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A. A. Kostas's avatar

I like the article Ross, and agree with many of your points. Regarding point 3, I wonder if the 'professionalisation' of priests/pastors is part of the problem too. You say they must be highly educated, but I'm not so sure. In my experience, the pastors who have best reflected what you describe are those without (or with very little) formal theological training. Maybe because this leaves them more humble and dependent on God and Holy Spirit? Maybe because they haven't be told what to think about certain issues? I don't know. There was obviously no such thing as Bible College for the early apostles, their authority was from God/Jesus/Holy Spirit and they could lead because of the way they lived out their loyalty to Jesus, not because of a certain amount of training.

I'm not sure if that makes sense? What do you think?

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Kate's avatar

Your point about education being co-opted by the secular world put words to something I have been thinking as a future educator! People are flooding out of the profession because it takes a Christian worldview to delight in a child and discipline them, to offer unconditional care and unconditional push toward academic excellence. The people leaving and citing impossible standards are right. The care of even one little soul is too much responsibility! That’s another reason for the necessity of a Christian worldview: I can only pour so much out for the kids because the Spirit pours into me, I can only hold them because I am held by the Father, I can only sacrifice for them because the Son is on the cross for me. (Note: if only I could think like this in the moment. Instead I am nearly pulling my hair out because child A is arguing with child B about a spot in line for the third. time. today. while child C is rolling around on the floor 😭)

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