Rite Vocatus?
My Latin may not be that good but my German is still fair. On ordentlichen Beruf verses rite vocatus are used together. Why do we always refer to the Latin rather than the German? But this may beside the point. Beruf or vocatus mean vocation just as much as call.
I hear people talk about the call or Call documents as some kind of precious and holy thing. But are not Call documents just contractual documents. Is it not an agreement between two parties? When a Pastor accepts a Call is he not accepting a contract? You will hear of many Pastors that will not accept calls to congregations because they can not afford to pay his salary. If a Call is more than a contract, then it does not matter about the salary and benefits. Should not a Pastor trust in God to call him to any church or location no matter what the "Call Document" may say.
The word vocatus and Beruf mean vocation. The latin is where we come up with this big term for job or profession. But theologically we use the term vocation not just for Jobs and professions, but for any calling in life. This is not just talking about a vocation as a plumber or engineer or farmer. This is talking about your various vocations, such as father or mother, son or daughter, friend and neighbor. On this ground is it not important to think of the Church order.
I am a single man and have no children. If I took on the vocation of your spouse or father would it not be out place? If I took on the role of President of the United States or Governor without being properly elected, wouldn't I get into trouble? It is very simple. The office of the Public Ministry is a vocation not unlike other vocations. In the church one should be properly placed, assigned, asked, or called into this vocation.
Thus, you get to the other words, "rite" and "ordentlichen" which even though rite may be connected to the word ritual does not mean ritual. They mean proper or orderly fashioned. If you are going to fill a position in any job or profession there is a proper way of doing things and a subversive way of doing things. Now some of us would be more than happy to get a position in a subversive manner but it is not proper or correct.
So you simply end up with the Lutheran Confessions saying that one can not publicly teach, preach, or administer the sacraments without a bearing a proper vocation. They must be placed in this position properly and in good order. This does not recall for us the order or way in which one does this properly, because then we would have a special mysterious ritual on our hands. Therefore, whether you heir a Pastor, Call a Pastor, have a Pastor placed in your Church, etc. it does not matter.
I hear people talk about the call or Call documents as some kind of precious and holy thing. But are not Call documents just contractual documents. Is it not an agreement between two parties? When a Pastor accepts a Call is he not accepting a contract? You will hear of many Pastors that will not accept calls to congregations because they can not afford to pay his salary. If a Call is more than a contract, then it does not matter about the salary and benefits. Should not a Pastor trust in God to call him to any church or location no matter what the "Call Document" may say.
The word vocatus and Beruf mean vocation. The latin is where we come up with this big term for job or profession. But theologically we use the term vocation not just for Jobs and professions, but for any calling in life. This is not just talking about a vocation as a plumber or engineer or farmer. This is talking about your various vocations, such as father or mother, son or daughter, friend and neighbor. On this ground is it not important to think of the Church order.
I am a single man and have no children. If I took on the vocation of your spouse or father would it not be out place? If I took on the role of President of the United States or Governor without being properly elected, wouldn't I get into trouble? It is very simple. The office of the Public Ministry is a vocation not unlike other vocations. In the church one should be properly placed, assigned, asked, or called into this vocation.
Thus, you get to the other words, "rite" and "ordentlichen" which even though rite may be connected to the word ritual does not mean ritual. They mean proper or orderly fashioned. If you are going to fill a position in any job or profession there is a proper way of doing things and a subversive way of doing things. Now some of us would be more than happy to get a position in a subversive manner but it is not proper or correct.
So you simply end up with the Lutheran Confessions saying that one can not publicly teach, preach, or administer the sacraments without a bearing a proper vocation. They must be placed in this position properly and in good order. This does not recall for us the order or way in which one does this properly, because then we would have a special mysterious ritual on our hands. Therefore, whether you heir a Pastor, Call a Pastor, have a Pastor placed in your Church, etc. it does not matter.
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