Some More Thoughts...

When I made my last post I thought sure that I would encounter angry opposition more than support for the idea.  Just a few follow up comments.  The first time I broached the subject I was told that my idea was downright unAmerican, that it would promote lazy and unproductive Pastors who would have no incentive to work hard, that it was socialist, that it was foolish to discount the experience and and wisdom of age, that bigger congregations were much more work than smaller, that if you screw up in a big congregation it has greater consequences than smaller so with bigger risk and responsibility must come bigger compensation.... and on and on...

As I have said, I have been in both situations -- where I was the only real "employee" and one in which I am the senior staff of some 30 folks.  I resonate with the number of meetings and the way you relate to people the larger the congregation gets and I am sympathetic to the struggles of those who receive much smaller compensation because they are on a smaller parish.  All of these things represent different issues and different circumstances which are not necessarily reflective of any need or justification for different compensation.  Yes the cost of housing is different throughout the country and this might be a reason for going back to the old parsonage or rectory practice (which did make it easier for Pastors to move than the current situation in which Pastors own homes -- some in markets where housing is not moving and where a loss might be incurred which would prevent future purchase.... I agree that housing means comparable housing for all so that the ideal of equality is honored

Some of the comments are truly helpful -- I have not thought about administrative posts or leadership posts in Synod, etc, but it would certainly be logical that if we are speaking all clergy that would mean those folks would receive the same and equal compensation as well.  I do like the comments which have pointed out that the difference in compensation is an unavoidable factor in choices and decisions both for congregations and for Pastors...

You have sharpened my thinking on this and I would hope that it might be an idea which would take off... but honestly, I know that some who might be publicly for it would secretly vote against it if they thought they might suffer any loss from such a policy...Keep the comments coming...