The question of ordination once again looms large on the horizon. For those of us who are Christian educators, our passionate focus rests on two overtures (12-01 and 12-02) that advocate for a fourth ordained office within the Presbyterian Church (U. S. A.) In this article I will (a) give historical and present reasons for a fourth ordained office; (b) summarize the similarities and differences between the two proposals.
This idea of an office for Christian educators is not new within our denomination. Some would date the concept of a fourth ordained office to previous General Assemblies, others to historical practice during the colonial period in America. Some would rely on John Calvin’s advocacy of a teaching office within his Institutes of Christian Religion (4.3.4), but all of these precedents are grounded in the witness of Scripture.
Within the Great Commission (Matthew 28:20) Jesus calls for the disciples to teach others to obey what he has commanded. Saul and Barnabas are prophets and teachers within the church in Antioch when they are sent forth (Acts 13:1). In many of the letters to the early church the teaching office is lifted up in the lists of spiritual gifts given to believers (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4). There are many other examples in Scripture that lift up the importance of teaching. However, the case needs to be made in this time for the PC(USA).
Why do we need ordained teachers in the church? What would be distinctive about this fourth office?
Teaching is making room. One thing that sets an educator apart is how he or she approaches space. We are chair and table movers. We look at the subject at hand, whether it is a Bible study, theological discussion, youth mission experience, or children’s worship and say how can we best configure this space to provide an opportunity of encounter with the living God? What will invite people into this content that will bring it alive for each participant?
Teaching is plowing. We prepare the soil for hearing God’s word anew. Sometimes the soil is rocky and hard; sometimes it is overgrown in weeds. We live in a time of dryness and weeds. Often through education we can begin to break up the clods of ignorance, doubt, indifference, and anger that have made it difficult for new life to grow. Plowing is hard work. It is not glamorous, but it is necessary for faith to take root.
Teaching is prophetic. We are often at the forefront of change and transition. We keep abreast of new resources, and are willing to try new models of learning that will touch the individual gifts of others. Listening to the voices of children and youth, we try to help the church hear a new word of hope.
These are some of the gifts of educators that may be seen as distinctive in comparison with other ordained officers. The overtures at hand lift up such responsibilities as a) leading, guiding, and equipping education for children, youth, and adults; b) evaluating curriculum resources; c) providing knowledge of faith development and contemporary educational theory and practice. Both overtures offer in their preamble or rationale other strong reasons pointing to an acknowledgement by the Presbyterian Church for a commitment to educational ministry that is already present in our constitution. (G-50102c, G-10.0102e, G-14.0700).
Having established the need of setting apart for distinctive ministry the work of the educator, the two overtures diverge over what that fourth office should look like. Below is a comparison chart of overtures 12-01 and 12-02 that will come before the Church Growth and Christian Education committee at this year’s General Assembly meeting in Birmingham. The chart attempts to lay out the distinctive nature of the two proposals and can be used as a tool for discussion around this issue. It is not meant as a replacement for reading the richness of the overtures in their context.
| Comparison Points | Overture 12-01 | Overture 12-02 |
| Authoring Presbytery | Mission | Shenandoah |
| Title of Fourth Office | Minister of Christian Education | Educating Elder |
| Education Required | Master degree (unspecified) and entry into ordination process outlined in G-14.0507 for Ministers of Word and Sacrament including ordination exams (excludes original languages in Biblical Exegesis exam and substitutes an outline for teaching rather than preaching–committee may also require an original lesson plan and teaching session during final assessment) | Standards already specified in G-14.700 for Certified Christian Educator including examinations that encompass the eight areas specified in this section |
| Ordaining Body | Presbytery | Local Congregation of service or membership |
| Length of Term | Lifelong | Length of call to ministry within the bounds of presbytery of service |
| Constitutional Changes | Extensive revisions to all three sections of The Book of Order–adding a description of the office following Minister of Word and Sacrament, changes to examination, ordination, and installation sections, replacement of “pastor” and “pastoral” with “minister” and “called” in various locations | Addition of one section following the description of elders and some minimal terminology changes in other locations |
The authors of these distinctive visions and other interested parties continue to discuss possible common ground between the two proposals, including the naming of the office as distinctively an “educator.” This would create a wholly different fourth office not tied to either present understandings of minister or elder. As is our nature as educators we continue to learn and grow from each other. What we share is a commitment to lifting up the importance and giftedness of those called to educational ministry in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). We make room. We plow. We prophesy. We are teachers.
KATHY L. DAWSON is assistant professor of Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga.
