“Shepherds or Butchers?” Redux…
Clericalism suffocates; it makes part of itself into the whole sacred character of the Church; it makes its power a sacred power to control, to lead, to administer; a power to perform sacraments, and, in general, it makes any power a power given to me! Clericalism separates all “sacredness” from the lay people: the iconostasis, communion (only by permission), theology. In short, clericalism is de facto denial of the Church as the body of Christ, for in the body, all organs are related and different only in their functions, but not in their essence. And the more clericalism clericalizes (the traditional image of the bishop or the priest emphasized by his clothes, hair, e.g., the bishop in full regalia!) the more the Church itself becomes more worldly; spiritually submits itself to this world. In the New Testament, the priest is presented as the ideal layman. But almost immediately there begins his increasingly radical separation from the lay people; and not only separation, but opposition to lay people, contrast to them. – Fr. Alexander Schmemann [Journals, pp. 310 & 311]
Redux. The time has come to say more about the problem of clericalism in the church. Nearly 7 years ago I wrote a post entitled “Shepherds or Butchers?” The post title comes from this short story, told by Fr. Tom Hopko.
“Clericalism: A policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy.”
It is a problem. Nay, it is a BIG problem. Since writing that first post several years ago, I am now 7 years older and 7 more years “woke” to things I was not awake to 7 years ago. Over these past years, I’ve become increasingly more concerned as I have witnessed a steady trend towards more clericalism within the Church. It is like a cancer that is silently growing.