Thursday August 11, 2022

I made a momentous decision a few months ago. I decided to quit playing minister.

            A few people may be surprised that I’m NOT a minister. Because I often write about religious topics. I also write about evolution, life, economics, politics, and occasionally even mathematics. Somehow, no one suggests that makes me an economist, biologist, or mathematician.

            Perhaps they assume that no one could possibly be interested in theology unless they were being paid to do so.

            If I sound like a minister, sometimes, it’s because I spent 35 years working in, and for, and with the churches of Canada. Mostly the United Church of Canada. But also with inter-church and ecumenical groups, such as religious publishing associations, summer camps, and theological colleges.

            So when a congregation’s regular preacher gets sick, or quits, I get called on. Because I can put on a creditable performance, even on short notice, where other people would back off in terror.

            I’ve led worship services all over the country. I’ve been a theme speaker at church conferences. I’ve written around 20 books and hundreds of articles, dealing with religious concepts. I probably know the Bible better than many professional clergy.

Never wanted to be one

            But I have never been ordained as a minister.

            And the truth is, I never wanted to be one.

            My father was a minister. And a college principal. And a professor of theology. With four doctorates. He told me once that he was sure he could get me a Rockefeller Scholarship if I wanted to study theology.

            I turned him down.

            My boss for 13 years, the editor and publisher of The United Church Observer magazine, offered to pay my way through three years of study at a seminary.

            I turned him down too.

            I’m good with words. I’m a good speaker. I could probably have crafted sermons that would lead me to prestigious pulpits.

Not good at pastoral care

            But I would have been a lousy pastor.

            I discovered that during one year where I was part of a ministerial team for a local congregation. I think I handled the intellectual side -- sermons, prayers, study groups -- fairly well. Even some administration. But I flopped at pastoral care.

            So I went back to doing what I was good at -- writing.

            Occasionally, I still get called on to fill in. I’m finally learning to say “No”.

            I don’t know whether that decision derives from honest self-analysis, or simply from getting too old to enjoy putting together a weekly package of prayers, hymns, and sermons.

            So I didn’t step into the breach when my own minister took her summer vacation.

            And when an old friend asked me to lead a committal service for his parents’ ashes. I was flattered. But again I said “No.” Because a decision is not a decision if it can be rescinded every time it is tested.

            Decisions are easy when there’s no pressure. It seems right. Bingo, it’s done.

            They’re tougher when they force me to disappoint a friend.

            After some thought, I realized that my original reasons were valid. And if I kept breaking my own commitment, I would never quit pretending to be something I wasn’t.

            So I won’t stop writing about religious themes. But I won’t play minister anymore.

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Copyright © 2022 by Jim Taylor. Non-profit use in congregations and study groups, and links from other blogs, welcomed; all other rights reserved.

                  To comment on this column, write jimt@quixotic.ca

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YOUR TURN

Last week’s column dealt with a more cerebral topic. That meant fewer letters. 

Isabel Gibson was moved to do some research into “bilateral symmetry” – the reason we have two arms, two legs, two ears, two eyes, etc. “Apparently a flatworm developed it a ways back and it has been passed on, probably because it conferred some benefit (or no particular detriment).  And although we have only one heart and one liver, the former has two sides, the latter two lobes.

            What I have gleaned from discussions over the years with zoologists is that the answer as to why evolution came up with something relates to two aspects of evolution:

·      It works on and with what's there, not what might be ideal in theory

·      It is a ‘good enough’ process, not an optimizing design process

“You might as well ask why we often last into our 60s and beyond, when all we really need to do to be successful from an evolutionary perspective is to survive to reproductive age, reproduce, and protect our offspring until they would have a fighting chance on their own.”

Cliff Boldt reacted to my quotation from The Charge of the Light Brigade: “Well, I think ours IS to reason why.  About a lot of things in life, not just about the evolution of creatures. Like housing density, climate change, affordability, inequality…  

            “I am comfortable that evolution works as it does just so some superior life form could begin to question why things are as they are. I like to think that a Superior being designed things in just that way.”

James West finds that my columns distract him from other responsibilities: “I need to remember to only read your columns AFTER I’ve done my daily work. You got me started so I’ll continue. 

            “What kind of body ought we to have if an ‘infinite intelligence’ had had more forethought? Two heads better than one? I have a difficult enough time being of two minds with one brain. Two hearts beating as one does have a ring to it, though. It’s done well for Dr. Who.”

            James also wondered, “I get the thought though that you were alluding to something else. Intelligent design, perhaps?”

            JT: Not specifically, and not intentionally. But sometimes allusions that come up in my writing surprise me. 

Don Gunning took a gentle dig: “If you had been there, Jim, I am sure we would all have evolved more sensibly!!!”

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Psalm paraphrase

Most of the psalm paraphrases in print in this weekly blog are also found in my book, Everyday Psalms. Not this one. This version of Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19 is a little more radical than anything I wrote in the 1990s.

Hey! You!

You claim to have created this messy reality
          that we call sub-atomic physics.

Before we knew there were such things,
          you created protons and elections, quarks and leptons, bosons and photons
          for our use.

You set them spinning and whirling in Shiva’s intricate 
          dance of life, and death, and renewal.

Everything we are, everything we can be
          depends on these invisible dancers.

But your score has hit some sour notes.

Some have used your quantum packets of energy
          to destroy others
          to poison environments
          to threaten the survival of entire species.

Come back! Tweak your creation back on track!

Close off the destructive dead ends,
           and keep us out of cul de sacs.

Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.

Set us on the straight and narrow again,
           and we will not stray off your path.

You can find paraphrases of most of the psalms in the Revised Common Lectionary in my book Everyday Psalmsavailable from Wood Lake Publishing, info@woodlake.com.

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TECHNICAL STUFF

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PROMOTION STUFF

To use the links in this section, you’ll have to insert the necessary symbols. Some spam filters have blocked my posts because they’re suspicious of some of the web links.

                  Wayne Irwin's “Churchweb Canada,” an inexpensive service for any congregation wanting to develop a web presence, with free consultation. http://wwwDOTchurchwebcanadaDOTca He’s also relatively inexpensive!

                  I recommend Isabel Gibson’s thoughtful and well-written blog, wwwDOTtraditionaliconoclastDOTcom. She also has lots of beautiful photos. Especially of birds.

                  Tom Watson writes a weekly blog called “The View from Grandpa Tom’s Balcony” -- ruminations on various subjects, and feedback from Tom’s readers. Write him at tomwatsoATgmailDOTcom (NB that’s “watso” not “watson”)

ALVA WOOD’S ARCHIVE

                  I have acquired (don’t ask how) the complete archive of the late Alva Wood’s collection of satiric and sometimes wildly funny columns about a mythical village’s misadventures. I’ve put them on my website: http://quixotic.ca/Alva-Wood-Archive. You’re welcome to browse. No charge. (Although maybe if I charged a fee, more people would find the archive worth visiting.)