The Role of the Ordained Minister Today

Abstract

"THE ROLE is a concept used nowadays by the sociologist to describe the rights and obligations of a person fulfilling a particular function. A man may adopt more than one role. Thus a minister may also fill the role of husband, or parish councillor or cricketer. Questions about consistency and integrity may arise if a person finds that roles are incompatible. Presumably, when we speak of the role of the ordained minister we are thinking chiefly of his function in relation to the Christian community. Reference has lately often been made to his loss of prestige. He has "lost face" as the representative of a declining community and indeed some ministers suffer from a sense of isolation, inferiority or frustration as a result of this loss of prestige, real or imagined. One ''points table" referred to by Michael Banton1 shows the "nonconformist minister" on the same level as the works manager. This estimate may comfort some and irritate others. There are more important matters than the question of prestige."