The purpose of this Blog is to introduce men and women all over the World to the Doctrines of Grace; the 5 Solas; Reformation Theology and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A Question of Character

One of the great lacunae in many of the current debates surrounding ministry in the contemporary world is the issue of character.  In the world of confessional Presbyterianism, our focus is generally on elaborate theological integrity and intellectual accomplishments, reflecting the ideal of an educated ministry.   We tend on the whole to take character on trust, based on a few written references provided at time of licensure and ordination.   My observations of the YRR world is that intellectual accomplishments are less significant (read: adherence to three or more of the five points of Calvinism is sufficient to qualify) compared to numbers of converts or what one might call 'contextual skills' which I find difficult to describe without sounding as if I am being pejorative.   Yet in both cases, character is arguably a much neglected category.

It was very different for earlier generations.   In the early nineteenth century, Princeton Theological Seminary professor, Samuel Miller, wrote a book entitled Letters on Clerical Manners and Habits: Addressed to a Student in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N.J.  The book is a fascinating, and frequently hilarious, description of behaviour which Miller found to be appropriate in a minister.  Some of the prohibitions now sound simply quaint: ministers should not, for example, spit on floors.  Still unacceptable today, one hopes, but not a major problem in the ministerial circles I mix in.  Nor should they engage in 'loud or boisterous laughter' (according to Miller, 'a mark of ill-breeding'), cough into a handkerchief and inspect the residue, or pare their nails in company.  Continue at Carl Trueman

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