Qualifications for Ordination

[Paul Yohannan]

It might well prove at least moderately interesting to compare, discuss and debate the qualifications for ordination of respective denominations.

The Orthodox qualifications for bishops and priests:

• Male.
• At least 30 years of age.
• Bishops must generally be celibate, except for chorepiscopi.
• Priests must not be remarried owing to divorce or being widowed; the wives of priests likewise must not be divorced or remarried (at least, after baptism); the marriage must furthermore be monogamous.
• In like manner, one is disqualified if one has had an adulterous affair.
• One cannot have castrated oneself; however, if a man has been made a eunuch owing to persecution, violence or medical neccessity he is not disqualified. Thus, someone who has had a vasectomy is disqualified.
• A man is disqualified under the canons of, IIRC, St. John the Faster, if he has voluntarily or involuntarily experienced an unnatural act in the manner of Sodom.

Edit: it should be noted that Orthodox who are ordained subdeacon, deacon, priest or bishop cannot marry after having been ordained except by resigning their clerical office. This restriction does not apply to readers or cantors.

 

[Paidiske]

For Anglicans, some dioceses ordain women and some do not. The minimum age requirement is, I think, 24 for deacons and priests and 30 for bishops, but that's off the top of my head and I could be wrong. (Might differ in different provinces, too).

For us, the moral requirements are not so much about what you've done before, as to your commitment to holiness of life now. So before ordination and at each new appointment we sign such a commitment, the form of which in my province binds us to:

- ministry which will promote wholeness and not cause harm
- repudiation of exploitation and manipulation
- care with information
- integrity in speech
- honesty in finances
- faithfulness in marriage and chastity in singleness, and
- abstention from sexual relations with anyone in my pastoral care to whom I am not married.

We also need to assent on oath to the doctrine and formularies of the church, its constitution and laws, and take an oath of canonical obedience to the bishop.

There's other stuff too; we have to pass a medical and psych exam, and the discernment process is rigorous. (Not to mention the study). But that's a start.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

For Anglicans, some dioceses ordain women and some do not. The minimum age requirement is, I think, 24 for deacons and priests and 30 for bishops, but that's off the top of my head and I could be wrong. (Might differ in different provinces, too).

For us, the moral requirements are not so much about what you've done before, as to your commitment to holiness of life now. So before ordination and at each new appointment we sign such a commitment, the form of which in my province binds us to:

- ministry which will promote wholeness and not cause harm
- repudiation of exploitation and manipulation
- care with information
- integrity in speech
- honesty in finances
- faithfulness in marriage and chastity in singleness, and
- abstention from sexual relations with anyone in my pastoral care to whom I am not married.

We also need to assent on oath to the doctrine and formularies of the church, its constitution and laws, and take an oath of canonical obedience to the bishop.

There's other stuff too; we have to pass a medical and psych exam, and the discernment process is rigorous. (Not to mention the study). But that's a start.

What does the psychological screening entail?

 

[Paul Yohannan]

Some other notes on Orthodoxy:

• Except in dire emergencies, ordaining a bishop requires two or three bishops.
• Clergy cannot involve themselves in secular affairs, e.g. they cannot strictly speaking work as financial advisors. I know of at least one who does, however.

 

[Paidiske]

They've changed it since I went through, so I'm hazy on the details now. I know that they do a whole bunch of questionnaires online, and then go and get interviewed, usually by a priest who is also a psychologist, and that they're particularly looking for unhealthy patterns of relationship, how you handle stress, how you handle conflict, all those sorts of things. One friend of mine who was recently ordained, after her psych exam, was sent off to do assertiveness training!

 

[St_Worm2]

I know one man whose only "qualification" to receive his ordination ended up being a pen and a checkbook Granted, it was a mail order "ordination" (so to speak), but it opened the doors he needed to be hired as a youth pastor

I far prefer a church, like the EOC, that makes certain requirements a necessity before an ordination may be received, rather than a church that simply requires a pastor to be "ordained" to get a job

In the end, it took about 10 years to get this guy what he really needed from the get-go, to be fired, but in the meantime this youth pastor acquaintance of mine had both a long-lasting, far-reaching, and disastrous effect on the lives of those he ended up ministering to Those who use corrupt means to achieve their goals are often corrupt themselves.

I'll have to look up today's requirements for ordination for my denomination and I'll get back to you. They certainly include all the Biblical mandates for elders, along with many other essentials, not the least of which is a thorough knowledge and understanding of the word of God.

Yours and His,
David

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

One cannot have castrated oneself

who would do such a thing?

 

[Paul Yohannan]

I know one man whose only "qualification" to receive his ordination ended up being a pen and a checkbook

This is simony, as in Simon Magus, and most churches take rather a dim view of it.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

who would do such a thing?

Allegedly Origen, although from what I read he was forced into it by the pagans.

In modern times, I believe this canon would apply with obvious force to those who receive vasectomies.

However, castrations owing to medical neccessity, e.g. testicular cancer, do not disqualify.

 

[thecolorsblend]

This is simony, as in Simon Magus, and most churches take rather a dim view of it.

No kidding! During my religious formation, Father joked "If you have a sin named after you, you know you've messed up."

There are gradations to it. Some are worse than others. Buying or trying to buy a Catholic annulment, for example, could be construed as simony. And yes, people have tried doing that. But when I bought dinner for Father after receiving my sacraments as a token of gratitude to the time he spent teaching me, that was not simony.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

No kidding! During my religious formation, Father joked "If you have a sin named after you, you know you've messed up."

There are gradations to it. Some are worse than others. Buying or trying to buy a Catholic annulment, for example, could be construed as simony. And yes, people have tried doing that. But when I bought dinner for Father after receiving my sacraments as a token of gratitude to the time he spent teaching me, that was not simony.

Indeed so.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

What does the psychological screening entail?

When I was at Holy Cross, everyone gets a full psych evaluation a month or so after they start. Its a full day of questionnaires and meeting with a psychiatrist. It is mainly to make sure you have the mental stability to move forward.

 

[Zoii]

• A man is disqualified under the canons of, IIRC, St. John the Faster, if he has voluntarily or involuntarily experienced an unnatural act in the manner of Sodom.

Hello Paul. Im not entering into the discussion here because Im not qualified to comment...but may I ask..does this mean if a man has been raped he is ineligible?

 

[Paul Yohannan]

Hello Paul. Im not entering into the discussion here because Im not qualified to comment...but may I ask..does this mean if a man has been raped he is ineligible?

Hypothetically, yes.

 

[All4Christ]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, widowers are permitted to be ordained as bishops. Technically, I've heard of some situations where both husband and wife (when children are grown) want to become monastics; in that case, the husband could become a bishop, should the wife also become a monastic. Both would require celibacy from that point forward. (I could be wrong on the specifics, but I think this is the general rule). The latter situation is rare. I've only heard of it hypothetically.

 

[Kiterius]

Baptist Church...

Must be male.
Must have been baptized by immersion.
Must enjoy potluck suppers.

 

[Paidiske]

Oh, yeah, it's so obvious I forgot, but we must have been baptised and confirmed, and if that was not done in an Anglican context (or one with which we are in full communion) we must have been formally received into the Anglican church.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

widowers are permitted to be ordained as bishops

Provided they do not remarry

 

[Paul Yohannan]

Oh, yeah, it's so obvious I forgot, but we must have been baptised and confirmed, and if that was not done in an Anglican context (or one with which we are in full communion) we must have been formally received into the Anglican church.

Indeed so; in the Orthodox Church I believe one must have been Orthodox for at least three years.

 

[All4Christ]

Provided they do not remarry

Of course. Marriage after ordination is never permitted with priests or bishops, unless they step down from the episcopacy.