 |
 What is
the nature of the role of the clergy? Sittler spoke often at conferences
and workshops, often with groups of clergy by themselves. So he
occasionally touched on the role of the clergy, particularly in the
context of his commitment to the idea that all the baptized, not just
the "ordained ones," are called into ministry. He was clearly concerned
to counter any impression that being ordained implied for the individual
an "elevated" ministry. So, he stressed that the clergy have a quite
specialized role, neither higher nor lower than the laity; and that is
"to tell the story." His theme was that if telling the story is merely
everyone's responsibility in general, it is then no one's special
responsibility. To insure that the story is always told, generation
after generation, the church has wisely designated some of its community
members — the ordained — to bear that special responsibility.
A sample of materials on the Role of the
Ordained
available from the Archives
-
Keynote Speech for the Conference on the Pastoral
Office
(Southwest Wisconsin District, ALC), Audiotape (10/82)
-
Sermon at the installation of the Reverend Hofer at Augustana
Lutheran Church, Chicago, Audiotape (10/19/75)
-
The View From Mt. Nebo
(Third in the “Message to Our Malaise” series at Princeton Theological
Seminary, Audiotape (7/19/61) available online
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