated from the Seminary. [NOTE:  That policy differs in some areas of the world.]  However, that rule is not strictly enforced and some are ordained in the NAD who have no intention of going to the Seminary.  Those who do this limit their field of service.

If the TED is granted permission to replace the ordained/commissioned credential with one credential that covers both the TED educational standards are expected to remain the same.  I do not know what those TED standards are for education.  But, they will not change.

The issue is:  The present leadership of the General Conference has issued an edict that prohibits the Unions from issuing one credential, under any name, that covers both mean and women.  That edict also prohibits the Unions from issuing a Commissioned Minister credential to a previously ordained clergy person who continues to fill a pastoral function.  This is a reason why the TED has requested that the General Conference to allow it to do what is now  prohibited.

NOTE:  While the unions are the level of denominational organization that grants credentials to SDA clergy, the TED is making the request to the General Conference in the name if its constituent Unions.

There are two aspects of this issue, as it has been raised here:

1)  What should be the educational level of SDA clergy?  I will respond for the NAD, but not for other areas of the world.

2)  Should males and females who perform the same pastoral duties have the same credentials?  If so, what should hos credentials be named?

My rsposne:

#2: While in theory, male and female clergy in the NAD may perform different duties, those differences are minor.  By and large, they perform the same pastoral duties and therefore, they should have credentials that are named the same.  NOTE:  I can understand that one might argue that the differences are major and not minor.  The reality is that many SDA Clergy can go for 40 years of service and never need to perform the duties that females are not allowed to perform.  So, I am calling them a minor part of their pastoral duties.

#1:   In general, I agree with the educational standard that the NAD has.  I do not agree with, probably the majority of the exceptions that are made.  However, I do believe that we should allow for God to lead us to make exceptions.  I am thinking right now of a SDA clergy person who does not meet the general NAD educational standard.  Yet his performance and contribution to the mission and ministry of the SDA denomination is well beyond that which I will make and God has clearly led with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

2 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

However, that rule is not strictly enforced and some are ordained in the NAD who have no intention of going to the Seminary.  Those who do this limit their field of service.

how is their field of service limited?  

[Gregory Matthews]

Some Conferences in the NAD will not hire them due to their lack of education and they will not be able to be employed in some positions outside the denomination.

The SDA denomination, in the NAD, has more qualified clergy than it can employ.  Due to this, All should make certain that they meet the standards to be employed outside the denomination, if they need to do so.  

Some examples of such employment are: the military chaplaincy and certain Federal Chaplaincies and some hospital positions.

 

 

[Stan]

Here is  short version answer, and I have not ready everything..

 

It is easy for those in the union to approve others to be ordained, based on education etc etc

One day, we need to approve based on what they have accomplished.

[Kevin H]

It is the same standard for both men and women, whether they have the full seminary education or less education (and sadly I've seen a lot over the past few years of conferences wanting to hire zealous new converts who are sharing what they just learned, and avoiding the educated pastors).

The traditional term for someone who shows themselves to be accomplished pastors is the term "Ordained". The church makes loophole so that women do not get that title but that is more in appeasing one set of membership than what we are doing in reality.