Are Ministers Ordained by Seminaries?

[Cow Poke]

In my thread on Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, a discussion ensued regarding Jesse's ordination, and a cited article seemed to imply he was ordained by a seminary. Elsewhere, on that same cited website, it's clear that was not true. Really sloppy writing.

So, Tab asks the pertinent question.....

Is it possible that some seminaries do actually ordain people? There are a number of different procedures through various denominations.

I don't know of ANY denominations that handle their ordinations through their seminaries, but that doesn't mean none of them do.

Do you know of any recognized denominations that ordain through their seminaries, rather than their churches? I noted in the Jackson/Sharpton that even the "online ordination" scams use an associated fake CHURCH to do their "ordination".

[robrecht]

I don't know about the practices of other churches, but in the Catholic and Anglican traditions, during the ordination ceremony, the rector of the seminary is asked to testify to the theological readiness of the ordinands. I performed that role once for an Episcopalian student who was being ordained, but who had been trained in a University setting and not in a seminary.

[Cow Poke]

I don't know about the practices of other churches, but in the Catholic and Anglican traditions, during the ordination ceremony, the rector of the seminary is asked to testify to the theological readiness of the ordinands. I performed that role once for an Episcopalian student who was being ordained, but who had been trained in a University setting and not in a seminary.

Thanks... so the CHURCH does the ordination, but the Seminary testifies to the readiness, yes?

[robrecht]

Thanks... so the CHURCH does the ordination, but the Seminary testifies to the readiness, yes?

Correct.

[Cow Poke]

Correct.

Thanks -- you inspired me to check by denomination, and what you describe seems to be not so uncommon. Still haven't found any Seminaries that actually "do" the ordaining.

[tabibito]

It would seem then, that a seminary could ordain a person, provided that the officiating officer was a bishop or equivalent?

[Cow Poke]

It would seem then, that a seminary could ordain a person, provided that the officiating officer was a bishop or equivalent?

I really don't think so -- I think this is a division of labor, so to speak... Ordination represents the Apostles "laying aside" an individual for the work of the Church, and Seminaries are charged with the role of preparing them.

If the "officiating officer" was "a bishop or equivalent", then he would be acting in his role as clergy, not educator.

But I'm still looking!

[Thoughtful Monk]

Thanks... so the CHURCH does the ordination, but the Seminary testifies to the readiness, yes?

That's my experience when a seminary is involved. I have seen churches both do the training and ordination both.

[Cow Poke]

That's my experience when a seminary is involved. I have seen churches both do the training and ordination both.

The Southern Baptists have SIX seminaries of our own, but they do the educating --- local Churches do the ordaining.

[hedrick]

In the PCUSA a seminary couldn't ordain. Ordination is part of recognizing that someone has been called to a specific role. It's the church that does that. In theory I guess a seminary could ordain someone who was going to be a chaplain at that seminary, but normally graduating from a seminary prepares you for a call but it's not the same thing.

[Cow Poke]

In the PCUSA a seminary couldn't ordain. Ordination is part of recognizing that someone has been called to a specific role. It's the church that does that.

EGGzackly!

In theory I guess a seminary could ordain someone who was going to be a chaplain at that seminary, but normally graduating from a seminary prepares you for a call but it's not the same thing.

I can't really imagine that a seminary - which supposedly teaches the Bible and "Churchy" stuff - would usurp the Church's authority in ordaining. I would imagine the Seminary would request that the candidate's own Church ordain him.