Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Priestly Duties
I wish I were a blogger at Times & Seasons, because this post belongs there, where it can receive 50-100 comments from thoughtful Latter-day Saints across the country. Oh well....
Yesterday my big brother was called to serve in the bishopric of his ward. Shelly and I were discussing the ramifications of this event in his life, and the reasons he has for wishing the Lord had chosen someone else, when we stumbled upon an area of Mormon doctrine that I'm pretty much in the dark about.
When he is put into the bishopric, my brother will be ordained a high priest. Then, as my wife put it, "there's no going back." From this point on for the rest of his life, my brother will have to attend high priests' group meetings with the old men, instead of elders' quorum meetings with the kids his age.
Which leads me to the questions that I really don't know the answers to. What, exactly, is the purpose of the office of high priest? As far as I know, their priesthood powers are no greater than those of elders. They meet separately, but that's the only difference I can think of. Well, that and the fact that you have to be a high priest to be in a bishopric or high council. But if the Lord wants to call an elder to the bishopric (as he did with my brother), we just ordain the elder a high priest and that problem is taken care of. Is there some age range in which, if you haven't been ordained a high priest yet, you get ordained?
I suppose I could find out the answers to some or all of these questions through study and/or faith, but if there are any Mormon doctrinarians reading this, I'd appreciate some comments. Thanks!
Yesterday my big brother was called to serve in the bishopric of his ward. Shelly and I were discussing the ramifications of this event in his life, and the reasons he has for wishing the Lord had chosen someone else, when we stumbled upon an area of Mormon doctrine that I'm pretty much in the dark about.
When he is put into the bishopric, my brother will be ordained a high priest. Then, as my wife put it, "there's no going back." From this point on for the rest of his life, my brother will have to attend high priests' group meetings with the old men, instead of elders' quorum meetings with the kids his age.
Which leads me to the questions that I really don't know the answers to. What, exactly, is the purpose of the office of high priest? As far as I know, their priesthood powers are no greater than those of elders. They meet separately, but that's the only difference I can think of. Well, that and the fact that you have to be a high priest to be in a bishopric or high council. But if the Lord wants to call an elder to the bishopric (as he did with my brother), we just ordain the elder a high priest and that problem is taken care of. Is there some age range in which, if you haven't been ordained a high priest yet, you get ordained?
I suppose I could find out the answers to some or all of these questions through study and/or faith, but if there are any Mormon doctrinarians reading this, I'd appreciate some comments. Thanks!
Comments:
Good question. I served in two singles ward bishoprics as an elder (and still am) so it's not a hard rule that you need to be a High Priest. Of course, I suppose it's debateable that a singles ward is a part of the true church. :-)
As a current Elders president, it seems like Elders and HPs serve similar functions and that by and large a worthy active Elder becomes a HP when called to serve in the bishopric or they reach a sufficient age (40s or later I guess).
In practice, I suppose its a manageable way to divide the men of the ward. I would be interested to hear more doctrine on this as well. Plus, what was the office of the Seventy that was discontinued some time ago? Was that similar?
As a current Elders president, it seems like Elders and HPs serve similar functions and that by and large a worthy active Elder becomes a HP when called to serve in the bishopric or they reach a sufficient age (40s or later I guess).
In practice, I suppose its a manageable way to divide the men of the ward. I would be interested to hear more doctrine on this as well. Plus, what was the office of the Seventy that was discontinued some time ago? Was that similar?
Thanks, David. I guess I wasn't sure about whether it's a hard and fast rule that you must be a high priest to be a bishop's counselor (I'm fairly certain it's a requirement for bishop). Your experience resolves one uncertainty (and might save my brother from a gruesome fate!).
I know even less about the former office of seventy. My dad was one, and he has told me that it functioned a lot like ward missionaries do now--it seemed more like a calling than a priesthood office. That's all I know, though.
I know even less about the former office of seventy. My dad was one, and he has told me that it functioned a lot like ward missionaries do now--it seemed more like a calling than a priesthood office. That's all I know, though.
My husband was called as a high councillor when he was 28- and you have to be a high priest for that calling. It has not been convenient since then to have him as the youngest high priest in every ward we've been in since. I've also known a reasonable number of elders who were in bishoprics- usually in student (single or married) wards.
I'd love to hear some doctrine on this one too, since I'm not really sure why we do it.
I'd love to hear some doctrine on this one too, since I'm not really sure why we do it.
For me the real question is, even if the office is necessary for certain positions, why the separation on Sundays? It isn't as if there is a Jr. Relief Society and a Senior Relief Society. Instead, you hear about the value of having the women of all ages with different viewpoints, all contributing to the discussion and the community. Having been ordained a High Priest at age 25, I miss the opportunity to meet with younger men, although I value the things I have learned from the more seasoned members. I really wish I didn't have to give up either one.
Hmmm. This is news to me. I’m single and recently served in the Bishopric of a singles ward (not a BYU ward, maybe that’s the difference). When I was called the Stake President informed me that I would have to be ordained a high priest, so that’s what happened. And now, like you said above, I spend all of my priesthood time with the older men. From my experience, I assumed that becoming a High Priest was requisite to serve in a Bishopric, so these previous posts are a surprise to me.
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