CASTING LOTS
by Bob Wickizer
Scripture: Esther 7:1-6, Esther 7:9-10, Esther 9:20-22, Psalms 124:1-8, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:39-50
Title: Casting Lots
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22, Psalm 124, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:38-50
I have a radical suggestion to the church for the selection process for bishops and priests. My suggestion is to follow the example in the Bible. "What's that?" you may ask. For starters, here is what it is not. There is no, zero, nada example in the Bible of making any critical choice or decision by voting.
In England, the monarch appoints the bishops. Similar arrangements hold in other countries with a Church of England presence. But in the United States, you have to remember that our first national convention of the nascent Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America took place not long after the first continental congress. Enlightenment thinking was all in vogue. The power of monarchs was out. Power was vested in the people they thought. The very word, "democracy," is a mash up of two Greek words meaning "the people's power." So, the canons of the Episcopal church took the people's power seriously and turned to voting as the means for selecting priests and bishops to lead congregations and dioceses.
So, what is the Biblical process for making a critical decision? Brace yourselves. It is casting lots. A trivial example was the Roman guards casting lots for Jesus' tunic after the crucifixion. Less trivial was the casting of lots by the disciples to select a twelfth disciple after Judas hanged himself. The common belief was that if presented with two or three equally good alternatives, then God, or the Holy Spirit, or the gods would intervene in the random process to make the selection. In fact, the word "clergy" comes from the Greek word for "lot" implying that to be chosen by God for this unique occupation is your lot in life.
My suggestion to the church for selection of priests and bishops is quite simple. After twenty-five years serving the church, I have seen way too many examples where the process of votin ...
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22, Psalm 124, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:38-50
I have a radical suggestion to the church for the selection process for bishops and priests. My suggestion is to follow the example in the Bible. "What's that?" you may ask. For starters, here is what it is not. There is no, zero, nada example in the Bible of making any critical choice or decision by voting.
In England, the monarch appoints the bishops. Similar arrangements hold in other countries with a Church of England presence. But in the United States, you have to remember that our first national convention of the nascent Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America took place not long after the first continental congress. Enlightenment thinking was all in vogue. The power of monarchs was out. Power was vested in the people they thought. The very word, "democracy," is a mash up of two Greek words meaning "the people's power." So, the canons of the Episcopal church took the people's power seriously and turned to voting as the means for selecting priests and bishops to lead congregations and dioceses.
So, what is the Biblical process for making a critical decision? Brace yourselves. It is casting lots. A trivial example was the Roman guards casting lots for Jesus' tunic after the crucifixion. Less trivial was the casting of lots by the disciples to select a twelfth disciple after Judas hanged himself. The common belief was that if presented with two or three equally good alternatives, then God, or the Holy Spirit, or the gods would intervene in the random process to make the selection. In fact, the word "clergy" comes from the Greek word for "lot" implying that to be chosen by God for this unique occupation is your lot in life.
My suggestion to the church for selection of priests and bishops is quite simple. After twenty-five years serving the church, I have seen way too many examples where the process of votin ...
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