When clergy get together we talk a lot about collegiality. The college of presbyters(priests), the college of bishops, we even have a service called a collation...which leads to the obvious jokes...but more of that at another timeOur monthly Deanery meeting, which is a principle expression of our local collegiality (clergy of the southern region) was yesterday. One of the things we do is talk about what we are going to preach about next Sunday (riveting stuff...but it is of course our bread and butter)
It was hard work yesterday, the passage we looked at principally was Matthew 15:21-28, Jesus's encounter with a Canaanite woman. It is quite a tricky little passage as Jesus seems to eb quite rude to a woman. One of us began with assertion, "Of course this is clever it is a play on words...", another (perhaps the least formally trained of us all) had obviously done more preparation than any of us and gave us a sensitive pastoral account, I chipped in with my usual this is about struggling with what it means to be authentic. The theologian tried to link it backwards and forwards.
I was left wondering what the people would hear on Sunday.
It was, this time, a fairly frustrating sort of discussion in which we didn't really engage with each other. Sometimes (even usually) we spark each other. But this time weall seemed to have quite different agendas.
I suppose this is both the strength and weakness of a college. It allows for difference, but that difference can also be frustrating.
I remain committed to the idea that it is the struggle with difference thta is creative and dynamic.
But I would, wouldn't I?
