The Hebrew chesed is normally translated as “mercy,” which doesn’t quite do it justice, because the term contains also elements of eager zeal and desire, that is, fierceness; and it is commonly used in the imprecatory Psalms.

In the great city where he lived, life was always gay. Every day many strangers came to town, and among them one day came two swindlers. They let it be known they were weavers, and they said they could weave the most magnificent fabrics imaginable. Not only were their colors and patterns uncommonly fine, but clothes made of this cloth had a wonderful way of becoming invisible to anyone who was unfit for his office, or who was unusually stupid.

I’m against changing our pastoral formation paradigm not because I’m afraid of something. I just believe that pastoral formation is important, and like training lawyers, soldiers, doctors, and pilots, is not only about the acquisition of information, but of being formed into a way of life.