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The Life and Work of a Priest
In this lively and hopeful volume, John Pritchard realistically maps out the life and work of those called to serve God in the ordained ministry. He looks in turn at the only three things he believes need be of concern: the glory of God, the pain of the world, and the renewal of the Church. From these flow the priest's many roles, such as spiritual explorer, multi-lingual interpreter, wounded companion, friendly irritant, creative leader and mature risk-taker. This book pays homage to Robert Martineau's The Office and Work of a Priest, published in 1972, and much valued as a wise account of the duties of a priest at that time. "Dipping again into John Pritchard's The Life and Work of a Priest for this review reminded me what a remarkable, wise, and humane book it is. It covers just about everything parish life might throw at clergy. Well, not quite everything. If you're troubled by sylvan revels or cohabiting bandits, I'm afraid you're on your own." Paul Handley, Church Times
164 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2007
9 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
John Pritchard
38 books3 followersBishop of Oxford. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pri...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 11, 2023
learnt lots >:)
September 30, 2020
Doesn't the priest spend all day reading, drinking tea, and resting until Sunday? Surely, there are no challenges to face, no labour to be worked, nothing to organise, and no unexpected surprises to be dealt with? And why would there be? Are not these flawless individuals endowed with the abilities to shine with holiness, to cast out demons, to turn water into wine, and to levitate 6 inches off the ground? Gee, it all sounds pretty easy-going, where do I sign up?!!
If these are the thoughts of the ordinand, then John Pritchard's, The Life and Work of the Priest, is about to layeth the smackdown on such a superficial misunderstanding. In fact, for the former bishop of Oxford, the life of the priest is not about receiving supernatural abilities and putting your feet up for 6 days a week, but it's about bringing the supernatural into a world of much need through the life that is dedicated to serving God, the world, and the Church. The priest is to serve as a leader of worship, a person of prayer, a preacher, an apologist, a theologian, an intercessor, a pastor, an apostle, a prophet, a team-leader, an evangelist, a teacher, a pioneer, a manager, and most of all a Christian. With much support, they are to be a beacon of faith, hope, and love, an embodied presence of Jesus Christ, and thus a means by which heaven becomes a reality on earth here and now. Surely there is no time for tea! :P
But is this overwhelming list a cause to despair? Does Prichard's experiences and honest reality check send the enquirer running in the opposite direction? Or does it serve as a window into one of the most thrilling and rewarding vocations?
In just 160 pages, Pritchard not only introduces the seeker into the multi-faceted nature of the priestly life, but he does so in a way that is refreshing, encouraging, and informative. The former bishop of Oxford reminds the priest what and why they signed up to such an immensely rich vocation, and he excites and invites the seeker into a life unlike any other. This is certainly a book worthy of 5 stars.
If these are the thoughts of the ordinand, then John Pritchard's, The Life and Work of the Priest, is about to layeth the smackdown on such a superficial misunderstanding. In fact, for the former bishop of Oxford, the life of the priest is not about receiving supernatural abilities and putting your feet up for 6 days a week, but it's about bringing the supernatural into a world of much need through the life that is dedicated to serving God, the world, and the Church. The priest is to serve as a leader of worship, a person of prayer, a preacher, an apologist, a theologian, an intercessor, a pastor, an apostle, a prophet, a team-leader, an evangelist, a teacher, a pioneer, a manager, and most of all a Christian. With much support, they are to be a beacon of faith, hope, and love, an embodied presence of Jesus Christ, and thus a means by which heaven becomes a reality on earth here and now. Surely there is no time for tea! :P
But is this overwhelming list a cause to despair? Does Prichard's experiences and honest reality check send the enquirer running in the opposite direction? Or does it serve as a window into one of the most thrilling and rewarding vocations?
In just 160 pages, Pritchard not only introduces the seeker into the multi-faceted nature of the priestly life, but he does so in a way that is refreshing, encouraging, and informative. The former bishop of Oxford reminds the priest what and why they signed up to such an immensely rich vocation, and he excites and invites the seeker into a life unlike any other. This is certainly a book worthy of 5 stars.
April 18, 2012
every page seems to tell me how difficult and yet rewarding a road I am seeking to tread.
June 15, 2020
Books on the priesthood all tend to be quite short. Ramsey's classic is 112 pages, Cocksworth & Brown (my favourite) is 202 pages, Steven Croft's Ministry in Three Dimensions is 192. Presumably this is because potential ordinands (the ones for whom such reading is compulsory) need something not to daunting to cram before their Bishop's Advisory Panel, and parish priests barely have time to get beyond Church Times, let alone something resembling a book.
The result is that all treatments of this subject end up being fairly cursory (although that does not mean that they cannot be profound). John Pritchard's offering feels particularly so as he crams 17 chapters into 160 pages. We get a lot of breadth, and some wise observations, but always there is the sense of "yes, but" or "so what" which could have been answered in a longer book. As a busy parish priest I'm not complaining, but I would be interested to know if there is more comprehensive book out there.
Pritchard does avoid the trap (as he recognises) of promoting a counsel of perfection. As with the aforementioned books, this book has not been written by a parish priest (he was the Bishop of Oxford) and so there is always the danger of remembering a burnished past. My bishop casually mentioned that he enjoyed Saturdays as a parish priest because he could take half a day off. Sadly that is not the case now with workloads ever increasing. But books like this are important in reminding us of what vocation is and what we are called to do. No one will be able to feel confident in these 17 chapters all of the time, but all of us I hope, can sometimes.
The result is that all treatments of this subject end up being fairly cursory (although that does not mean that they cannot be profound). John Pritchard's offering feels particularly so as he crams 17 chapters into 160 pages. We get a lot of breadth, and some wise observations, but always there is the sense of "yes, but" or "so what" which could have been answered in a longer book. As a busy parish priest I'm not complaining, but I would be interested to know if there is more comprehensive book out there.
Pritchard does avoid the trap (as he recognises) of promoting a counsel of perfection. As with the aforementioned books, this book has not been written by a parish priest (he was the Bishop of Oxford) and so there is always the danger of remembering a burnished past. My bishop casually mentioned that he enjoyed Saturdays as a parish priest because he could take half a day off. Sadly that is not the case now with workloads ever increasing. But books like this are important in reminding us of what vocation is and what we are called to do. No one will be able to feel confident in these 17 chapters all of the time, but all of us I hope, can sometimes.
August 20, 2015
Andy Hickman's personal reflections of John Pritchard's “The Life and Work of a Priest” (London: SPCK, 2007).
This book pleasantly surprised me. Pritchard reduced the pervading distance between a sense of calling and the term 'priest'. I have read numerous books on being a pastor and minister. Pritchard helped familiarise me with foreign terms but discernible realities. I like how he provided a philosophical approach to priesthood that was both descriptive and generally prescriptive without being entrenched in his own particular cultural context. He had my full attention as early as the preface when he said that a priest only has to be concerned with “the glory of God, the pain of the world and the renewal (repentance) of the Church,” (page 'x').
Ch.1 – What kind of love is this?
Deploying the love of God for the well-being of others is an impressively simple personal mission statement reminding me of how God's love has been poured into our hearts in order to be re-poured out (Rom 5:5). What makes this possible is the “fascinating, compelling and irresistible” figure of Christ whom we commend (p5). Pritchard speaks of the authorised ministries of bishop, priest and deacon as representative ministries of all God's people (p6).
“It's as if God is the supreme Artist who invites us into his studio. … and then he says, 'Let's paint!'” (p7).
Pritchard suggests “a range of images to give new life to conventional categories of priesthood.” (p7). I like that framework. “Artistic director, choreographer—these are good images for the work that must be done by the pastor as chief Christian educator.”
Part One - The Glory of God
The opening prayer contains phrases that are experiential descriptions: “afresh, amaze us, inspire us, dazzle us, your presence, your love, our forgiveness, your beauty, your world, your story, your Son.” (p10). I love these words.
Ch.2 – Presiding Genius? Exciting the Imagination. The priest as leader of worship.
Pritchard states a great challenge: “How can people be both reassured by the constancy of God and also stretched and surprised by God's originality?” (p15).
Ch3 – Spiritual Explorer: Passionately directed towards God. The priest as person of prayer.
“... many priests these days experience medically diagnosed stress at some time in their ministries,” (p25).
I am convinced that one of the most profoundly important pastoral-evangelistic truths to have as a priest is that “... what he (Jesus) valued in the tax collector, as in all his picture parables, was the direction of the heart,” (p30).
Ch.4 – Artful Story-teller: Opening Up a world of grace. The priest as preacher.
Preaching is a vulnerable business as you're particularly exposed. Pritchard's comical depiction of sermons remind me of Mark Twains quote, “[The preacher] never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too.” - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Stories, including those depicted by fiction and art, have an undeniable way of challenging and exposing our skewed, truncated or myopic worldviews. Our biased perceptions (whether they be individual, group or general) keep us locked in shallow thinking and we need our horizon's expanded by the process of offending our minds in order to expose our hearts. When we recognise our biases and experience a kind of “conversion” then we move forward in quantum leaps toward clearer awareness of God, ourselves and the world we live in.
“People remember stories because we all live in a sea of them. Jesus understood this very well and constantly told stories out of contemporary experience,” (p37).
What a great point Pritchard makes when he says, “Humour is part of the deep structure of our humanity, and to exclude it from our preaching is therefore to 'de-humanise' our worship.” (p34).
Ch.5 – Multilingual Interpreter: Exploring the Landscape of Faith. The priest as apologist.
I agree about the challenge to handle the tough questions. “It's better for us to engage with others from the basis of an expansive, joyful faith than as worried defenders of God's dignity,” (p48).
There have been long-standing prejudices and blind-spots that have been culturally entrenched social norms but have now been critiqued and challenged producing a healthy examination of what has long been slavishly adhered to. Take Latin America for example where Christians have led the call to confront the injustices inherit in the entwined tri-ideologies of colonialism, commerce and Christendom. This Liberation Theology has empowered millions of oppressed people to read the Bible from “the underside” and begin the reflective process of the hermeneutical spiral, observing prevailing social conditions, forming healthy suspicions of the overarching meta-narratives, returning to Scripture through readjusted lens and applying a robust theology that is contextually appropriate, socially redemptive, spiritually transformational and communally life-giving in adoration of Christ the Liberator.
In our Western cultures we have a growing social consciousness that no longer tolerates discrimination and exploitation and rightly advocates racial harmony, environmentalism, egalitarianism and marriage equality. For 2000 years the Gospel has proven to be exceptionally resilient, adaptable, translatable and transportable enough to be inserted, grounded and flourish in the hearts of any demographic, geographic, economic community in any generation.
“Priests are multilingual interpreters. They interpret the faith to the wider culture, and the culture to the faith community,” (1 Peter 3:15) (p48). Let's explore the landscape of faith and ask the hard questions with confidence in the Gospel's inherent robustness. Our world will respect our honesty.
Ch.17 – Life-fulfiller: Enjoying all God's Gifts. The priest as a Christian.
Simple message: Stay human!
This book was a refreshing gift.
This book pleasantly surprised me. Pritchard reduced the pervading distance between a sense of calling and the term 'priest'. I have read numerous books on being a pastor and minister. Pritchard helped familiarise me with foreign terms but discernible realities. I like how he provided a philosophical approach to priesthood that was both descriptive and generally prescriptive without being entrenched in his own particular cultural context. He had my full attention as early as the preface when he said that a priest only has to be concerned with “the glory of God, the pain of the world and the renewal (repentance) of the Church,” (page 'x').
Ch.1 – What kind of love is this?
Deploying the love of God for the well-being of others is an impressively simple personal mission statement reminding me of how God's love has been poured into our hearts in order to be re-poured out (Rom 5:5). What makes this possible is the “fascinating, compelling and irresistible” figure of Christ whom we commend (p5). Pritchard speaks of the authorised ministries of bishop, priest and deacon as representative ministries of all God's people (p6).
“It's as if God is the supreme Artist who invites us into his studio. … and then he says, 'Let's paint!'” (p7).
Pritchard suggests “a range of images to give new life to conventional categories of priesthood.” (p7). I like that framework. “Artistic director, choreographer—these are good images for the work that must be done by the pastor as chief Christian educator.”
Part One - The Glory of God
The opening prayer contains phrases that are experiential descriptions: “afresh, amaze us, inspire us, dazzle us, your presence, your love, our forgiveness, your beauty, your world, your story, your Son.” (p10). I love these words.
Ch.2 – Presiding Genius? Exciting the Imagination. The priest as leader of worship.
Pritchard states a great challenge: “How can people be both reassured by the constancy of God and also stretched and surprised by God's originality?” (p15).
Ch3 – Spiritual Explorer: Passionately directed towards God. The priest as person of prayer.
“... many priests these days experience medically diagnosed stress at some time in their ministries,” (p25).
I am convinced that one of the most profoundly important pastoral-evangelistic truths to have as a priest is that “... what he (Jesus) valued in the tax collector, as in all his picture parables, was the direction of the heart,” (p30).
Ch.4 – Artful Story-teller: Opening Up a world of grace. The priest as preacher.
Preaching is a vulnerable business as you're particularly exposed. Pritchard's comical depiction of sermons remind me of Mark Twains quote, “[The preacher] never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too.” - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Stories, including those depicted by fiction and art, have an undeniable way of challenging and exposing our skewed, truncated or myopic worldviews. Our biased perceptions (whether they be individual, group or general) keep us locked in shallow thinking and we need our horizon's expanded by the process of offending our minds in order to expose our hearts. When we recognise our biases and experience a kind of “conversion” then we move forward in quantum leaps toward clearer awareness of God, ourselves and the world we live in.
“People remember stories because we all live in a sea of them. Jesus understood this very well and constantly told stories out of contemporary experience,” (p37).
What a great point Pritchard makes when he says, “Humour is part of the deep structure of our humanity, and to exclude it from our preaching is therefore to 'de-humanise' our worship.” (p34).
Ch.5 – Multilingual Interpreter: Exploring the Landscape of Faith. The priest as apologist.
I agree about the challenge to handle the tough questions. “It's better for us to engage with others from the basis of an expansive, joyful faith than as worried defenders of God's dignity,” (p48).
There have been long-standing prejudices and blind-spots that have been culturally entrenched social norms but have now been critiqued and challenged producing a healthy examination of what has long been slavishly adhered to. Take Latin America for example where Christians have led the call to confront the injustices inherit in the entwined tri-ideologies of colonialism, commerce and Christendom. This Liberation Theology has empowered millions of oppressed people to read the Bible from “the underside” and begin the reflective process of the hermeneutical spiral, observing prevailing social conditions, forming healthy suspicions of the overarching meta-narratives, returning to Scripture through readjusted lens and applying a robust theology that is contextually appropriate, socially redemptive, spiritually transformational and communally life-giving in adoration of Christ the Liberator.
In our Western cultures we have a growing social consciousness that no longer tolerates discrimination and exploitation and rightly advocates racial harmony, environmentalism, egalitarianism and marriage equality. For 2000 years the Gospel has proven to be exceptionally resilient, adaptable, translatable and transportable enough to be inserted, grounded and flourish in the hearts of any demographic, geographic, economic community in any generation.
“Priests are multilingual interpreters. They interpret the faith to the wider culture, and the culture to the faith community,” (1 Peter 3:15) (p48). Let's explore the landscape of faith and ask the hard questions with confidence in the Gospel's inherent robustness. Our world will respect our honesty.
Ch.17 – Life-fulfiller: Enjoying all God's Gifts. The priest as a Christian.
Simple message: Stay human!
This book was a refreshing gift.
January 13, 2017
I enjoyed reading Pritchard's book as it was written in a very conversational style without coming across as trite. This was helped by some cartoons with humorous captions.
I do think that, despite frequent statements to the contrary, Pritchard implicitly sees there being quite a stark divide between the clergy and the laity in a Church (and very much sees the clergy as a distinct class - for example through references to it being the highest of callings). Despite this I found it helpful in guiding me through the initial process of thinking through what it might mean to be ordained.
I do think that, despite frequent statements to the contrary, Pritchard implicitly sees there being quite a stark divide between the clergy and the laity in a Church (and very much sees the clergy as a distinct class - for example through references to it being the highest of callings). Despite this I found it helpful in guiding me through the initial process of thinking through what it might mean to be ordained.
February 24, 2023
I am not a priest and most likely never will be ordained. But this book by the former bishop of Oxford was a much needed and refreshing look at the ministry. To get a better understanding of what my priest goes through, to discern my own vocation, to equip me to be a better lay minister.
But also it helped to see many shortcomings in my own tradition - Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church - where support for priests, and new emerging ministries, work with adults etc is lacking, both in resources and education.
But also it helped to see many shortcomings in my own tradition - Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church - where support for priests, and new emerging ministries, work with adults etc is lacking, both in resources and education.
October 31, 2021
Invaluable
By bringing the reality of priestly life to those of us who feel called to it, John does us an invaluable service. Cogent and humane, this short book is an easy overview of the the scope and scale of the life we are considering. My vicar recommended it when I told him I felt called to this path, and I have no hesitation in endorsing his recommendation.
By bringing the reality of priestly life to those of us who feel called to it, John does us an invaluable service. Cogent and humane, this short book is an easy overview of the the scope and scale of the life we are considering. My vicar recommended it when I told him I felt called to this path, and I have no hesitation in endorsing his recommendation.
October 28, 2020
Very informative and honest
This book is puts lots of different aspects of ordained ministry under a magnifying glass and explores how we can do our best in these areas. The final chapter is very uplifting also.
This book is puts lots of different aspects of ordained ministry under a magnifying glass and explores how we can do our best in these areas. The final chapter is very uplifting also.
December 28, 2020
Inspirational and practical at the same time
Found the book to be really helpful in considering priesthood and working out the demands and challenges to expect. At the same time it beautifully elevates ministry and draws the reader closer to God.
Found the book to be really helpful in considering priesthood and working out the demands and challenges to expect. At the same time it beautifully elevates ministry and draws the reader closer to God.
December 15, 2024
A helpful book for anyone who is discerning whether God is calling them to be a priest. It gives both a practical and theologically view of what a priest is. In doing so it doesn't lower what a high calling being a priest is, but also enables the reader to explore how they can inhabit this calling in a practical way.
May 13, 2020
Helpful place to start on the life and role of the priest
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