by jerryl » Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:59 pm
I'm not clergy, but I'll give this a stab.
1) Yes, but even though there is no such thing as an 'ABC Ordination', a non-recognized ordination among ABC clergy might be considered a 'second-class' ordination. But ABC'ers are often in practice 'looser' about these things. Some (many?) ABC churches would probably be more likely to accept a non-baptist ordination (PC-USA, UCC, etc.) as 'good enough' than an SBC church would. And admittadly, in some folks minds there is no distinction between an ABC recognized ordination and the mythical 'ABC Ordination'.
2) Of course, churches have been removed from fellowship from larger SBC bodies because of who they have ordained. (Usully deaconate ordinations, but if they had ordained the same persons as ministers, the dis-fellowship would have occurred even faster.) So, has the ordination of an SBC church's ordination of anyone beside a heterosexual male be questioned as to it's validity, of course it has. And the church doesn't stay SBC very long after that has occurred.
I have also heard of SBC Associations asking a church to 'ask for a person's ordination papers to be returned'. Admittedly this occurred during the 'charismatic scare' of the 70's and 80's, and many folk wondered if this was a proper action to take. But it did occur, and it did bring into question the validity of an ordination performed by a local church.
3) Yep, the ABC-USA at the national level has provided these suggested , created by the The Ministerial Leadership Commission
and The Ministers Council of the ABC-USA. The Regions implement these guidelines and may or may not be 'Conform to Current Suggested National Standard' This gives you an idea of the variation in regional standards.
It's hard to generalize about this but I would say this process includes 1) confirmation of an ATS accredited MDiv with CPE and Baptist history and polity classes, 2) Acceptance of the 'Covenant and Code of Ethics of the Ministers Council of the American Baptist Churches', 3) a 'Candidacy assessment', which is often involves rather rigorous testing and interviewing (in part an attempt to weed out the emotionally unstable, amoung other things).
4) The person will not be listed as recognized in the 'American Baptist Personnel Services Professional Registry'. You can still be listed with sponsorship, but it's a bit of a 'second class listing'. Some churches might not consider you for various positions. It make it harder to get into the 'official' ABC placement process, and it probably takes you out of the running for many denominational positions. (I doubt that you could get a Area Minister (DOM-like) position without a recognized ordination.) Doesn't keep you from elected office in the ABC-USA, regions, areas, associations or anything like that though, (but the higher you go, the more scrutiny you would be under.)
I don't think you could be certified for chaplency or called as a missionary by ABC-USA without recognition.
Hope that helps.
jerryl