I think the assessment applies well to catching salmon in open water. The catch and release fly fishing for salmon in the spawning rivers of the Great Lakes that leaves more salmon spawning before they meet their ultimate end makes more sense to me than taking mercury laden fish and keeping them.

Nice! I’d love to hear more!

We can’t escape Rene Descartes’s definition of what it means to be human. I think therefore I am. I wish every protestant tradition would discern before folks rack up seminary debt. I know Presbys that have become Methodist Methodists that have become Presby bec they won’t do discernment first.

It is bad. When we do discernment correctly prior to sending someone to seminary and entrust formation to our seminaries (assuming they’re on their game), I think exam outcomes are of secondary importance. The whole thing is about being formed as a clergy person, not what you know.

Exactly. They’re a mess. How are you doing that work with churches? A specific organization?

And there’s the rub, right? We have these acronyms that are so tradition specific. I agree ABC is how the American Baptist Churches acronyms itself. It is a relatively obscure acronym among other Christian traditions. Jerrod H and I have long been amused that if we say ABC, it can be used both ways.

For non-Episcopalians, in Episcopal land, these are Book of Common Prayer, General Ordination Exams, Education For Ministry, United Thank Offering, Archbishop of Canterbury, Presiding Bishop.)

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

As an aside, I still find acronyms to be lazy and confusing. (BCP, GOE, EFM, UTO, ABC, PB.. is that Birth Control Pill, Gatorade Orange Energydrink, Elaborate Friendship Marketing, Urinary Tract Orifice, Angry Bridal Crimes, Peanut Butter?

Yes