One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received also left me damaged and wounded, but only for a time. โYou come off as needy,โ he said. โAnd people can smell it.โ Sure, we all have needs and none of us is self-sufficient. But after the defensiveness wore off, I realized he was referring…
What They Don’t Teach You In Seminary, Part 3: Practicing Sabbath
During my seminary years, teaching the theology of Sabbath was not scarce. In Old Testament courses, pastoral theology courses, and chapel services, I heard some excellent theological thinking on the Sabbath. I rarely saw sabbath practiced in community. The distance between thought and practice can become quite a chasm. Good ideas about the Sabbath can…
What They Don’t Teach You in Seminary, Part 2: Personal Repentance
by Jack King ‘There is no theology apart from experience; it is necessary to change, to become a new man.’ –Vladmir Lossky โIf you are a theologian, you truly pray; if you truly pray you are a theologian.โโEvagrius Ponticus If you visit any seminary website, schools will speak about the importance of spiritual life for…
What They Don’t Teach You In Seminary (Part I)
by Jack King The truth is that I could have attended 10 seminaries and never have been entirely prepared for ministry in the local church. I attended two different seminaries in my Masters of Divinity degreeโAsbury Theological Seminary and Duke Divinity School. Both were really good schools and Iโm grateful I had experiences at both…
What do you call an Anglican Pastor?
“Hello, Father…er…I mean Pastor…sorry, I meant Reverend…. Canon…” “So are you a priest, a presbyter, a minister, a pastor, or a reverend?” What Should I Call You?
Wearing A Collar: Everyday Life of the Ordained, Part 1
This series is an ongoing Q&A between Deacon Tish Harrison Warren (asking the questions) and Fr. Thomas McKenzie (answering) about ordained ministry. See the bottom of this post for an overview of the series. When do you wear a clerical collar and when do you not? How do you decide? The purpose of a clerical…
Showing the Spirit
At a clergy retreat, I once asked a fellow priest what his church was like. He said that his parish had two groups of people. He raised both hands high in the air, turned his face to the heavens, closed his eyes, and swayed gently. โThatโs the first group,โ he said. Then, he clasped his…