Last night the Bishop visited our local parish for Confirmation. It was a cool service. About fifteen persons were confirmed. The Bishop preached a good sermon. I remembered my own confirmation and the text which was assigned: "Seek those things which are above," Col3:1). The Bishop didn't assign a text and I missed that.
All this got me thinking about the service, preparation for it and the content of it. We tell people that it is about their receiving the Holy Spirit. What we do, however, is focus their preparation on doctrine, church history, and liturgics.
No matter how hard I try I can not find any Scriptural authority for this. Nowhere are we told that we must be knowledgeable, liturgically graceful or orthodox in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Where in the training do we find the meaning of discipleship, of following Jesus in our daily life, of developing and deepening our relationship with God?
Have we missed something here? I know we are teaching a contemporary version of what we have always taught, but is that teaching people to follow Christ?
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Fr. Tom Ireland
A Commentary on Contemporary Religious Thought
The Hermeneutist
Fr. Tom Ireland
About Me
- Fr. Tom Ireland
- Florida, United States
- I am a retired clergyman watching the world change. Some of the change is good. Some,however, is "been there; done that," and it didn't work.
What is a hermeneutist?
Goals and Objectives
O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works. And now that I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me till I make known your strength to this generation and you power to all who are to come. Psalm 71:17-18