Famous quote by Arthur Middleton

"There is a kind of thinking in the Church that wants to reduce the priest to a mere functionary, a managing director, where administration rather than doctrine and worship are to determine the form of the Church"

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Arthur Middleton's quote seriously highlights a stress within the Church concerning the function and identity of the priesthood. It expresses issue over a shift from a spiritual to a more administrative design, where priests are perceived more as bureaucrats than spiritual leaders. This shift is viewed as damaging to the conventional roles of teaching doctrine and leading worship, which have historically defined the priesthood.

Middleton utilizes the term "mere functionary" to recommend a reducing view of the priest's role, minimizing it to routine, organizational jobs akin to those of a "managing director". This analogy underscores the concern that a business-like mindset is encroaching upon the Church's sacred areas, focusing on effectiveness and management over spiritual affairs. Such an improvement might result in the disregard of crucial theological matters and a weakening of the Church's spiritual objective, as it ends up being more concentrated on operational aspects than on supporting the faith and spiritual health and wellbeing of its congregation.

Furthermore, when administration supersedes doctrine and worship, the essence of religious leadership could end up being watered down. priests may lose their identity as shepherds of faith, ending up being disconnected from the spiritual needs of the community. Middleton's viewpoint recommends that this might engender a type of secularization within the Church, where pragmatic concerns eclipse the core spiritual tenets.

This commentary invites reflection on the balance between maintaining the Church's functional functionality and preserving its spiritual foundations. While efficient management is vital, Middleton's declaration implies that it needs to not come at the expense of the Church's doctrinal and praise obligations. Rather, the concern ought to stay on supporting the spiritual lives of the faithful and supporting the sacred customs that define the Church's identity. It requires a reinvigoration of the spiritual function of priests, ensuring that their primary focus stays on cultivating much deeper connections with God and the community, instead of purely administrative concerns.

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USA Flag This quote is written / told by Arthur Middleton between June 26, 1742 and January 1, 1787. He/she was a famous Politician from USA. The author also have 11 other quotes.
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