Reformation Monday: priesthood of all believers, part 1

Before we wrap our heads around the concept of a 'priesthood of all believers' we might want to clarify a few issues around the title 'priest.'

We don't have priests in the Lutheran tradition; we have pastors.  The difference is more than semantics.  There are a very different understandings of the function, power and role of the individual who is ordained, whether as a priest or as a pastor.  It has nothing to do with whether the person is male or female; it has everything to do with the relationship between God and humankind.

A priest, as a result of his/her ordination, receives specific powers to effectively bring into reality the holy intersection of Divine and Human.  Eucharist, baptism, holy anointing of the sick, anointing of the dying are moments when the membrane between this world and the next is very thin; these are moments when the presence of the Holy is more palpable.  Priests are able to take the ritual and bring about the presence of the holy, that is, to make the bread and wine or anointing oil a conduit for God's holy presence.  This is the sacramental work of a priest; these things and events are holy because the priest makes them holy.

Lutherans have a different understanding of God's interactions with the creation God loves along with the unique role of Jesus as the ultimate high priest, the divine-human, god-man and intermediary between God and humankind.  Jesus is the final, complete revelation of God on this side of life.  Jesus is holy and through him the holy touches down on this earth.  In the cross, Jesus crosses the divide between this world and the next and carries God's beloved children with him back into the arms of the Divine Creator.  Jesus does the work; Jesus makes it happen and no one can repeat that transaction.  Nor should anyone have to; either Jesus is enough (as Son of God) or Jesus is not.

Therefore, there is no need for priests.  There is no need for a person, elevated through ritual, anointing and prayer, to bring the holy into reality among us.  The living Lord Jesus is always present, and most especially present at those times and places that Jesus identifies:  baptism and Eucharist.  Jesus promises to be present in the holy meal of bread and wine, and in the new birth that comes through baptism.  God is present because Jesus said God would be present, not because of special powers granted to the person who presides at the ritual.

So Lutherans have pastors.  These women and men are set apart by the faith community to give full attention to continued learning and teaching, and to organize and oversee times for worship, praise, prayer and the sacraments, and to lead God's people in the work of serving others.

A priest is a mediator.  A pastor is a shepherd.  Eucharist is 'made holy' by those who understand themselves to be priests.  Those who understand themselves to be pastors, also celebrate Eucharist, but the bread and wine are made holy by Jesus' eternal promise to be present. [please understand that this is the most basic description of the differences between these two offices, and as such, ignores all the fine nuances of theology involved.]

All of this to get us to Luther's concept of a priesthood of all believers.........more tomorrow, and thank you for reading this far.



...