What is ordination?

[Brandon1]

What are some good sources on what ordination is and does?

My understanding of this concept is well below where it should be!

Can anyone flesh out the meaning of PCA BCO 17-2 "Ordination is the authoritative admission of one duly called to an office in the Church of God, accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands, to which it is proper to add the giving of the right hand of fellowship?

Is this an adequate definition?

I'm out of this conversation now, just waiting to see what others think or resources they've come across.

 

[Wayne]

R. J. Breckinridge, "Presbyterian Ordination Not a Charm, But an Act of Government"

John Bailey Adger, "Ordination, with the Laying on of Hands of the Presbytery (1875) - [not online yet, at least not at the PCA Historical Center site]

John L. Girardeau, "Ministerial Consecration and Ministerial Support" (1872) - [also not yet online at the PCAHC site]

See also the subject of "calling" - scan through this list [PCA Historical Center: Research Library--Author-Title Index for on-site Articles] for the word "call" [use Ctrl + F to pull up a Find box]
For example,
Adger, John Bailey [1810 - 1899], "A Call to the Ministry" (1882)
or from later in the alphabet,
Smyth, Thomas, "The Call to the Ministry—Its Nature and Evidence" (1849)

Separately, you might also look at the older work by George Gillespie, specifically, chapter VIII of Miscellany Questions [vol. 2, pp. 41ff.]:
http://books.google.com/books?id=oA1MAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[Brandon1]

You're just too helpful Wayne

I can't get the link to work for Breckenridge though, is it the proper link? Thanks!

Brandon

 

[Berean]

You're just too helpful Wayne

I can't get the link to work for Breckenridge though, is it the proper link? Thanks!

Brandon

Brandon, Wayne's link is to a file on his computer. Here's the link at the PCA Historical Center: http://www.pcahistory.org/periodicals/spr/v33/33-3-2.pdf

Google is your friend!

 

[Wayne]

Excuse me, Norm! I put up spurious links on purpose, to soften the blow of being "just too helpful".

All part of a larger plan.