Over on the Material Sojourn blog was this:
I just want to make sure that they are all still being UU at their core.
Deja vu anybody? If so, maybe because it sounds a lot like this:
Although many ministers get outstanding training at other schools, none of those schools are prepared to offer the resources for in-depth study of UU history, theology, and polity to ground at least some of the newest ministers in our specific tradition. Graduates of other schools may be exquisitely educated and are often well trained in pastoral skills. But their UU identity is blurry.
Ok…let’s cut the crap and start calling spades spades.
It’s plain that there are some UUs who think that there is only one way to be UU and that THEY should be the arbiters of whether or not somebody is “UU” enough to be in the ministry.
So what would make somebody unqualified to serve in the UU ministry? I’m not talking about the obvious psychological things (which are already handled under the current MFC system). Really…what disqualifies somebody?
Not having a degree of any kind? Reading and enjoying “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Not listening to NPR? Not being a card carrying member of the Democratic Party? Hating the grey hymnal? Thinking that for all our supposed intellectualism, most UU worship services don’t even come up to the standard of college lecture?
Really? I wanna know. What disqualifies somebody? Being pro-life? Supporting voter ID laws? Not giving a damn about “social justice”? Having cheated on a math test in middle school? Having a need for speed and having a few speeding tickets?
Where would the disqualifications start? And where would they end?
But the bigger question is…who the hell are you to say that somebody is or is not “UU” enough to be in the ministry? When did you become the standard-bearer of all things UU?
It is a wonderful thing to me that the Baptists, the Disciples, and the nondenominationalists aren’t so worried about their brand that they’re talking this kinda crap. Maybe it’s because they actually paid attention to what Jesus says in John 13, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So instead of talking this crap about codifying ordaination standards, why don’t we try doing what our polity cousins the Baptists, Disciples, and nondenominationalists do? How about letting everyone know that we are the Spirit’s disciples by OUR LOVE? Quit worrying about who the Spirit calls—that they might not be “UU” enough—and MENTOR them in their calling?
[I'll be doing family things most of the day on Saturday, so I probably won't respond to any comments before Sunday evening. ]
