I was just reading a five year-old post that touched on ex-wayfers claiming ordination even though they were no longer part of the group that ordained them, i.e. The Way
I have a vague memory of Martindale talking about how ordination was for life and that The Way didn't "re-ordain" someone who had been ordained in another denomination. I think he used Ross Tracy as an example.
I know that some denominations can and do "defrock" ministers who wander off the denomination's path, and that The Way for sure consigned "copped out" clergy to Grease Spot status.
But what were you guys who were ordained in The Way told it was all about?
It seemed like it shifted from time to time. A lot of the early Corps appeared to be ordained upon graduation; there were also clergy who were either running twigs or not running anything while still active within The Way, and there were occassionally non-clergy in positions of authority. Howard Allen seems to have had a weird take on ordination, turning down the offer because he "didn't want to do funerals". I have also heard that ordinations "opened the door" for things that only clergy could do: hospital visitations and weddings. (I myself have an online ordination that allows me to perform weddings, which I do regularly)
Do those of you who are out still consider yourself ordained? And what did it mean to you back then?
I have a vague memory of Martindale talking about how ordination was for life and that The Way didn't "re-ordain" someone who had been ordained in another denomination. I think he used Ross Tracy as an example.
I know that some denominations can and do "defrock" ministers who wander off the denomination's path, and that The Way for sure consigned "copped out" clergy to Grease Spot status.
But what were you guys who were ordained in The Way told it was all about?
It seemed like it shifted from time to time. A lot of the early Corps appeared to be ordained upon graduation; there were also clergy who were either running twigs or not running anything while still active within The Way, and there were occassionally non-clergy in positions of authority. Howard Allen seems to have had a weird take on ordination, turning down the offer because he "didn't want to do funerals". I have also heard that ordinations "opened the door" for things that only clergy could do: hospital visitations and weddings. (I myself have an online ordination that allows me to perform weddings, which I do regularly)
Do those of you who are out still consider yourself ordained? And what did it mean to you back then?