1 Timothy 3:1-16
I am stunned that I have not come across this reading before, certainly not since I started blogging. This passage is quite explicit and yields much information about not only how the early Church was, but also about how far afield the church has gone since those early days. And lastly, seeing all the turmoil in the Church locally and globally, this passage is an indictment of the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Rockville Centre.
Let's begin. So, Bishops can be married only twice? Once? Never? The tradition of a celibate priesthood and Deaconate seems to be in direct conflict with this reminder by Paul of who can be a Bishop. Besides marriage, what is this about being beyond reproach? The actions of countless Bishops around the world, in the United States, Ireland and England to name a few have certainly not been beyond reproach. There have been sex scandals, cover-ups, lies and more. In attempts to save the church from scandal, the exact opposite has occurred. The moral teaching authority of the church has evaporated.
Far from the traditions of Ordered Priests, Diocesan priests and Bishops have lived quite well healed lives. The Bishop of Rockville Centre for example, while this is admittedly old news, evicted elderly Nuns so he could build his own specially designed quarters complete with special refrigerators to keep his myriad wine collection at their proper temperatures. If a Diocese is the Bishops household, Rockville Centre surely is not a sign of good management, Christian love, generosity or not being puffed up.
It seems curious to me that the guidelines for Deacons seems to be followed quite well. Although, candidates for the Diaconate in Rockville Centre are all at the first tested and proven blameless. Service must be a living part of a man's character to even be considered for Diaconal formation. What I find interesting too is that the scripture has been scrubbed, perhaps even by the time it was approved in Canonical form, of any reference to women Deacons (or a Diaconess if you will) which actually did exist and have been well documented in the early church history.
While I am the first not to take passages out of context, this passage seem very clear. I pray that one day the Spirit will infuse the Roman Catholic church to return to it's roots.
I am stunned that I have not come across this reading before, certainly not since I started blogging. This passage is quite explicit and yields much information about not only how the early Church was, but also about how far afield the church has gone since those early days. And lastly, seeing all the turmoil in the Church locally and globally, this passage is an indictment of the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Rockville Centre.
Let's begin. So, Bishops can be married only twice? Once? Never? The tradition of a celibate priesthood and Deaconate seems to be in direct conflict with this reminder by Paul of who can be a Bishop. Besides marriage, what is this about being beyond reproach? The actions of countless Bishops around the world, in the United States, Ireland and England to name a few have certainly not been beyond reproach. There have been sex scandals, cover-ups, lies and more. In attempts to save the church from scandal, the exact opposite has occurred. The moral teaching authority of the church has evaporated.
Far from the traditions of Ordered Priests, Diocesan priests and Bishops have lived quite well healed lives. The Bishop of Rockville Centre for example, while this is admittedly old news, evicted elderly Nuns so he could build his own specially designed quarters complete with special refrigerators to keep his myriad wine collection at their proper temperatures. If a Diocese is the Bishops household, Rockville Centre surely is not a sign of good management, Christian love, generosity or not being puffed up.
It seems curious to me that the guidelines for Deacons seems to be followed quite well. Although, candidates for the Diaconate in Rockville Centre are all at the first tested and proven blameless. Service must be a living part of a man's character to even be considered for Diaconal formation. What I find interesting too is that the scripture has been scrubbed, perhaps even by the time it was approved in Canonical form, of any reference to women Deacons (or a Diaconess if you will) which actually did exist and have been well documented in the early church history.
While I am the first not to take passages out of context, this passage seem very clear. I pray that one day the Spirit will infuse the Roman Catholic church to return to it's roots.
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.
Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Without any doubt, the mystery of our religion is great:
He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.
He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment