Can a Pastor be "Unordained"?
by Pastor Walter Snyder

Q: I have a question about Lutheran ordination, although it could apply to other churches.
I was taught that ordination is a gift from God, for life and can never be taken away:
"Once ordained, always ordained." Do you have any resources reflecting this? Thank you
for any information. May God richly bless you as you have been a blessing to others.

A: If you ask about ordination throughout all Christendom, you'll receive a variety of responses.
Narrow your queries to the Lutheran Church and you'll still receive a variety of responses.

The heart of the matter is understanding what ordination is and isn't. During the Reformation, the
Evangelicals (Lutherans) distanced themselves from the medieval Roman Catholic understanding.
Unlike the early Church fathers, theologians of the Middle Ages began to treat ordination as a
grace-bestowing, power-giving, authority-conferring Sacrament.

Lutherans claimed that ordination does nothing to enhance one's character, imparts no new
virtues, and contributes nothing to one's salvation. They often treated it as a ratification of the call
of the Holy Ghost to a specific pastorate, considering it more a rite than a sacrament.

One thing that the Lutheran reformers categorically denied was that Ordination gives a priest the
right to offer sacrifices to God. They claimed that Scripture clearly says that all believers are
priests who live sacrificial lives. They denied that the Mass was a new sacrifice of Christ---rather,
they treated the Lord's Supper as a gracious gift from God. Ordination doesn't "empower" the
Supper; rather, God's Word brings Jesus' body and blood to the altar to be in communion with
the bread and wine. It isn't the blessing by the pastor, nor the one upon him. Instead, Holy
Communion comes about because of Christ's promise and His Word.

The Lutheran Church, careful with terms, allows that Ordination may be considered a sacrament,
depending upon the definition of that word. Usually, we define sacraments as means by which
God forgives sins---often including physical, earthly, visible elements (water in Baptism, bread
and wine in the Supper). Absolution has no apparent earthly element, so some don't consider it a
Sacrament, although some argue that the minister is the visible element conveying God's gracious
forgiveness. Ordination itself doesn't forgive sins, so this particular definition excludes it.

The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession broadens the definition, noting correctly that
"sacrament" is a church term, not a biblical one. Early Church fathers used different numbers,
depending upon their definition of the word. Article XIII states that along with Holy Communion,
Baptism, and Absolution, Ordination can be included under a broad definition. Citing Romans
1:16 and Isaiah 55:11, the Augsburg Confession says that Ordination by the laying on of hands is
a sacrament if we understand it correctly as part of Christ's ministry of reconciliation through His
called servants: "If ordination is understood in this way, we will not object to calling the laying on
of hands a sacrament. For the church has the mandate to appoint ministers, which ought to please
us greatly because we know that God approves this ministry and is present in it."

After a long, circular route, we're coming home: If God uses the Ministry to forgive sins, may we
withdraw this forgiveness by "unordaining" a pastor? Lutherans say that this only is done when a
minister disqualifies himself from the office by immoral behavior, wilful neglect of duties, or fall
from faith. Similarly, a congregation has no excuse for dismissing its called servant of the Word
for any reason other than these. Do we have the right to end baptisms, stop absolving sinners, or
deny the Lord's Supper to those who need it? Likewise, anyone who tries to revoke ordination or
call does so at great spiritual peril, for he works against that which Christ established to benefit of
His Church, saving sinners by forgiving their sins. Even if the bread is stale and the wine sour,
Holy Communion is Christ's body and blood. And even if the pastor is "sour" or his preaching
"stale," if he sometimes slips up, mis-speaks, or fails to act, His absolution is Christ's absolution
and the Gospel he preaches is still "the power of God for salvation. (Romans 1:16)"

In short, nothing in Scripture or Lutheran theology provides for the revocation of Ordination
unless the pastor proves himself an unfit, unjust, or unwilling servant. Otherwise, the Church is
"stuck" with the pastors it has---just as God is "stuck" with using the pastors He has called. This
is the way God has always worked: Moses complained, Elijah despaired, Jonah ran away, Peter
acted hypocritically, and no minister of reconciliation since Bible times has done any better. Yet in
spite of as well as because of His servants, God continues to bless His people through them.

Scripture quotation from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~<TM>, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

Ask the Pastor, © 2003 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this
disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and
redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States
and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions
concerning the property of others.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of
the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."