motivator psychologists and business management experts, which makes it legible for them to be appraised as highly.
The cases above show how important a study on professional ethics of spiritual figures is. How should spiritual figures define their services?
How should they build their personal lives? How should they conduct relationships with their followers, with followers of other religions, and
with culturally and religiously diverse circles of society? However, the essential question prior to all those questions is: is spiritual figure a
profession? If so, what are its implications?
2.1 Spiritual Figure as a Profession
The word ‘profession’ and ‘professional’ is currently used for different intentions. ‘Profession’ often merely means ‘occupation’.
Whatever occupation, be it a Becak peddler or celebrity it is called a ‘profession’. ‘Professional’ is often associated with particular skills but
sometimes with payment or fee. Hence, there is a professional killer and professional footballer. The term ‘professional’ is frequently contrasted
to ‘amateur’. For instance, a commercial sex worker is often called a professional, while those who sell themselves for mere pleasure are
called amateurs. Such understanding surely does not help us to answer the questions above. In this writing, the word ‘profession’ and
‘professional’ is understood in their more specific meanings. Paul F. Camenish defines ‘profession’ as an organised group whose
members a have skills and specific knowledge, believed to be useful even important in achieving a highly regarded condition, such as justice,
health, and spiritual affluence; b have control over their professional occupation; and c usually claim or expect their motivation in executing
their professional duties to be more than just self-benefit 1991:116. It is clear that the matter of payment does not define a person’s
professional character.
Although there are clear differences between spiritual figure and other occupation with irrefutable professionalism, such as doctor and
legal expert, Camenisch is of the opinion that spiritual figure is included in the professional category. Consequently, an ethics of profession
approach can be used to study the issue spiritual figures moral and quality 1991:131. Joe E. Trull and James E. Carter 204:25 – 29 also
agree to consider spiritual figure as a profession. In this case, they differentiate between career and profession. Career is an occupation
undertaken to achieve a goal and self-desire, while profession is an occupation undertaken based on a particular belief and for the good of
the wider community. This is obvious from the word ‘profession’ itself which is rooted in the word ‘to profess’ meaning ‘to confess’ or ‘to
swear on’. Historically the term ‘professional’ had its origin referring to the work of spiritual figure, particularly in connection to the ecclesiastic
vow taken by Christian monks. In the middle ages, a monk’s duty covers various fields of public
services including health, law, education, even arts and politics. Those who are involved in the public service but do not live in the monastery
are called ‘laymen’. In its following development, the monastery services specialized in three issues: health, law, and spirit. In the end of
the middle ages, health and legal services was no longer monopolized by monasteries, they were also fully practiced by experts who did not bind
themselves to religious vow, although spiritual services was still limited to those who took the ecclesiastic vow. It is clear that following the
Reform the monastery’s role was no longer as decisive. The Protestant Church even abolished the monastery tradition, which consequently
means priests were not monks anymore. The Protestant Church also put an end to substantial difference between professional and lay clerics.
Even so, the Protestant Church still instructs specific requirements for priests, which made Protestant priest to be included in the modern term
of profession stipulated by Camenish.
What basic elements define an occupation to be included into professional category? Referring to Camenish’s definition above, it is
obvious that professionalism does not only require knowledge and skills in a particular field, which is more than possessed by most people, but it
also demands moral responsibility with a clear basis and source. Trull and Carter 2004:30 – 31 briefly explain that ‘profession is meant as a
combination between techne and ethos – or between knowledge and technical skill with responsible behaviour; a combination of knowledge
and character’. Both aspects are certainly nothing extraordinary to spiritual figures. Since their schooling in theology, Protestant spiritual
figures have been afforded with both: theology and spirituality, knowledge and skills on the one hand, and commitment, humility,
submission to God on the other. Nevertheless, criticism forwarded to spiritual figures concerns the issues above. Where did it go wrong? In an
attempt for self-evaluation, three aspects mentioned in Camenish’s definition is worth observing.
2.2 Knowledge and Special Skills
Spiritual figures usually would have undergone specific religious education. In the case of Protestant priests, undergraduate level of
education in theology is the minimum prerequisite in mainstream churches. Therefore, theoretically, a priest has adequate competency in
the field of theology. This means that a priest should be an engine to the development of theology at the very least within the scope of the parish
shehe serves in. If in reality there were more parish members who constantly behave conservatively no development in theology which
consequently lead to not being able to zestfully respond to the challenges of time, the first question which should be tackled is: whether
the priest in the parish shows adequate competence in theology, or merely functions as a continuation of former tradition?
The parishes’ dogmatic and conservative attitude often becomes object of complain by the priests themselves. These criticising priests
presumably have quite a developed theological knowledge, however when attempting to apply their knowledge in the parishes, they faced
resistance from parish figures who tend to be conservative. To avoid conflict, the priests choose to practice ‘self-restrain’ and follow
whatever is accepted by their parishes without trouble. Hence the theological knowledge the priests acquired remains as mere discourse.
Competence does not only mean having knowledge but also the art to actualize that knowledge into practice without having to cause a
commotion. In developing theology of the parish, conflict is sometimes unavoidable, but in a lot of situations it is not the only available choice.
A professional priest does not stop developing the theology of herhis parish while simultaneously minimizing the possibility of detrimental
conflict from happening. Making theological competence as one of the aspects of a spiritual
figure’s professionalism also means not making communication techniques or management as a main ability in executing their services.
Although it is important for a spiritual figure to make use of communication techniques as in sermons, and management techniques
as in leading the church boardcouncil, as well as psychology techniques as in pastoral services, the function of such techniques in
ecclesiastic service is instrumental. For a spiritual figure, it is unethical to conceal indolence or fear of theological dialogue by overusing the
said techniques. For instance, a priest needs to convey hisher messages communicatively through sermon, so heshe needs to use good public
communications technique. However, hisher main function on the podium is not as an orator, let alone a comedian or other types of
entertainer. Heshe is a servant of the Word of God. Hisher competence does not reside in hisher ingenuity in utilizing communication
techniques, but it is in hisher deep understanding of the Word heshe is
