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Ordained, Anointed, Destined for Ministry
I
’m a bit new to thinking deeply about ordination.
wedding. Nowadays, you can apply for and purchase
Oh sure, I’ve always known that ordination was a
an ordination certificate so that the signature on the
significant step for ministers and that it afforded
marriage license is official.
those ministers the opportunity to lead out in
If you check with Wikipedia (and what great
certain activities within our church. I understood that
researcher doesn’t?), the first lines in the entry on
ordination was that point after which someone was
ordination tell us:
known as “Elder.”
Ordination is the process by which individuals
But, as an educator—and as a female—ordination
are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated
seemed to be a topic that concerned others. That
from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus
has changed over the past months, and the topic of
then authorized (usually by the denominational
ordination has been something I’ve thought much
hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform
more about. For instance, I am convinced that
various religious rites and ceremonies.
education equals ministry. Ministry happens every day
The Wikipedia entry then goes on to explain that
in Adventist education.
in most Protestant churches, ordination is the rite by
When teachers present a new concept, they often
which an individual is authorized to take on the office
begin with the vocabulary and define the terms. So,
of ministry.
what does ordination mean?
There is certainly a plethora of other scholarly,
In some circles, ordination has come to mean
theological, and opinion pieces to be found about
the process you go through online so that you can
ordination, particularly within the Seventh-day
become an officiant for a friend or family member’s
Adventist Church. In our early church history, there
12 Pacific Union Recorder
