- Apr 25, 2016
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Elsewhere on the forum, @AlexB23 asked me, "So, what is it like to be an Anglican priest in general Mother Paidiske? How does that differ from say Protestantism, Catholicism or Orthodoxy?"
I couldn't answer properly there, so I thought I'd come and start a thread, and maybe others might like to comment or contribute as well.
It's an interesting question, and I'm not sure I can answer it, because I don't kow what it's like to be an Orthodox or Catholic priest, or a Protestant minister in another denomination.
I guess part of what I'd have to say is that it probably depends a lot on where in the world you are. I'm in Australia, and the Anglican church here is very different than it would be in some other parts of the world. Here, the Anglican church is (in general) aging and declining, and a lot of my work is about trying to help my parish community reconnect with its local community and discover new ways of building life together. My parish is gently growing, but that's hard work.
In general I have the impression that some other traditions expect their priests to be more authoritative; more of a "father knows best" model of ministry. Whereas the Anglican ethos is more that the priest is a resource and support to the people in their walk with God, but not someone who is there to tell you where or how to walk (if that makes sense)? We value collaborative leadership and a participatory model of governance, where laity are involved at every level.
I don't know if that answers your question much, but maybe it's a starting point for a good discussion!
I couldn't answer properly there, so I thought I'd come and start a thread, and maybe others might like to comment or contribute as well.
It's an interesting question, and I'm not sure I can answer it, because I don't kow what it's like to be an Orthodox or Catholic priest, or a Protestant minister in another denomination.
I guess part of what I'd have to say is that it probably depends a lot on where in the world you are. I'm in Australia, and the Anglican church here is very different than it would be in some other parts of the world. Here, the Anglican church is (in general) aging and declining, and a lot of my work is about trying to help my parish community reconnect with its local community and discover new ways of building life together. My parish is gently growing, but that's hard work.
In general I have the impression that some other traditions expect their priests to be more authoritative; more of a "father knows best" model of ministry. Whereas the Anglican ethos is more that the priest is a resource and support to the people in their walk with God, but not someone who is there to tell you where or how to walk (if that makes sense)? We value collaborative leadership and a participatory model of governance, where laity are involved at every level.
I don't know if that answers your question much, but maybe it's a starting point for a good discussion!