Ethics for Christian Ministry , livre ebook

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205 pages

English

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Description

This one-of-a-kind resource in professional ethics helps today's Christian leaders maintain a high moral character and lifestyle and sharpen their personal and professional decision-making skills. Two experienced teachers and pastors address both current and perennial ethical issues and offer guidance for developing a personal code of ethics to maintain integrity in the work of ministry. The authors address the nature of ethical decision making as well as practical areas where integrity can be compromised, including issues raised by the use of smartphones and social media. Appendixes include codes of ethics from various denominations.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

21st century

Informations

Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	01 novembre 2017
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781493411511
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0778€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2017 by Joe E. Trull and R. Robert Creech
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic .com
Ebook edition created 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017023372
ISBN 978-1-4934-1151-1
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations labeled Message are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Scripture quotations labeled NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Portions of Ethics for Christian Ministry appeared in Ministerial Ethics , 2nd edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004). Used by permission.
Dedication
To all good ministers who faithfully serve Jesus Christ and his church with integrity
Epigraph
Wide was his parish, houses far asunder,
But never did he fail, for rain or thunder,
In sickness, or in sin, or any state,
To visit the farthest, regardless their financial state,
Going by foot, and in his hand, a stave.
This fine example to his flock he gave,
That first he wrought and afterwards he taught;
Out of the gospel then that text he caught,
And this metaphor he added thereunto—
That, if gold would rust, what shall iron do?
For if the priest be foul, in whom we trust,
No wonder that a layman thinks of lust?
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales
Contents
Cover i
Title Page iii
Copyright Page iv
Dedication v
Epigraph vi
Preface ix
1. Walking with Integrity: A Profession or a Calling? 1
2. Being Good and Doing Good: Moral Formation for Ministry 25
3. Looking in the Mirror: Integrity in Your Personal Life 49
4. Looking at the Church: Integrity in Your Ministry 73
5. Looking at Fellow Ministers: Integrity with Your Colleagues 103
6. Promoting Peace and Justice: Integrity in the Community 127
7. Facing Clergy Sexual Abuse: The Cost of Lost Integrity 151
8. Developing a Personal Code of Ethics: A Plan for Integrity in Ministry 177
Ministerial Code of Ethics Worksheet 209
Appendix A: A Procedure for Responding to Charges of Clergy Sexual Abuse 211
Appendix B: Early Denominational Codes of Ethics 215
Appendix C: Contemporary Denominational Codes of Ethics 223
Appendix D: Sample Codes of Ethics 235
Notes 241
Subject Index 267
Scripture Index 273
Back Cover 276
Preface
Few voices were raised on the subject of ministerial ethics in the latter half of the twentieth century—seldom did theological seminaries offer training on the topic, and texts written on pastoral ethics were scarce. Although not many books on ethics in ministry appeared during the final years of the twentieth century, 1 a handful of excellent texts on the subject were written. 2 During the last two decades, little has changed—the lack of adequate resources for the study of ministerial ethics continues.
A corollary truth adds to this serious deficiency in pastoral education—very few seminaries offer even one course in this subject. Ironically, the most conservative Bible schools and theological seminaries are the ones most lacking in the study of ministerial ethics. Most divinity schools speak to this subject in pastoral ministry classes. However (as is so often true), the subject usually is left until last and thus often left out completely!
To be fair, many religious schools and seminaries have accepted greater responsibility to develop moral character in their students through studies in spiritual formation. 3 Emphases on spiritual growth and ethical character form a good foundation for ethics in ministry, but the complexity of moral issues in the minister’s home, church, and society requires more than a “character development” course.
Rightly or wrongly, churches formerly assumed Christian ministers were persons of integrity who could be counted on to be ethical. No longer is this presumption possible, if it ever were! In 2002 clergy sexual misconduct by Roman Catholic priests, coupled with an apparent cover-up by church officials, shocked the nation and captured the news. Lawsuits threatened to bankrupt several dioceses. Leaders in all religious groups reassessed the need for ethics in ministry among their own clergy. Since then, hardly a week goes by without a revelation of a “fallen minister.” On April 15, 2016, the new director of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention wrote: “This week another high-profile pastor was removed from ministry for immorality, this time a friend of mine.” 4
Add to this the number of knotty social issues faced by the modern minister, which increases annually—especially those ethical dilemmas exacerbated by our complex technological society. More than ever, the minister in today’s world must be prepared to grapple with intricate moral problems and community conflicts, as well as ethical dilemmas in his or her own church and personal life.
The purpose of our text is twofold: First, this book intends to teach Christian ministry students the unique moral role of the minister and the ethical responsibilities of that vocation. The second purpose is more practical: to provide for new and established ministers a clear statement of the ethical obligations contemporary clergy should assume in their personal and professional life. The text begins with the minister’s unique role as a professional (chap. 1), followed by an elaboration of those ethical responsibilities of the clergy to self, family, ministry colleagues, and society (chaps. 2–6). Chapter 7 addresses the particularly difficult issue of clergy sexual abuse, and chapter 8 uniquely outlines the way a minister may write their own personal code of ethics. Dr. Trull prepared chapters 1, 2, 7, and 8. Dr. Creech prepared chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Four appendixes at the close of the book provide the reader with “A Procedure for Responding to Charges of Clergy Sexual Abuse” (app. A), “Early Denominational Codes of Ethics” (app. B), “Contemporary Denominational Codes of Ethics” (app. C), and “Sample Codes of Ethics” (app. D).
We wish to express our gratitude to our wives, Melinda Creech and Audra Trull, whose counsel, proofreading, and constant support were invaluable during the research and writing of this text. In addition, we wish to thank Baker Publishing Group for support and encouragement to publish this text, especially acquisitions editor Robert N. Hosack, whose patience and extra-mile efforts made this textbook possible.
1 Walking with Integrity
A Profession or a Calling?
Ours is an age of ethical uncertainty. In Walker Percy’s novel The Thanatos Syndrome , a minister faces an ethical dilemma. Percy capsules his moral confusion and ours in one line: “This is not the Age of Enlightenment, but the Age of Not Knowing What to Do.” 1 One writer calls this quote an apt aphorism for our age and adds: “Politicians, scientists, physicians, business leaders, everyday citizens, and our clergy increasingly find themselves in situations where they really do not know what to do. As a result, ethics has become a boom industry, and moral failure a regular front-page phenomenon. Conventional wisdom seems glaringly inadequate in the face of our environmental, technological, political, economic and social situations.” 2 Ministerial ethics can no longer be assumed, if ever they were.
During the election year of 2016, many prominent evangelical ministers became involved in the political campaigns of candidates. One, the pastor of the renowned First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, even traveled to another state during a primary campaign to give his ringing endorsement of a candidate for president, although the candidate was himself not considered religious or even mildly moral. 3 Not only was this a violation of federal law for clergy but the act was also an obvious breach of all ministerial codes of conduct. 4
To this seeming confusion about ministerial morality, add the present decline in organized religion. Martin Marty, eminent church historian at the University of Chicago, calls the present trend a “drift away” from traditional churches, quoting author Linda Mercadante: “‘No matter how organized religions try to ignore, challenge, adapt, or protest it, our society is being changed by this pervasive ethos.’ Her studied types, ‘dissenters, casuals, explorers, seekers, and immigrants (to new beliefs)’ are often ‘millennials’ who cannot return to the religion of their youth, ‘in part because many of them never had one.’” 5 All studies indicate that today’s youth are often more skeptical of the country’s institutions than the youth in the generations that preceded them.
George Bullard, an expert on church ministry and cultural change, asks whether the millennial generation (those born from 1982 to 2000) brought radical change. His answer: “During their birth years, we saw the emergence of the postmodern age, in which paradigms shifted and many understandings of reality retuned to