Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
What I Learned From Clergy In Other Religions

What I Learned From Clergy In Other Religions

Last updated on: June 18, 2019 at 3:00 am by John Beckett

What I Learned From Clergy In Other Religions 2019-06-09T13:42:28-06:00 John Beckett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In our recent discussions on Pagan priesthood, several people mentioned that they learned something of value from priests and other clergy in other religions. I definitely fall into that category – maybe you do too. Maybe there are lessons and other examples from your religious past that can help you in your Pagan future.

These are some of the important things I learned from clergy in other religions. None of these things are unique to these religions, but this is where I learned them.

Baptists: bivocationalism and emotional worship

It’s tempting to say that the only thing I learned from the Baptists is what not to do. When it comes to theology and doctrine that’s definitely true. But most Baptists – including Baptist ministers – are good people trying to do good work. I learned a few helpful things watching them while I was growing up.

In this case, “bivocationalism” is used for someone who serves as ordained clergy but who also holds a regular job in the secular world. Early in my career I worked with an engineer who was also the pastor of a very small Baptist church. There were times when he’d say “I can’t work late on Wednesdays – I have to preach.” Bivocationalism limits what you can accomplish in either career, but it makes it possible to serve as clergy without being dependent on parishioners for your livelihood.

I hated the loud, emotional, “preachin’ prayin’ singin’” services of my Baptist childhood. I needed the kind of spirituality found in mystery and silence. But after I got away from it and looked back – and after I sat through one too many overly intellectual services in other churches – I realized the value of the kind of worship you can feel not just in your heart but also in your gut. I need both silence and ecstasy, and I try to incorporate both into my Pagan worship.

Methodists: pastoral care and humanitarian work

I was a Methodist from my mid-20s into my early 30s. That was a very difficult time in my life. I leaned heavily on the ministers in the churches I attended, and they were always there for me. That includes one night when I was in what I’ll call “great despair” and asked the minister to come to my house right away to talk and pray. And he did.

I remain impressed with the humanitarian work done by Methodists, both individually and collectively. What I see is rarely the kind of tourism and proselytizing disguised as service I see in more conservative denominations. Instead I see fundraising to send money to local humanitarian groups in other countries where it can do the most good. There are some Pagan groups who do this kind of work, but not many – we need more.

Unitarian Universalists: setting boundaries and social justice

I’ve been a UU for 16 years now. That’s far longer than I was a Methodist. If you consider that I wasn’t really aware of what was going on when I was a baby in the nursery of various Baptist churches, I’ve been a UU at least as long as I was a Baptist. And instead of just observing ministers or engaging with them as a parishioner, now I’m actively working with them as a lay leader.

Although I’m a legally ordained priest who functions as clergy on a daily basis, in a UU setting I am laity. Unitarian Universalism has some strict and formal requirements for who can be a UU minister. I don’t meet those requirements, I don’t want to meet them, and I don’t want to be a UU minister – that’s not my calling. I respect the boundaries around UU ministry.

And although my Methodist role models demonstrated this, I’ve learned even more about setting pastoral boundaries from UU ministers. As I say here all the time, I’m not a psychologist and I can’t provide therapy. I can provide short-term pastoral care, but if you need more than that I have to refer you to a mental health professional – because I’m not one.

Christian theologian Karl Barth (1886 – 1968) said “preach with the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.” I saw little of that from the Baptists and some of it from the Methodists, but lots of it from the Unitarian Universalists… although for the UUs you have to replace “the Bible” with “the six sources of our living tradition.” And it’s not just sermons on social justice – I see UU ministers on the front lines of political and community action all the time.

fellow UU Pagan Cynthia Talbot speaking at the Vigil for Refugees – Dallas – January 2017

Buddhists: itinerant ministry

I’ve never been a Buddhist, but like many Pagans I explored Buddhism during my days as a seeker. I learned a lot that’s been helpful to me. Much of that is Buddhist teachings and practices, but some is what I learned observing the people who were teaching me.

An internet search for Buddhist temples turns up far more here in Texas than I assumed, but the Buddhist monks and teachers I’ve known have all had an itinerant ministry – they have no single fixed congregation or monastery. Many are bivocational, while others write, teach, and lead meditation at friendly churches and community centers. That’s a hard way to make a living – as any number of Pagans can tell you – but it’s a model that doesn’t require much in the way of infrastructure.

Catholics: the daily office

The practice of multiple daily prayers and worship is not limited to Catholic priests. Some Protestant ministers and Jewish rabbis do this, and praying five times a day is a requirement of all Muslims, not just imams. It was a part of Pagan temple worship in some places in ancient times. But it is the image of Catholic priests – and especially Catholic monks – spending regular time in worship and prayer day in and day out that has inspired my own practice. I’ve been praying four times a day every day for eight years.

I always thought Catholic priests were required to say Mass every day. According to this article by a canon lawyer, that’s not true. But they are required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours every day.

Here’s a very good Pagan approach to the daily office by ADF priest Rev. Lauren Mart.

Learn what you can, where you can, from whoever you can

Our certification-obsessed culture tells us that whatever we want to do, we need formal training in that subject. It overvalues classroom training and undervalues learning by doing – and learning by watching. I certainly value formal education and training: my home office wall has three diplomas and my certificate as an OBOD Druid hanging on it. I hope someday we’ll have good, solid, robust training programs for Pagan and polytheist priests in many traditions.

But until then – and even afterwards – those of us who want to be Pagan clergy can learn a lot by observing clergy of other religions.

Previous Post

June 16, 2019

6 Roles For Solitary Practitioners in the Pagan Future

Next Post

June 20, 2019 Pagans In and Out of Communion: What it Takes to Worship Together

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, who is the true neighbor?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Samaritan The Levite The priest The robber