A Priest to the Temple or The Country Parson: With Selected Poems

by George Herbert, Ronald Blythe (Editor)

Written at a time of notoriously lax standards in the Church of England, George Herbert's essay on the calling and work of a parish priest remains fresh and full of wisdom for all who are pursuing this vocation today.

Genres: Poetry, Christian, Christian Living, Theology, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

George Herbert (1593-1633) was a Welsh-born English poet and orator. Herbert's poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognized as "a pivotal figure: enormously popular, deeply and broadly influential, and arguably the most skillful and important British devotional lyricist."

Born into an artistic and wealthy family, Herbert received a good education that led to his admission in 1609 as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Herbert excelled in languages, rhetoric and music. He went to university with the intention of becoming a priest, but when eventually he became the University's Public Orator he attracted the attention of King James I and may well have seen himself as a future Secretary of State. In 1624 and briefly in 1625 he served in Parliament. Never a healthy man, he died of consumption at the early age of 39.

Reviews

[John Damon Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Herbert presents a wonderfully holistic picture of pastoral ministry. However it's important to bear in mind while reading it, that it was entirely aspirational. Herbert wrote this prior to beginning his parish ministry so it was less of a lecture of how to do everything right and more of a vision for what a good shepherd's goal should be.

[Zack Clemmons]

A nice Stuart tonic of piety and devotion after the Victorian bloat of Trollope’s conniving clergy. Also, hearteningly, this one’s real.

[Lukas Stock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weeping, yearning for Herbert’s vision of Parish and Parson.

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I appreciate the poetic life of George Herbert and the ways he has provided a vast array of hymns for the Anglican tradition, his poetic idealism seems to have driven him to present a picture of the priest’s life that both eclipses the humanity of any priest, and the glory of Christ’s Gospel. The Country Parson takes Paul’s famous statement “I am all things to all people” (1 Cor. 9:22) and fills in the gaps of what “all things” means for the priest. For Herbert, the priest is to be all things - from the church building’s janitor, to social welfare program, to lawyer and physician. One wonders why the Lord Jesus Christ would bother to send the Holy Spirit upon his church when he has so many Country Parsons at his disposal. Moreover, one wonders how a Country Parson is saved by Jesus Christ when they are busy replacing Him to their parish. No truer statement is said by Herbert when he comments, “The Country Parson is generally sad” (ch. 27). Under his scheme, which reads mostly like an urbane Academic’s patronizing fantasy of quaint, small town ministry, the priest would be sad due to the sheer number of things he is to submit to and be responsible for that he would hardly have any personality, let alone humanity, left after adhering to Herbert’s list.

[Colby]

Herbert had a pre-ironic earnestness of vocation. The pitfall of moralism is obvious, but his instinct on the sin of idleness seems to be an overarching theme (if he only mentions it by name once). The modern temptation to be in constancy of motion is apparent, but equally, this is idleness of a different sort. Its disordered motion, lacking coherent and reachable ends. Maybe. I’m not entirely convinced of this reading myself, but I think there is something to it. We are an idle people: in the sense of we are constantly trying to find something meaningful to do.

The struggle is applying Herbert’s insights in a post-ironic age. How do we appropriate his wisdom is a world where irony compounds itself, abstracting things from themselves. Entire worlds of jokes now exist solely based on referentiality—separated by exponential levels of abstraction.

I’m thinking too much about this. I want to live in the world seriously, and Herbert has something to say.

[Gavin Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful pastoral classic from a pastor known for best for his poetry.

Some favorite lines:
“A prophecy is a wonder sent to posterity, lest they complain of lack of wonders.”

“Disputation is no cure for atheism.”

“The country pardon values catechisms from highly: for there being three points of his duty, the one to infuse a competent knowledge of salvation in every one of his flock; the other, to multiply and build up this knowledge to a spiritual Temple; the third, to inflame this knowledge, and press and drive it to practice, turning it to reformation or life...”

The two high points of the Christian life are patience and mortification.

“The greatest and hardest preparation is within...”

“A pastor is the Deputy of Christ for the reducing of man to the obedience of God.”

[Stewart Lindstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herbert is the most consistent of comforts in my reading life. Between the ebullient playfulness of Spenser and the Baroque majesty of Milton is the simple poetry of Herbert.

His brilliance lies in his simplicity, no less a simplicity of character than a simplicity of form. His poetry and his piety are of a piece, which I find absolutely wonderful.

His concern in life is to cling to the Cross of Christ above all else. What a humble office to die to ourselves, and yet, in that office, man is more noble, more like a God than ever before.

Herbert's tract on country parsons is a balm to the soul, instructing priests how to shepherd their flocks, how to manage the household, how to educate one's children, etc.

[Noah Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting insight to the daily life and calling of Herbert, who I otherwise have only known through his theological poetry. As an aside, it is pretty interesting to read the prose of author when you only familiar with their poetry (or vise verses) especially when they are hailed as one of the great english poets.
Though not all of this insights into the pastoral office are applicable today, none the less, many of them are profoundly preceptive into human nature and they christian life. How might one handle a particularly problematic parishioner? Herbert has probably thought of most scenarios and how to best handle them. His theological wisdom is evident as well as his practical wisdom.

[Ben Emberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5. Excellent. This is a thought provoking compilation of wisdom passed on from one man in the particular context of pastoring a country church. Having been written in the 1600s, some specific aspects of Herbert's advice are quite dated. Also, he at times insists on certain practices that, in my opinion, go beyond the requirements of Scripture. However, if the reader is aware of these things, he or she will find absolute gems of wise thoughts and counsel that are both convicting and motivating.

[Caleb Rolling · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are useful nuggets throughout, plenty of pastoral wisdom, and a rich vision of pastoral ministry. Of course, it will make some work to translate Herbert's vision from its seventeenth century context to the present day, and not everything he prescribes will be carried over, but the vision he puts forth is worth recovering. In fact, I might argue that it must be recovered! The Country Parson is one to revisit.

[Caleb Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Part handbook, part village recording, part autobiography" from the intro. Herbert lays out his own standards for the country parson in short, practical mini-chapters. I benefitted from an abundance of insights. Plan to return to it frequently.

[caroline filler · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoy this sort of reading, dated, obviously but still enjoyable if you are interested in vicars etc

[Jeff S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting perspective to ministry in 17th Century rural England.

[Matthew Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wise reflection on the Pastor’s life. Full of practical anecdotes, principled views on piety, and a slight asceticism.

[Matt Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent advice book for young ministers. Written for pastors in the Anglican church, some details may not apply to other denominations, but on the whole, it is full of wisdom. It describes areas from preaching and counseling, to a minister's humor and how he should govern his household. I plan on reading this many times in the future.