What Is the Importance of Ordination?

Priest

According to the Community of Christ website, the act of ordination is important in any church as it confers both authority and responsibility on an individual called to a ministry. The sacrament of ordination is carried out as a way of the church recognizing the wishes of a church member to create a personal ministry within the overall church ministry.

Purpose

The importance of ordination is twofold. Firstly, ordination is a symbol of the wishes of the individual to devote their life to God and the church in a lifelong devotion to the ministry. Secondly, by providing an individual with ordination, a church gives its approval and authorization for the beginning of the individual's ministry. By providing an individual with the Sacrament of Ordination, a church recognizes the call of God to the individual.

Baptism

The sacrament of baptism is considered the first step towards ordination. Each baptized person becomes a member of their church, with responsibilities for taking part in the church's ministry. When ordained, a baptized church member is set apart from the other members of the church, as they are called by God and recognized by the church.

Community

Ordination takes place in the presence of the congregation of a church to signify the position within that community the ordained person now holds. Becoming ordained does not signify a raising up of a person within the community of the church. The new position of the ordained church member is not a hierarchical position, but is described as a setting apart from the rest of the congregation.

Responsibilities

An ordained church member is given certain responsibilities within the community, which the sacrament of ordination signifies. Once ordained, an individual becomes responsible for preaching the gospel, administering the sacraments and providing pastoral care to the congregation.

Sacrament

The sacrament of ordination is deeply rooted in the history of religion. The forerunner to the Christian sacrament was the ordination of rabbis in the Jewish religion. The sacrament itself takes as its guide the writings of the Old and New Testaments, and is a celebration of the gifts given by God to men and women in the workings of a ministry. According to the Community of Christ website, the sacrament is symbolic of the passing on of the principles and beliefs of the church in relation to the individual ordained.

References

• Bivocational Smaller Church Ministry: Importance of Ordination
• The Uniting Church in Australia: Brief Statement on Ordination
• Community of Christ: Sacrament of Ordination