Leadership, not priesthood

More from Why Priests:

But it is even more striking that the New Testament not only makes no use of expressions appropriate to office, but that in connection with congregational functions it also avoids the word "priest" in the sense of sacrificial priest (hiereus, sacerdos), which is the meaning the term has in the history of religions, and avoids all sacral-cultic titles, preferring to describe functions by using terms from the profane area. No doubt this is connected with the fact that Jesus, himself a layman, had only once in all his parables introduced the figure of the priest (Lk. 10:31), and there it is a warning example. The word priest is used for Jewish and pagan dignitaries but never for people with ministries in the Church. Only in a later New Testament period is Jesus himself, the risen and exalted one, understood as priest, but in a way that completely overthrows the Old Testament priesthood. Jesus is the only remaining high priest (deputy, mediator); through the sacrifice of his life, which occurred once and for all, the entire Old Testament priesthood is fulfilled and abolished (Hebrews). From the dissolution of the special priesthood by the priesthood of the one, new and eternal priest there follows—as a further reflection by the congregation (1 Peter, Revelations [sic!])—the universal priesthood of all believers, which has as its concrete content the immediate access of everyone to God, spiritual sacrifices, the proclamation of the word, the carrying out of baptism, the Eucharist, and the forgiveness of sins, and mutual intercession for one another. From a New Testament point of view, therefore, the term "priest" should be dropped as a specific and exclusive term to identify people who have ministries in the Church, since, according to the New Testament view, all believers are "priests."—Why Priests, pages 41-42.

<idle musing>
No wonder Küng is not a favorite at the Vatican! This is a liberating statement for all beleivers, though, whether they are Roman, Protestant, or Orthodox. We all have instant access to God, through the blood of our high priest, Jesus Christ. Praise God for that!
</idle musing>