In a recent Presbyterian Outlook guest editorial, pastor Roy W. Howard argues that pastors should read books for two hours each day. Howard, a friend of mine and former student of Fred Craddock, received such advice in seminary. Craddock told his students, often to their amazement writes Howard, that as “pastors they must set aside a minimum of two hours every day for reading.” Not the sort of reading for sermon preparation, but reading “informing the mind and heart.” Think poetry, short stories, novels, theology, Scripture and the like. This suggestion makes me, all at the same time, jealous, incredulous, hopeful, and angry.

First, however, let me say that I understand (in theory at least) that reading two hours each day could be very beneficial to ministry. Two hours seems like a lot, but it’s pretty close to the average amount of television Americans watch each day. And Craddock would much rather one’s ministry be influenced by short stories than short television commercials. As a literature lover, there’s nothing more blissful than imagining delving into the growing stacks of unread books on my desk. I’ve thought, several times lately, of taking a week away from the parish, finding a cabin in the woods, and simply reading. I get that such dedication feeds the mind and soul. I get that we can be spiritually empty and not realize it, that literature can fill us up in ways unexpected and glorious. I get it….but.

But, I’m not sold. But, I can’t imagine this working for me. Maybe I’m being held back by hard-headedness or simple jealousy, but I can’t imagine how my schedule could allow for two hours of reading each day (or 1.5 hours, since I’m 3/4 time). Howard notes that in response to Craddock, seminarians offered the expected excuses: “Many students gasped incredulously at their revered teacher’s counsel…with hospital visits and stewardship meetings, pastoral counseling and administrative leadership, local mission, youth fellowship and community organizing, how on earth did [Craddock] expect pastors to read two hours every day?” Here’s a few additional questions and concerns of my own.

• I’m guessing the answer would be “no,” but I wonder if Craddock today might allow reading blogs, news articles, technology websites, and long-form journalism as part of the two hours? Aren’t these essential to understanding the world today?
• Craddock, a preaching professor, surely was biased towards the pastor as preacher/theologian. But many pastors today preach seldom and really do focus on administration for huge portions of their day. Is the answer to read administration and leadership books, or to cut back on the two hours depending on one’s preaching duties?
• This point is harder to explain, but essential. I feel like Craddock’s advice assumes pastors have a particular moral authority and duty in one’s community to be informed, be people of the Book and many other books, to have a certain old school “I-am-a-wise-pastor schtick” about them. I think of an older time when, in many towns, the pastor really was the most educated and respected member of a community. These days, that is simply not the case in most places. So, again, I wonder how this might sway Craddock either to decrease the two hours, or maybe even increase it to gain back that cultural cache.
• Finally, practically speaking, with emails and texting, cell phones and Twitter, it seems like Craddock’s advice today would need to include moving to a room in which little technology exists. I don’t think he’d be cool with tweeting throughout one’s daily. I wonder if pastors need to make spaces in their studies — or away from them — for such reading to be successful.

Thanks Roy–and Fred–for the advice.  I’m going to need to think on it a bit more.  But, remember, I did read it in the Outlook….but then I reflected online.

image by Jim Larranaga