Wolf among Sheep
One of the upsides of being an “other”, a non-Presby at a Presbyterian Seminary is how much you can just disappear. Sure, it takes awhile to pick up the Presbyterian idiom (I’m still not sure WHAT a Presbytery is…) and there is little tolerance and even less interest in all things Methodist. But on the whole, it’s easy to concentrate on your studies and not be distracted by the ever constant pressures of candidacy. Should, of course, you ever get that far!
But the benefits go far deeper than just avoiding the perennial questions (What’s your Annual Conference? Elder or Deacon track?). Among the many reasons is that it gives you a chance to be on the “outside”. And in doing so, to listen to voices not your own. It is a critical skill for anyone answering a “call” to ministry. However, being able to step outside of yourself and be present to another who may or may not share your unique point of view or take on life is more than a skill-set to master–it is a gift to be cherished. Hear me correctly… it is not a gift you give, but a gift given to you. It is luxurious to hear another and to be truly present in the hearing. Especially when we find ourselves translating (idiom or language or attitude)! It’s a big reason why people travel abroad–it’s an opportunity to encounter and experience “another” in ways that enrich our own understanding of what it means to be alive. I would suggest to you here, that you need not board a plane to some exotic destination or far-flung wilderness. Even those you share air with daily see the world DIFFERENTLY.
However… sometimes… you get homesick for your native tongue. I walked into Polity… sat with my other United Methodist Peers… and reveled in the opportunity to be present with others who speak my particular idiom. To listen to the voices of those who are the future of my denomination as well as the voice of one who has led us so faithfully. You aren’t supposed to love Polity. But… in its odd way, the class is more than just a three-hour seminar on History/Doctrine/ and Polity of the United Methodist Church once a week. It’s communion with saints who, like me, are seeking to engage in a practical theology of “joining knowledge and vital piety”. For three hours, once a week I sound just like everyone else.
And for three hours, once a week… John Wesley is the subject of our conversation.
