I think it's safe to say that the role of religion and, in particular, that of the Minister has changed since its inception to today.
Once, the Ministry was virtually the exclusive form of education of people -- scholars and theologians were often one in the same. Law and Religion were often one in the same, too. Morality and codification of rules were one in the same. The community was often centered around the house of worship -- and a sense of belonging to the greater whole often came from the rules and codification laid down by its religious authority]
Skip ahead a few hundred years. With the world [particularly the Western world] having become far more secular than it once was, what place do you see MInistry in, these days? Leaving out the different faiths themselves, I'm speaking of "Ministry" as a whole. What place do you see them today? Are they good friends who are close advisors? Do you view the clergy as an authority, as our ancestors once did -- or more religious scholars? How do you think your views may differ from your ancestors, or even society in general?
I tend to look at clergy as a vocation of people who are good, learned friends and advisors who have an active interest in your well-being as a whole person. Your physician looks to your physical well-being. Your attorney looks after your financial and fiscal well-being. The clergy, in my opinion, should be concerned with your emotional and spiritual well-being; and is an advisor who listens to you, and comes to you for advice -- who won't pass judgement against you, and has your needs, "as you" paramount. The clergy should be a sounding board for times good, and times bad. The one who people come to in times of spiritual or internal crisis.
Some still seem to believe in the old days of divine authoritarianism, where the rule of Clergy is "Do as I say, not as I do," still is in play -- and that their judgement, not yours -- is what matters; which is sad. Others tend to be taking a new spin on it.
What do you think? Where do you see the Clergy's place in the age of information -- and in the future?
--Rev. Samuel
Universal Life Church of Michigan
This was cross-posted from my post on ULC Online Forum