The current Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain has changed all the rules concerning ordination. Pastors who were ordained by the previous Bishop have been told they are not really ordained Lutheran Pastors.
Pastors who have been ordained in the last few years have been told that they are not "fully approved" as Lutheran Pastors. The Bishop has even told a Bishop from a Lutheran Church outside of the UK that the Lutheran Church in Great Britain does not ordain pastors except women who come from countries and Lutheran Churches that do not ordain women. That statement was news to the men who have been ordained in the Lutheran Church in Great Britain.
Additionally the Bishop has refused to ordain any pastor with more theological education than the Bishop. Unfortunately this eliminates most of the Lutheran Pastors in the world as the Bishop has no degree in theology and most Lutheran Pastors have graduate degrees in theology.
The Bishop also appointed a lay person with no theological or pastoral training to Chair the committee responsible for theological education. This lay person is also appointed to mentor candidates for ordination and guide them in their theological and ministerial formation. Would a doctor be mentored by someone who never went to medical school? Would a solicitor or barrister be mentored by someone who did not read the law?
Is it incompetence? Fear of challenge? Insecurity?
Pastors who have been ordained in the last few years have been told that they are not "fully approved" as Lutheran Pastors. The Bishop has even told a Bishop from a Lutheran Church outside of the UK that the Lutheran Church in Great Britain does not ordain pastors except women who come from countries and Lutheran Churches that do not ordain women. That statement was news to the men who have been ordained in the Lutheran Church in Great Britain.
Additionally the Bishop has refused to ordain any pastor with more theological education than the Bishop. Unfortunately this eliminates most of the Lutheran Pastors in the world as the Bishop has no degree in theology and most Lutheran Pastors have graduate degrees in theology.
The Bishop also appointed a lay person with no theological or pastoral training to Chair the committee responsible for theological education. This lay person is also appointed to mentor candidates for ordination and guide them in their theological and ministerial formation. Would a doctor be mentored by someone who never went to medical school? Would a solicitor or barrister be mentored by someone who did not read the law?
Is it incompetence? Fear of challenge? Insecurity?
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