What clout? …

The article "Pastoral clout" (Oct. 2), by Brooks Holifield, reminds me a bit of the counsel we seminarians received from the kindly professor of pastoral theology--it's true as far as it goes. And I suspect that like that professor's, Holifield's goal is to keep us interested in doing ministry in the face of a lack of cultural consensus as to what ministry is. Different parts of the culture place differing values on education, for instance, and certainly on the economic value of a minister's skill and time. I hope that in his book Holifield digs more deeply.

For instance, in his dismissal of Lloyd Rediger's concept of "clergy killers," Holifield overlooks the fact that anticlerical attacks are now attacks to the death, at least spiritually and economically. Surviving and thriving in ministry now require a new set of skills (and, I suspect, an alternative way to make a living).

Furthermore, it is certainly true that, as Bob Cueni once wrote, "Ministry does not pay well." A deeper look would have revealed that increases in clergy compensation, driven by skyrocketing health insurance premiums, have become a major issue for congregations. Some congregations, already dissatisfied with their pastors, have seized upon this as a lever to force termination. It's not enough simply to tell us that ministry is still an esteemed profession (though some of us would argue about that). What is needed is practical advice for understanding the contemporary culture and for surviving in it.

Cleveland Eugene Bryant

Baxter, Ia.

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