Bananna
15th October 2007, 03:43 AM
The milestones of mental developement of the mind and the relationship to authority in the leadership of the church are important to me because Paul tells us that the young should not be made leaders.
I found this another of many interesting quotes I've read on the subject and just wanted to share them here.
While our sunday congregation has no firm age limit
Our Sabbath congregation agree no more men under 30 because of the level of understand, because of the family commitments or lack of self control being issues in the past.
These were mature men, who had one weakness and the pressures of leadership caused them to step down... none of them were asked to leave.
This is also emphasized by Maimonides' statement that "At the age of forty, Abraham recognized his Creator." There exist several accounts as to the year of Abraham's discovery. The Talmud states that Abraham recognized his Creator at age three; other sources cite his age at the time as 4; other as 50. Maimonides' source seems to be a variant version of the Midrash that states that he was 48t. As many commentaries suggest, there is no contradiction between these accounts -- each represents another level of recognition achieved by Abraham; indeed, Maimonides himself informs us that his quest began "soon after he was weaned, and he was but a small child." Why, then, does Maimonides choose to speak particularly of the recognition Abraham attained at age forty? Indeed, of what Halachic significance is Abraham's age at all? But Maimonides wishes to again underscore that Abraham's refutation of idolatry was a rational one. Forty is described by our sages as "the age of understanding" -- the point at which a person's cognitive powers attain full maturity. Thus, the level of discovery Abraham achieved at age forty represents his ultimate understanding of the divine truth.]
I found this another of many interesting quotes I've read on the subject and just wanted to share them here.
While our sunday congregation has no firm age limit
Our Sabbath congregation agree no more men under 30 because of the level of understand, because of the family commitments or lack of self control being issues in the past.
These were mature men, who had one weakness and the pressures of leadership caused them to step down... none of them were asked to leave.
This is also emphasized by Maimonides' statement that "At the age of forty, Abraham recognized his Creator." There exist several accounts as to the year of Abraham's discovery. The Talmud states that Abraham recognized his Creator at age three; other sources cite his age at the time as 4; other as 50. Maimonides' source seems to be a variant version of the Midrash that states that he was 48t. As many commentaries suggest, there is no contradiction between these accounts -- each represents another level of recognition achieved by Abraham; indeed, Maimonides himself informs us that his quest began "soon after he was weaned, and he was but a small child." Why, then, does Maimonides choose to speak particularly of the recognition Abraham attained at age forty? Indeed, of what Halachic significance is Abraham's age at all? But Maimonides wishes to again underscore that Abraham's refutation of idolatry was a rational one. Forty is described by our sages as "the age of understanding" -- the point at which a person's cognitive powers attain full maturity. Thus, the level of discovery Abraham achieved at age forty represents his ultimate understanding of the divine truth.]