Herber #2 - The Pastor in Social Engagement

One of the difficulties of doing historical theology is understanding the social world of those with whom we engage. Much time is taken by researchers wresting with what theologians in former time understood by grand theological concepts such as Essence, Being, Reconciliation, and Incarnation. The depths to which ancient minds relied upon the accepted wisdom of the ancient Greeks or formed new paths through the Scriptural evidence is thoroughly probed. Other circumstances of their lives (manners, customs, politics, social conventions, food, etc) form the general background - enough to fill an amusing volume to be consumed during a beachside holiday, but rarely poignant to the big issues. As I come to this second, and final, post on George Herbert I think I have realised that the reverse is more often true in the realm of pastoral theology. The so-called Big Ideas are more often assumed by those writing (or passed over briefly) so that they can get to the main game of the practicalities of leading the flock in godliness. For our contemporary writers their culture is our culture and we don't give it much consideration. However, when a work like The Country Parson comes into our sphere our distance from the social world of the writer can put us at a serious disadvantage and so easily lead us into a quick judgmentalism. Such an attitude would be easy to take regarding the second half of Herbert's work, in which he considers the pastor's role in the contemporary social fabric. Herbert maintains that the country parson serves not only as spiritual pastor but as judge and doctor to those in his parish, prepared at all times to administer both spiritual and temporal remedies (XXIII). He is also to take a social survey of the lives of those in his parish, even going so far as to instruct his parishioners as to how their grown-up children should conduct themselves in worldly affairs (XXXII). He should also take an active role in local customs and festivals (if they are not spiritually abhorrent) of which his local people are fond (XXXV). If the modern pastor followed all such advice he would probably find himself with a lawsuit, a broken nose, and an aching posterior from watching endless games of Rugby League. Yet in Herbert's social context such advice was key in expressing a key Christian pastoral maxim - Care for the Whole Person. It is clear from the New Testament that ministry does not stop at the Word but it includes attention to what I like to call Christian Care. It is belief that ministry must care for the whole person and not merely body or soul that underpins Acts 6:1-6. Here spiritual and temporal ministry are not divorced but in fact work together. Other passages such as 1 Timothy 5 show that a minister is not only interested in the spiritual state of his congregation but in how their faith becomes applied to their life circumstances. The flock must not be left to care for themselves when there is a dire need. This, I believe, underpins Herbert's thinking at this point in his work. What now may appear to us as being presumptive meddling in the lives of others was in Herbert's context a healthy pattern of social engagement in an agricultural society where "basic services" like healthcare and access to justice were luxuries. The question is now how do pastors in the 21st Century set up healthy patterns of social engagement with their parishes as a whole? As Western society moves towards a Post-Christian status the temptation has been to retreat, to build an evangelical Maginot Line and hope for the best. But the Panzers are coming, and if we take Herbert seriously, the parson must take a firm stand in these matters, rebuking even the best in his cure, with no fear of the ridicule that comes with the office any yet holding himself in a way that makes it difficult for contempt to be shown to him (XXVIII). Challenging words. I must say that, despite Herbert's superior literary tone and his lack of clear theological reasoning, I found The Country Parson to be a stimulating read. Herbert wishes those who undertake ministry to be internally focused, but instead actively engaged with the outside world while conducting his spiritual duties in an ordered way that focuses attention on the work of Christ. In truth, I do not see the seeds of Latitudinarianism sown through this work, and it now makes more sense to me why someone like Baxter held up Herbert for high praise despite obvious differences in churchmanship. In order to get the best out of Herbert, I believe it is right to focus on the Principles rather than the Practices, as he wrote in rather unusual times. It is right to be charitable with Herbert as he was a man of genuine piety. This is not to say that his work is perfect, and if I was to go into a more detailed analysis of his theses I could raise strong objections. However, I believe that even modern evangelicals should not dismiss The Country Parson too quickly as being irrelevant or spiritually corrupt. Next Time: I know that I had said that I would move from here to the thought of Richard Baxter, but reading Herbert has led me to take a short detour. It was clear from Herbert's work that he was drawing on a rich theological heritage in shaping his pastoral views that I had not yet considered. So, before going on to Baxter, I will take two weeks to look at John Chrysostom's On the Priesthood. It will be a delight for me to get back to the Patristics (and a justification for the purchase of the full ANF and NPNF volumes) and I hope my readers will enjoy the journey with me. P.S. My blog stats inform me that I have been getting a number of reads from countries where I'm sure I know nobody, including a sizable chunk of people from Eastern Europe. If you do happen to live a fair way from Australia and you are reading my imperfect musings please let me know who you are and how you came to find this blog. If I know who you are I can be more engaging in my manner.

Herbert #1 - Good Order in All Things

A rather large shadow looms across Anglican pastoral theology in the form of the saintly George Herbert. A remarkable shadow, given that Herbert lasted only three years in pastoral ministry and gained little influence before illness took him to an early grave and leaving behind a large body of work unpublished. Yet following the publication of his poetry and his pastoral work The Country Parson he became a remarkably unifying figure in the 16th Century English church, being admired by both Traditionalists and Puritans. Richard Baxter (of whom more later) was a particular fan, and more noteworthy given obvious differences in churchmanship and theological method.

So, what to do about "the shadow"? One way to deal with it is to cast it aside, as advocated by contemporary English cleric Justin Lewis-Anthony. In Lewis-Anthony's view Herbert's pastoral methodology contributed to an ongoing Latitudinarian spirit in the English church that simply won't cut it in today's world. The pastor is reduced to being "the nice guy" with attention given to jumping through procedural hoops or meeting communal expectations that have nothing to do with the teaching of Scripture. Accordingly, we need to toss the outdated models and allow pastors to take a much more radical stance with respect to their roles. As an Australian cleric (and one from Sydney, no less) who does not have the burden of working for an "Established Church" this thesis resonates only slightly with my own experience, but I can see the point being made.

But is this the only option for the Evangelical with respect to our Herbertian heritage? It is true that Herbert set a very high bar with respect for the proper administration of pastoral duties (the fact that he had several curates to assist him in what was a rather small parish may account for this). Trying to take Herbert's work as an Official Rulebook would undoubtedly contribute to both pastoral burnout and the distraction from evangelical work that Lewis-Anthony laments. It is also worth noting that Herbert's work is very much of its time. It is a Practical Guide rather than a Theological Exposition. This is regrettable as exegetical holes are rather easy to spot given that Herbert takes a moderately "high" view of the priesthood and begins his work from the assumption of the priest as Jesus' Deputy (which had not been the view of Bucer). Herberts practical instructions are rather quaint and there are several LOL moments (his views on fasting and Bodily Obstructions are most giggleworthy).

Yet there is no doubt that Herbert was a man of genuine piety with much that can teach the modern student. His work is full of Scripture and he has a love of the task of catechism that puts most modern evangelicals to shame. He rejects empty ceremony as being out of step with the good of the people but is equally critical of slovenliness in worship. In everything in the church there is to be Good Order so that nothing can hinder either the worship or learning of those under a minister's care. This is not only in formal worship, but in the pastor's whole way of life. Nothing is to be done thoughtlessly but instead with decent care and good reason. How unlike modern Sydney Anglicanism...

Everyone loves those Saturday mornings where the pace of life can slow right down, the newspapers can be strewn all over the bed, and pyjamas are not shed until lunchtime. This is healthy. But Sunday is not Saturday. When we need to be about the Lord's business we should have a different mindset. Too often we don't. Take, for example, the lack of urgency to solve The Liturgy Problem. Every week our services shamble from Welcome to Dismissal with no uniformity or coherence. We have become Methodists without a Method. We've all read the books, so we're convinced about the importance of having theologically solid structures for communal worship. There is just no impetus to make it so.

But I'm getting too far ahead of myself. Why don't we start with something simple - cleaning up the front of the church! Have a good, hard look at the end of your rainshelter where the Bible reading/teaching/praying happens. Then look at all the unnecessary clutter that is up there - music folders, microphone stands, unused chairs, etc. What doesn't need to be there? What can go into a cupboard (or the bin)? At least if we start with putting our Physical Space in order there might develop a greater enthusiasm for order in other areas...

Bucer #5 - Constant Vigilence

These past few months have seen me attempting to come to grips with the reality of maintaining a garden. A brief flick through a horticultural magazine might lead you to believe that perfect lawns and flower beds can be maintained with the greatest of ease. A simple stroll through the garden once a day to assure yourself that everything is going well, stopping occasionally to pull out the odd weed, is all that is necessary.

Utter bollocks!

As I have been finding out, gardening is heartbreaking and backbreaking work. Lawns need constant mowing, soil needs digging and fertilizing, plants watering, and so forth. And even after all that, your plants may wither and die due to an unexpected heatwave. Rewarding labour, undoubtedly. But the true horticulturalist has precious little time to 'stop and smell the roses'. Gardens don't look after themselves.

Neither do sheep, according to our old chum Martin Bucer. You would be forgiven for thinking, following the last two weeks, that a pastor's duties are restricted to putting out forest fires wherever they might break out in the congregation. Yet, strangely, those whom Bucer designates as the "strong and healthy sheep" need as much attention as the rest. For, if the shepherd is caught unawares, mangy or false sheep might infiltrate and infect the flock. So even those whose faith seems as solid as a rock need care and attention to prevent them from falling under evil influences. Shepherds take the She'll Be Right approach at their peril.

So often in ministry we'll draw up the Archery Target diagram of church growth. You know the one - Gospel Partners in the centre, Members in the next level out, Attenders after that, and so on. The theory is that you need to move everyone one level closer inwards to build up the number of Partners at your disposal to help run your ministry programs and outreach. What they often fail to tell you is that those in the middle won't stay there unless you protect them. So the Gospel-Minded Minister might focus all his attention on seeking the Lost or Wounded in the belief that he has a secure communal base who have "got his back". Then the wolves get in and destroy the flock and everything falls in a heap.

This last section of Bucer has challenged me to remain attentive to those whom I would have otherwise have classified as Able To Look After Themselves. I shouldn't have been surprised; I have seen too many close friends fall away from what seemed like secure positions. I need to not take my Partners for granted. God has given me them to care for as much as those on the Outskirts. Once more, my arrogance comes in for a severe rebuke.

Summing up, I think Martin Bucer's book has been one of the most helpful books on pastoral care that I have read. It is not an exhaustive theological examination, but rather a practical handbook for those considering the shape and priorities of gospel ministry. As such, some of his points are able to be quibbled over, but there is no doubt that at the centre is a reliance on the Biblical patterns for ministry and a desire to apply them afresh for a church in Rebirth mode. I have made extensive use of it in preparing studies for my Youth Ministry Leaders and I will undoubtedly return to it again in the future.

Next up: George Herbert!