=== Email from a Baptist eFriend:

I am interested in hearing from people about their understanding of ordination in the context of the Baptist tradition. Beliefs like the 'priesthood of all believers' and 'congregational government' seem to rob ordination of any meaning, that is if we take the meaning of ordination from more traditional hierarchial church practice.

In discussion with fellow pastors both ordained and not ordained, I have sensed a real desire to do some hard work on this question.

What does ordination mean for those called to pastoral ministry, and what does it mean for Baptist congregations in the light of the priesthood of all believers? Or, in the light of congregational government?

I would be very interested to hear the views of those contributing to this forum.

Peace to you, from [name withheld].

=== My response:

The headlines:

There are two problems with most current Baptist notions of 'ordination':

1. Clericalism (the implication that some Christians are 'ordained' and others aren't)

2. Congregationalism (the notion that church government has anything to do with 'the priesthood of all believers', and/or that congregational government is either the best or the main biblical model...)

Have fun with those! We might get something of a serious theological discussion going here :-)!

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher