The Bishop’s Office: Part 2A Bishop as Servant of the Servants of God: The Model of Episcopal Hierarchy Not of This World

In the Bishop’s Office: Part 1We Studied the Bishop as Servant Go Between, or Would be Groom, and Thus the Rule of Life

(Habit) and Character Required

“For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one

husband, that to Christ I might present you as a chaste virginBut I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led

astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians

11:2-3)

“What this book means to convey is that family and faith are the invisible double helix of society—two spirals that when linked to one another can

effectively reproduce, but whose strength and momentum depend on one another.” Mary Eberstadt, How

the West Really Lost God

Based on the St. Paul’s Understanding that He “Espoused,” Married the Corinthians to Christ, as a, “Chaste Virgin,” the Apostle Served in

the Role of the Would Be Groom. Therefore, the Marital Model of Covenant Provides for and Informs the Nuptial Way of Understanding

the Bishop’s Role to the Body of Christ. That is, He Has a Husband-Wife Relationship to the Church. As a Husband/Representative and

Embodiment of Christ, He Is Most Effective Leading Not With Coercion But with Consent as a Servant of a Servant of God!

Now We Extend the Biblical Concept of the Bishop as the Servant Go Between

to the People of God, in Which the Bishop Becomes in the Words of

Gregory the Great (6th C.), The Servant of the Servants of God:

Bishop Gregory Used to Sign His Letters, “Gregory, Servant of the

Servants of God”

Gregory the GreatA.D. 540-604

• Pope 590-604• Gregory Dialogus to the Greeks

for his dialogue style of writing• Father of Christian worship for

his extensive revisions to the Roman liturgy

• Gregorian Chant• Classic pastoral text for Priests,

Bishops and spiritual directors, Pastoral Rule

• Pope (Patriarchal Pope) with a passion to reach Briton, who sent Augustine of Canterbury in A.D. 597

Celtic Bishops Meet Augustine of Canterbury

• "Things are not to be loved for the sake of place, but places are to be loved for the sake of their good things." (Gregory to Augustine when the latter asked about changing the Celtic liturgy to be more in conformity with Rome's)

• Celtic Bishops advised by a Hermetic Monk on the way to meet Augustine. He advises, “If Augustine sits go; he’s too proud. If he stands to greet you stay; he’s a servant and humble.”

With Augustine's perceived failure to show himself a true servant of the servants of God (May have really been a servant but sent the wrong cultural signal), it took nearly seventy years to return to the same place (would be

Whitby, A.D. 662). . . It is significant that at the first meeting between Anglican bishops and

Pope Francis, the pontiff rose from his chair to greet us!

Thus as we encountered in St. Paul’s language with the Corinthians, the apostle-bishop is

first and foremost a servant of the servants of God. It is this model of hierarchy that Jesus

taught the disciples in the Upper Room when they quarreled over who would have privilege

position. As my grandmother used to say, “The more things change the more they stay the same.” Hence it is of utmost importance

at this time in history that we as bishops fulfill and restore the model of hierarchy our Lord

taught His disciples!

“And there arose a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest. And He

said unto them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord [coerce] it over them, and they that have authority

[used to mean power] over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:24-27, NASV).

Some Observations Based on the Text:

• Context is Jesus’ revelation that one will betray. N.B. The secular model is built on eliminating betrayal (assassination), in contrast to the servant who sacrifices to save the betrayer.

• Jesus presents a different model of hierarchy in contrast to the Gentile, or worldly model of hierarchy.

• Gentile/secular model is based on coercive power, not to be confused with the Holy Spirit’s persuasive power leading to consent. N.B. I will use the word power to describe the secular . . .

Scriptural Observations Continued . . .

• Other words for the secular model of “lording over another,” are coerce, force, and manipulate. In other words, the worldly model of hierarchy is all about using the hierarchy to accomplish one’s personal desires. This leads to clandestine, manipulative and even violent means and ends. All too often in the Church we have learned how to sanitize the secular to cloak worldly ways of leading. The time has come to show another, heavenly model of leadership.

• Thus Jesus led His future apostle-bishops away from this model of rule by coercion, force, and manipulation.

• Instead, Jesus uses the word service to describe His model of leadership, which would have been unthinkable in cruel, Greco-Roman world based on slavery and brute power. Jesus most graphically displayed His style of leadership when . . .

He washed feet, explaining an ancient tradition of understanding the Greek word to

mean, “Through the dust.”

Observations Cont.• Whether or not etymologically accurate, the image of a servant

living a life of removing dirt from another has powerful Biblical Theological bases and implications: unburdening, absolving, laying down one’s desires and even life for another, restoration on one another, and so forth

• Jesus offers explanation of the service model by drawing on first born/ second born language, when He says, “let him who is the greatest among become as the youngest.” His point is not to rely on or flaunt your seniority, but appeal to one another in the humility of the one with least seniority. It means listening more than speaking.

• Next Jesus offers further explanation of the servant model with language indicating servant leadership is not about getting people to do things for you, but a way of doing for others, two very different attitudes. Thus even though there is a hierarchy related to the servant model, it is about doing for, waiting on others, not a sanctified way of amassing one’s own servants.

The Contrast and Difference of the Two models:

Secular Model Based on PowerAnd

Servant Model Based on ServiceOr What

James C. Hunter in his bookThe Servant, calls Authority

Virtually a commentary on Jesus’ conversation with the disciples in the Upper Room about two models of

leadership, the Hunter’s work is in the form of a parable about a fictitious man, John Daily, a

businessman whose life at work, in the home, and even as a coach for his kids, is spiraling out of control. His wife suggests that he go for advice to his Lutheran

pastor. The minister recommends attending a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine Monastery. The monk leading the seminar, to John’s

amazement, is a former business and Wall Street legend, Len Hoffman, now called Brother Simeon.

Brother Simeon thrusts the participants in the seminar at the

Monastery into the

1. A rule (Daily Office with the monks)2. A series of teachings on leadership

3. Opportunity to grow in a community

Brother Simeon’s Definition of Leadership in the Workplace:

“Leadership is the skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward

goals identified as being for the common good.” (p. 28)

(N.B. Would be somewhat modified for the Church, i.e. for God’s glory and the

edification of God’s people)

Brother Simeon Then Asks:

• “If leadership is about influencing others, how do we go about developing that influence with people? How do we get people to do our will? [even more the Lord’s will] How do we get their ideas, commitment, creativity, and excellence which are by definition voluntary gifts?” (p. 29)

Brother Simeon answers these questions about how to influence by distinguishing between power

and authority.

Brother Simeon Defines Power as:

• “The ability to force or coerce someone to do your will, even if they would choose not to, because of your position or your might” (p. 30)

• Power looks like, “Do it or I’ll fire you” or “Do it or we’ll bomb you” or “Do it or I’ll beat you up” or “Do it or I’ll ground you for two weeks” or simply “Do it or else”

Brother Simeon on Authority as:• “The skill of getting people

to willingly do your will because of your personal influence.”

• Authority is getting people to willingly do because they were asked. “Note that power is defined as an ability while authority a skill. It doesn’t necessarily take brains or courage to exercise power. Two-year-olds are masters at barking orders to parents”

Brother Simeon Makes the Startling Observations:

• “Someone could be in a position of power and not have authority with the people. Or conversely, a person could have authority with people but not be in a position of power. Would the goal then be to be a person in power who also has authority with people? (p. 31)

Brother Simeon Elaborates further on the Difference between Power and Authority• “Power can be bought and

sold, given and taken away. People can be put in positions of power because they’re somebody’s brother-in-law, somebody’s buddy, because they inherited money or power. This never true with authority. Authority cannot be bought sold, given or taken away. Authority is about who you are as a person, your character and the influence you’ve built with people” (p. 31)

Brother Simeon’s Distinctions Between Power and Authority are

best expressed by St. Peter’s commentary on Jesus’ Upper Room

Teaching!

Peter learned from His Master in the Upper Room, as evidenced by the apostle’s virtual mirror

summary of the servant, or what he calls the “shepherd” model of leadership: “So I exhort

elders among you, as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings in Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising

oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but

eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter

5:1-5, NASV)

Jesus’ Model:

“Anyone wanting to be a leader [i.e. apostle-bishop] must first be a

servant” (Matthew 20:26)

Brother Simeon Makes Several Points about Being a Servant Bishop (i.e. leader) leading by

influence (authority) not coercion (i.e. power)

1. The Inverted Pyramid, or Collegial Model Based on Consensus

Leader

People

People

Leader

Top Down

Bottom Up

N.B. In the bottom up hierarchy model people are on the top,What Scripture calls the Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2)

The Anglican Way Is a Bottom Up Hierarchy Flowing from the Parish Up as a Result of the English Reformation

Restoring to the People a Part in Choosing Who will Lead Them

2. The Role of the Servant Apostle Bishop in the Bottom-Up Hierarchy is to remove the obstacles impeding the rapid

deployment for mission rather than a top down model that tends to a bureaucratic top down pyramid. Remember, control by rules

instead of the Messiah is the Sanhedrin. The tendency to think that rules will alleviate problems is more of a pharisaical mindset, the Sanhedrin. Canons have value and are important, but they should

exist to serve the mission not impede it. Instead servant leadership is to be about relationship not rules. Fix the relationship not with rules or coercion, but with servitude, washing feet. (i.e. Note how small the Canons of the Episcopal Church were before the 1950s)

3. Brother Simeon notes that a servant hierarchy of consensus is not simply to be reduced to whatever the majority wants. A servant leader not meet the

wants of the people but rather the needs, and particularly the needs as

God directs us! In fact, servant leaders may have to say “no” to wants, and meet needs when the people do not

want the needs met!

4. In Serving and Influencing People Brother Simeon says we must

remember in dealing with people . . .

“We do not see the world as it is – we see the world as we are.”

Can Never Reach or Change People without this realization!

5. Brother Simeon goes a step further by identifying that service is built on love. Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends”

(John 15:13)

Love in the Scriptures:

• “Love is verb describing a behavior and not a noun describing feelings” (i.e. 1 Corinthians 13, p. 87)

• “Love is as love does!”• Love is based therefore on

the will• Ken Blanchard in the

classic One Minute Manager says, “INTENTIONS-ACTIONS=SQUAT”

Mother Theresa

When Jesus Restored Peter the fallen apostle/bishop . . .

• The Lord kept asking Peter, “Do you love me” (John 20)

• What Jesus asked Peter matched the standard for being a servant, “Love.”

• Therefore, Hunter makes the observation that the description of love according to the Scriptures should be viewed as criteria for a servant-leader. Very simply leadership is about loving those in our cure!

Brother Simeon says, “I submit to you that the beautiful definition of

agape love [1 Corinthians 13], written nearly two thousand years ago, is also a beautiful definition

for leadership today” (p. 100)

Hint: Leadership in 1 Corinthians 13

• “4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

• Translate the traits of love into qualities of leadership!

Discussion Time:

If Jesus’ Model of a Bishop is Being a Servant and Servitude is Based in Love Then What Criteria does 1 Corinthians 13 Give for our Episcopal Leadership?

Use the Description of Love to List the Behaviors of Leadership: This is the model of a servant

episcopate that offers a picture of hierarchy not of this world. (Take Your Bibles with You to Refer to

St. Paul’s Description of Love)