15
October 2014 A.D. General
Seminary, NYC—Declension & Increasing Irrelevance
Ehrich,
Tom. “From church triumphant to `least
of these’ (COMMENTARY).” Religion News Service. 14 Oct 2014. http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/14/clergy-longer-part-noblesse-oblige-commentary/. Accessed 15 Oct 2014.
From church triumphant to ‘least of these’ (COMMENTARY)
(RNS) News articles about turmoil at General
Theological Seminary had immediate impact on those of us who attended Episcopal
seminaries.
But
the news “went viral” far beyond that small coterie and for reasons beyond
nostalgia.
General
Theological Seminary in New York. Photo courtesy of
Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr
For
one thing, it’s a juicy soap opera. Faculty playing hardball, then finding
themselves unemployed. A dean pushing back, then losing credibility as word
about him spread. A board looking confused and high-handed. Students wondering
if they, too, should go on strike.
But
impact goes beyond the particular event itself. For something fundamental seems
to be changing.
It’s
hard to pinpoint. For one thing, as I wrote last week, the residential
three-year seminary seems to be ending its run, a victim of costs and other
ways of preparing for ordained ministry.
That
would be disconcerting to those clergy who prepared at seminaries like General,
but probably not troubling to the majority who are preparing in other ways.
Seminaries’
woes are further sign that mainline Protestant religion is being forced to
engage with a world that yearns for faith but cares little for mainline
institutions and traditions.
When
so much energy has gone into maintaining those institutions, what is left when
people, especially young adults, turn away from “church” as we know it, that
is, our church facilities, clergy, doctrines and church-centered worship?
The
most far-reaching implication is this: We are discovering that the world can
get along without us. Few are asking for our authoritative guidance. Our clergy
aren’t seen as “thought leaders” or our institutions as worthy of emulation.
We
are no longer “one-up” — a source of wisdom, a font of valuable knowledge, a
teacher of necessary skills, an alms purse to ameliorate the world’s
deprivation. It felt good to be in that position. “Noblesse oblige” satisfied
our self-perception as the “noblesse” deigning to care.
Now
we are the “least of these.” We are the ones who can’t manage our affairs
without ugly conflict. We are the ones who get caught in unethical behavior,
whose assemblies are marked by nostalgia, not urgency. We are the ones who
don’t know the way forward. We are the ones with problems we can’t solve.
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