"What kind of minister did you mean you were, when you described yourself on IHub as "a minister"? Are you an Imam?"
The terminology behind someone refering to themselves as a minister definitely has Christian rootings.
It has become useful, although innapropriate, to refer to people outside of Christianity according to Christian vernacular. For example, I continually hear Muslim leaders refered to as "Islamic Clergy." There is no such thing as ordainment in Islamic culture, which would be necessary to qualify as a Cleric. Likewise, there is no such thing as a Minister in the Christian sense. In the secular sense, any of us may find opportunity to "minister" unto one another's needs. Having done so, however, we would not likely start labeling our selves as a minister.
Christopher, may or may not identify with authorized Christianity in his ministry. Yet, to refer to himself as a minister seems to imply at least an affiliation with Christianity. I am open to an alternative explanation if he is interested in providing one, especially if he is practicing his ministry here-a-bouts. Otherwise, I agree with him that it is none of my bus. |
