+Z’ev

Commemoration of Kamehameha and Emma

Today’s assigned readings:
Obadiah 1:15-21, 1 Peter 2:1-10, Matthew 19:23-30

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10

The Priesthood of All Believers is one of those ironic doctrines: the Low Church folks put a lot of faith in the doctrine - but generally they don’t have a need for priests (they deny the need for sacraments). The High Church folks truly understand the priestly function, but they give the doctrine by lip service, because they have concentrated priestly function in a separate class of, well, priests. I think all of this arises from a confusion of the priestly role (of everyone) with the managerial and teaching role of the Elder - the Presbyter. The Low Church folks, having done away with the sacramental functions of the faith are left with a Pastor/Manager. The High Church folks give us the Priestly Administrator.

As something to compare these to, I bring my experience in other religions. Many religions have a priestly class, but equally they have priestly functions among the believers: for ancient Pagans some sacrifices were offered in the temples but others were offered at the home and these by the head of the house. The father (usually) served as priest in loco and this has carried over into Judaism and Christianity in some ways (the Father blessing Children on the Sabbath in Judaism or before bedtime in Eastern Orthodoxy). But it has not carried over in other ways: I’ve not heard of any Head of the House being encouraged to preside at Eucharist.

Given that is the primary function of the Christian Priesthood, that is exactly what I would expect the Head of the House in her roll as convener of the household table. This even if when the entire community gathered, there was a “presbyterial class” to convene the community.

I’ve quoted here, often enough, the teaching of Alexander Schmemann that all Christians are to stand as priest, offering the world back to God in a great Eucharistic sacrifice. But Schmemann would reserve a celebration of the Eucharist, itself, to someone who had been ordained - and not just any ordination: only those ordained to the priesthood, by a Bishop within Apostolic succession can preside at the “real” Eucharist.

Of course, in another way of looking, the Liturgy of the Eucharist is only a type and shadow of the Real Eucharist that all of us must perform in life at every turn.

Which thought, having occurred to me, has undone pretty much everything else I wanted to write on this topic. I’m so used to thinking of Church as the END ALL/BE ALL. Life goes to Church. What if, in fact, it’s the other way around? I see the Greek words, rendered in the NRSV as “proclaim the mighty acts”, mean to publish abroad the virtue, the “Arte” of God. In otherwords, our priesthood is not in standing around the altar. That’s just Sunday School. OUr actions are in the world.

Anyway: I’ve raised all the questions I want to raise, although my own exploration brought me to a place that surprised and derailed me.

Much love,

Huw