Parish Minister Research Articles

Popular or Parliamentary Sovereignty? National Opinion and the Declaration of Arbroath on the Eve of Union

Hoping to stop the ratification of a treaty of incorporating union with England, late in 1706 the parish minister Robert Wylie quoted the Declaration of Arbroath in a draft manifesto for an armed uprising. Rather than seeing Wylie’s manifesto as part of a perceived tradition of popular sovereignty rooted in the Declaration of Arbroath, this paper asks what his quotation reveals about this early modern moment. It confirms a growing awareness of the Declaration of Arbroath in Scottish political culture and its usefulness as patriotic rhetoric for Whigs and Jacobites alike, aided by the publication of English translations from 1689. It shows how Wylie used the Declaration to suggest that the pro-treaty majority in the Scottish parliament was a traitorous faction out of step with the mind of a nation bound by its covenant oaths and how this attack on the legitimacy of the estates went against more than a century of presbyterian efforts to bolster the authority of the parliament as a counter to Stewart power. Wylie’s document thus confirms the rising relevance of public opinion in this era and its construction in terms of conscience and covenants; and underlines a key struggle in the making of the union between extra-parliamentary opinion, highlighted in petitions and weaponised through calls for recesses and special assemblies, and the stature of the Scottish parliament as the embodiment of the political nation.

Separatist Presbyterianism in 20th Century Scotland

This essay aims to give an account of separatist Presbyterian denominations in the context of Christianity in Scotland in the 20th century. After a brief introduction, attention is first given to the circumstances in which the denominations concerned were birthed. A second section looks at their current place within the wider Scottish context. In the third section, further attention is paid to the two most recent, late 20th century, divisions, those of 1989 and 2000. Concluding reflections seek to view the scene, thus sketched, through a wider lens and to look to the future with a degree of hope for reconciliation and healing. This paper is indebted to the invaluable insights, particularly in regard to the content of its third section, of the Revd Archie McPhail. Sincere thanks are also due to the Revd Martin Keane, Principal Clerk of the United Free Church, and the Revd David Meredith, Mission Director of the Free Church of Scotland, for their gracious and helpful responses to specific queries about their respective denominations. Any errors of fact or judgement are of course those of the author. In writing on a subject as difficult—and painful—as this, one inevitably brings personal perspectives to bear. Those of this writer have inevitably been formed, at least in part, in the context of an unusual ecclesiastical journey within the territory of three denominations—the Free Presbyterian Church, the Associated Presbyterian Churches and the Church of Scotland. Personal involvement in the history and denominational transfers of recent decades, together with long service as a parish minister and experience as a former Moderator, lend to the paper its distinctive angle of approach.

The Life and Works of Robert Baillie (1602–1662): Politics, Religion and Record-Keeping in the British Civil Wars, by Alexander Campbell

This comprehensive and well researched biography focuses on Robert Baillie’s intellectual world and the times which shaped and influenced his writings. From the outset it makes a concerted effort to grapple with Baillie’s apparently contradictory positions on key religious issues between 1637 and 1662. What emerges from this biography is a man of many faces, a conscientious parish minister, a sharp propagandist, a skilled political negotiator and a defender of deeply held religious and political principles. Alexander Campbell draws upon under-used manuscripts, particularly Baillie’s sermons and unpublished treatises to shed new light on this well-known figure: this material is often quoted by historians but, arguably, tends not to be fully appreciated on its own terms. Baillie’s religious thought is put within its wider European context, highlighting a wider discourse taking place among European Protestant reformers. It questions the clear-cut religious labels that historians use, and impressively shows the vibrancy of...

VV.AA., Code, Community, Ministry (Selected studies for the parish minister introducing the revised Code of Canon Law), Washington, 1983, 116 págs

VV.AA., Code, Community, Ministry (Selected studies for the parish minister introducing the revised Code of Canon Law), Washington, 1983, 116 págs

Getting my stories straight: A narrativist in quest of congruence

Drawing on his work in the area of narrative gerontology, the author reflects on the measure of congruence that exists between the theories he has been developing about the storied complexity of adult development and his lived experience as an aging individual himself. His reflections include a discussion of his former career as a parish minister and his ongoing passion for “the writing life”. He concludes with some speculation on the possibility of combining his interests in narrative and aging with his continuing interest in theological themes.

Twilight of the Enlightenment: James Headrick (1759–1841)

James Headrick was one of those who have been aptly termed 'foot-soldiers of the Enlightenment'.1 He did, to be sure, have aspira tions beyond serving in the 'poor bloody infantry'. If he did not cherish the delusion that a field-marshal's baton was ready in his knapsack, he certainly had his eye on commissioned rank in the forces of intellectual progress. To end his days as a parish minister in Angus, remembered as 'an excellent man, [who] discharged his parochial duties in a most exemplary manner, and was loved by his parishioners',2 was an entirely respectable achievement; but it fell far short of Headrick's early hopes and ambitions. The future he looked for in his twenties and thirties might have been in academic life or in some other form of public service. It would in any case have been animated by the principles of the Enlightenment applied in a broader context than even Moderate churchmanship could offer in a country parish. The disappointment of those wider hopes may have been due more to faults of personality than to deficiency in talent; but in any case Headrick's career may throw useful light on certain aspects of Scottish intellectual life between the late eighteenth and the early nineteenth century.

Gilbert Burnet and the Problem of Nonconformity in Restoration Scotland and England

One of the thorny questions facing Restoration churchmen was what to do about those who failed to conform to the re-established Church of England. Virtually all churchmen could agree that those who dissented from the established church were guilty of schism. Beyond that, however, there was little consensus on what the church ought to do about these nonconformists. Gilbert Burnet, the Scottish-bom churchman who became Bishop of Salisbury in 1689, has acquired, both popularly and with his biographers, a reputation as a champion of toleration. Yet, although Burnet often expressed his distaste for the persecution of religious minorities, to characterize him as an “advocate of toleration” is misleading. Burnet shared with the majority of Restoration churchmen a commitment to a strong national church. Where he differed from most, however, was in his willingness to stretch the terms of communion within that national church so that the more moderate dissenters could be brought into it. Comprehension, rather than toleration, was Burnet’s answer to the problem of nonconformity. And Burnet’s commitment to comprehension is one that stretches all the way back to his days as a parish minister in Scotland. As such, the passing of the Toleration Act in 1689 in no way marked “the realisation of one of his most cherished dreams.”

Patterns of Godly Life: The Ideal Parish Minister in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century English Thought

When George Herbert wrote The Countrey Parson, he did so intending to set down the form and character of a true pastor, that I might have a mark to aim at. The late sixteenth and early seventeenth century was a time of transition for the English Church, and Herbert was not alone in his attempt to redefine and to justify the role of the parish minister. Many ministers published sermons describing an idealized image of the ministry, idolizing those among them who seemed to personify the ideal. Though there has been a great deal of recent work examining the everyday life of the English minister, virtually nothing has been done on the ideals of these men. Examining the writings of men like George Herbert, Edward Dering, and Richard Greenham and biographies by John Foxe and Samuel Clarke may help to illuminate the motives that shaped the conduct of the Puritan minister.

A Minister's Information-Handling

ABSTRACT One of the roles which ministers perform is that of “caregiver.” Caregiving functions include such activities as visiting parishioners, hearing confessions, and counselling people. These functions are carried out within a legal context. In this paper, two aspects of the parish minister's information handling in respect to his/her role as caregiver are examined. Specific attention is given to the pastor's vulnerability, while carrying out pastoral duties, to civil lawsuits for malpractice and to her/his expectation of privilege against testifying in criminal proceedings. It is observed that in North America, considerable confusion exists over who actually owns and who can control the information a minister acquires and disseminates.

Die belangrikheid van besoeke aan nuwe intrekkers as deel van die werkprogram van die gemeentepredikant

The importance of visits to newcomers as part of the work programme of the parish minister In the current theological literature about parish-visiting, a gap is identified with regard to the importance of visiting newcomers in a congregation. With this in mind an empirical study was undertaken to evaluate the matter in actual practice. The starting point (hypothesis) of this study is: Visits to newcomers is a very important facet of any parish minister's work. Such visits can help to establish a pastoral relationship between minister and member which is essential for the minister's pastoral and other work in the congregation. By means of an empirical study the above-mentioned hypothesis was tested and a preliminary theory with regard to the importance of visitation to newcomers was formulated. After this theory has been tested against the directives of Scripture, a proposal is made for a new theory to underpin the practice within the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika.

SPIRITUAL ISSUES AND BIOETHICS IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: The Role of the Chaplain

This article familiarizes the reader with the contributions of a hospital chaplain regarding spiritual and ethical issues in the intensive care unit. The unique training and perspective of the hospital chaplain are reviewed to explain how the chaplain and the parish minister compare. Cases are presented to illustrate how the chaplain functions, and specific topics of concern that relate bioethical issues with spiritual issues, such as organ donation, are addressed. Faith in "miracles" is discussed within a framework for interpreting religious ideation, particularly when belief prolongs death.

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION FOR THE TWENTY‐FIRST CENTURY

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsRichard SpeckRichard Speck is parish minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Vero Beach, Florida.

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:LATIN AMERICAN LIBERATION THEOLOGY — FOR LATIN AMERICA ONLY?: Priscilla Pope‐Levison is campus chaplain at North Park College and assistant professor of Contextual Theology at North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, USA.Christians in the Face of Injustice: A Latin American Reading of Catholic Social Teaching, by Ricardo Antoncich.Liberation Theology from Below: The Life and Thought of Manuel Quintin Lame, by Gonzalo Castillo‐Cardenas.Liberation Theology: The Essential Facts about the Revolutionary Movement in Latin America and Beyond, by Phillip Berryman. London: I.B. Tauris and Co.An Alternative Vision: An Interpretation of Liberation Theology, by Roger Haight.ACCENTS IN AFRICAN THEOLOGY: John Mbiti comes from Kenya. He is a former director of the Ecumenical Institute Bossey, currently parish minister in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and part‐time professor of Missiology and Extra‐European Theology at the University of Bern.African Cry, by Jean‐Marc Ela.The Unquestionable Right to be Free, Itumeleng J. Mosala and Buti Tlhagale, eds.A Reader in African Christian Theology, John Parratt, ed.Variations in Christian Theology in Africa, John S. Pobee and Carl F. Hallenkreutz, eds.SWEET OR BITTER FRUIT?: James C. Dekker is pastor of the Covenant Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta. From 1978 to 1986 he was a Christian Reformed missionary in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela.Let My People Live: Faith and Struggle in Central America, by the Fellows of the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship, Calvin College: Gordon Spykman, Guillermo Cook, Michael Dodson, Lance Grahn, Sidney Rooy and John Stam.

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:LATIN AMERICAN LIBERATION THEOLOGY — FOR LATIN AMERICA ONLY?: Priscilla Pope‐Levison is campus chaplain at North Park College and assistant professor of Contextual Theology at North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, USA.Christians in the Face of Injustice: A Latin American Reading of Catholic Social Teaching, by Ricardo Antoncich.Liberation Theology from Below: The Life and Thought of Manuel Quintin Lame, by Gonzalo Castillo‐Cardenas.Liberation Theology: The Essential Facts about the Revolutionary Movement in Latin America and Beyond, by Phillip Berryman. London: I.B. Tauris and Co.An Alternative Vision: An Interpretation of Liberation Theology, by Roger Haight.ACCENTS IN AFRICAN THEOLOGY: John Mbiti comes from Kenya. He is a former director of the Ecumenical Institute Bossey, currently parish minister in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and part‐time professor of Missiology and Extra‐European Theology at the University of Bern.African Cry, by Jean‐Marc Ela.The Unquestionable Right to be Free, Itumeleng J. Mosala and Buti Tlhagale, eds.A Reader in African Christian Theology, John Parratt, ed.Variations in Christian Theology in Africa, John S. Pobee and Carl F. Hallenkreutz, eds.SWEET OR BITTER FRUIT?: James C. Dekker is pastor of the Covenant Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta. From 1978 to 1986 he was a Christian Reformed missionary in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela.Let My People Live: Faith and Struggle in Central America, by the Fellows of the Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship, Calvin College: Gordon Spykman, Guillermo Cook, Michael Dodson, Lance Grahn, Sidney Rooy and John Stam.

The Protestant Parish Minister: A Behavioral Science Interpretation

Journal Article The Protestant Parish Minister: A Behavioral Science Interpretation, by Samuel W. Blizzard with the assistance of Harriet B. Blizzard, with an introduction by Hart M. Nelsen. Storrs, CT: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (Monograph Series, Number 5), 1985, ix + 195 pp. $8.00 Get access Lloyd Birch Lloyd Birch Francis Marion College Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Sociology of Religion, Volume 48, Issue 3, Fall 1987, Pages 287–288, https://doi.org/10.2307/3711529 Published: 01 October 1987

Review of The Protestant Parish Minister: A Behavioral Science Interpretation and Mobilizing Social Movement Organizations: The Formation, Institutionalization, and Effectiveness of Ecumenical Urban Ministries.

Review of The Protestant Parish Minister: A Behavioral Science Interpretation and Mobilizing Social Movement Organizations: The Formation, Institutionalization, and Effectiveness of Ecumenical Urban Ministries.

Book Review: Code, Community, Ministry: Selected Studies for the Parish Minister introducing the Revised Code of Canon Law. Edited by James H. Provost, Canon Law Society of America, 1983, pp. vi+116. Price $4.50

Book Review: Code, Community, Ministry: Selected Studies for the Parish Minister introducing the Revised Code of Canon Law. Edited by James H. Provost, Canon Law Society of America, 1983, pp. vi+116. Price $4.50

Code, Community, Ministry. Selected Studies for the Parish Minister Introducing the Revised Code of Canon Law. Edited by James H. Provost. Washington D. C. 20064: Canon Law Society of America 1983. VI, 116 S.

"Code, Community, Ministry. Selected Studies for the Parish Minister Introducing the Revised Code of Canon Law. Edited by James H. Provost. Washington D. C. 20064: Canon Law Society of America 1983. VI, 116 S." published on 18 Nov 1983 by Brill | Schöningh.

The precarious enterprise of ministry

The effect of the cultural values of rationalization and individualism upon the status of the parish minister is discussed. These values make the minister's status precarious because role behavior is difficult to interpret in terms of them. Some defenses against precariousness are outlined.

Secularisation and the Protestant Parish Minister

Secularisation and the Protestant Parish Minister