Church governance and man made rules

1 Timothy 3:1-10

            I had several occasions in the past week to be thinking about church structure, governance and who decided what and why.  To be truthful it's enough to swear you off organized religion. It is necessary in terms of what we can accomplish together and to support common goals. I suppose it's more a question of what type of governance and how much.  The Roman church is heavily laden with bureaucracy and has so many canon laws that almost everything possible is legislated and covered.   There are other churches where there is virtually no structure or rules and everything in between.

             In today's passage we get a glimpse of some early rules about being a bishop. I suppose the church was sufficiently organized so that such a term was created. I often wonder where all these names, positions and rules have come from. Each church has it's own terms with some commonalities of course but how the position is attained is of no minor consideration.

             At  a party held in honor of my ordination, at which my friend (never mind the thought of lover, partner or husband) heard one guest at his table say she was deacon in her church. Having merely a glimpse of the years of study, formation, the masters degree earned or the responsibilities, he quickly sluffed off this women as a rank amateur.  It ain't necessarily so but it points to the variations in what some churches require for ministry. I still don't believe that Christ had any kind of formal Shul to prepare his apostles. They were fisherman and a tax collector and he was a carpenter!

             Today we remember the holy man, William White. The Bishop of Pennsylvania. He held many positions as the colonies proclaimed and fought for their freedoms. He helped create the governance of the church in the colonies, influenced in one way or the other by the governance of the colonies themselves. It was practical and envisioned a group of future faithful in these here states.

                 As with a great deal of Scripture it is not the precise words that are as meaningful as the message that God is trying to convey to us. I don't believe God dictated the following from today's passage:  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? It does hold some interesting thoughts though about church service and ministry.  It included people who were married and it suggests that these people be of sufficient worldly knowledge that they could understand, assume and appreciate the responsibilities of any person in charge of a household. Marriage, or simply dating, is a very good example of something you might want a person to have first hand knowledge of if they are to minister to and live among people who would have issues integrating their faith into their daily lives. On more than one occasion I have heard my parishioners complain about Priests not being allowed to get married. How can they understand anything? The notion of three squares and little lifting also allows the clergy in many instances to escape the true realities and pressures of life. Kids? That would be just another reason to have clergy marry.  

          It's apparent that most religions ave given the nod to the concept of married clergy.  A Priest, a Deacon, a Rabbi or an Imam. In fact being married is integral to God's fulfillment of who you are and who you are supposed to be. 

           While celibacy may in fact be a gift, it was not always so and does not have to be so. Again I would rage against literalism in scripture and also man made rules that may be a blessing for some (celibacy) but is a stumbling block to most. See what man made rules can do. In the Roman church it has deprived the church for a thousand years of qualified men (and women) who had the called but were turned away. Worse are the ones who take the vows lightly and resolve to live a bifurcated life that makes the churches rules laughable in the eyes of the faithful.

             A commentary on Church govenance and man made rules? Perhaps, but we all need to see what intent God has for us. Jesus came as the fulfillment of the law. 

             

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.