Debate
has commenced in earnest about the election of The Episcopal Church's next
Presiding Bishop (e.g., Next
Presiding Bishop: caretaker or visionary?). I've even contributed to that conversation.
In one
sense, the selection of the next Presiding Bishop is so unimportant that the
Church could rely on a serendipitous selection. For example, the Nominating
Committee might place the name of each eligible and willing bishop on a slip of
paper and then draw nine of those names for its slate. The House of Bishops might
draw one of those names and then elect that person the next PB with the House
of Deputies voting by acclamation to affirm that choice. Although this approach
may comply with the letter but not the spirit of the canons, it is certainly
biblical (remember the selection in Acts 1:21-26 of Matthias to replace Judas?)
and would save upwards of a quarter of million dollars.
Sometimes
God does work through serendipitous events. Drawing names would eliminate all
electioneering and God knows that the poor, the spiritually empty, and many,
many others could benefit from increased funding of missions and alms.
I
suspect that the most strident and vocal objections would come from individuals
and groups heavily invested in preserving our existing institutions and forms.
Having watched three general conventions and been part of several dioceses, a
relative handful of insiders – both
volunteer and paid – dominate the proceedings. Constituencies that include
clergy, special interests, elected lay deputies/delegates, and staffs all have
the most at stake in the selection of the next PB.
Quite
frankly, their concerns (and I share more than a few of them!) should not
determine who is chosen as the next PB. We are increasingly a remnant, burdened
with an oversized and underutilized physical plant, and supported by a diminished
endowment and giving. A gifted manager might slow – at least temporarily – the
rate of decline. Someone who shares my values might promote causes and
ministries important to me. But business as usual is not going to keep this Episcopal
ark from sinking.
When I
see the other mainline denominations suffering from problems similar to ours, I
recognize that expecting a new PB, organizational restructuring, or other
management changes to fix the leaks and other problems is delusional. Reviewing
our previous repair efforts, and those of other mainline denominations, reminds
me of the definition of stupid, i.e.,
repeating an action while continuing to expect a different result.
Is there
hope for The Episcopal Church? I believe so. The signs of new life that I
observe are not in national or diocesan structures but in local communities of
Christ's people. A sea change is underway. The internet, social media, and
increasing individualism are flattening hierarchy and making committees and
legislative processes anachronisms. The hope – the only real hope – for The
Episcopal Church comes from bottom-up rather than top-down change.
Let's
recover our charisma. We institutionalize the Church's charisma – the good news
of God's love revealed in Jesus expressed in our via media – to help us
transmit that charisma from one generation to the next. Over time, we begin to
confuse the institutional form with the charisma, inevitably stifling the
charisma. In vibrant expressions of Christ's body, the charisma is visible in
changed lives, healing people eager and excited to engage in mission.
Let's
prioritize mission over ministry. The Episcopal Church does not exist for
itself or its members. We exist to be Christ's body, Christ's physical presence
in the world. Ministries that serve the Church and its members properly fill a
secondary, supportive role for our mission of bringing God's love to the world.
Yet, a quick analysis of volunteer and staff time, and of funds expended,
reveals the support "tail" of ministry now dwarfs the
"tooth" of missions. We care for one another and our legacies
(buildings, societies, etc.) instead of boldly going into the world without
purse, bag, or sandals.
Let's
become nimble. Yearly diocesan and triennial national budget, decision-making,
and program cycles are too slow, ponderous, and cumbersome in the information
age. Rector search processes that require twelve, eighteen, or even more months
do not increase the likelihood of congregational growth, revitalization, or
even longer tenure.
Let's
redeploy our resources. National and denominational offices once essential for
sharing resources and best practices, fostering effective coalitions, and
producing results are now mostly superfluous. Today, few people call
headquarters for help. Instead, they – including Episcopalian laity and clergy
– grab a smartphone to search for resources, best practices, contacts, and
networking. Many congregations could similarly redeploy their assets to achieve
greater results for God.
Jesus
provides a role model for inspirational Christian leaders that we would do well
to emulate:
- He had clarity of vision and purpose. He came
to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and recovery of
sight to the blind. Through prayer and time alone, he maintained his focus
and strength in the face of adversity.
- He embodied courage. He unflinchingly faced an entrenched
power convinced that it could coopt or destroy him.
- He was a dynamic, effective communicator.
Crowds of thousands of spiritual seekers flocked to hear his message of
God's life-giving love.
- He incarnated charisma. People – Jews and
Gentiles, children and women and men, the religious and the secular – in
their relationship with him, experienced God's transformative love.
- Finally, he inspired others to join him. He saw
people's gifts, recruited the willing, and shaped them with love. Then the
gospels report that Jesus sent out the twelve and the seventy; Matthew
ends his gospel with Jesus exhorting his followers to change the whole
world. Jesus ministered to his followers that they, in turn, might embrace
and join him in mission.
If our
next PB is such a leader, a woman or man formed in Jesus' image with clarity of
vision and purpose, who courageously communicates and incarnates Christ's charisma
to a broken, secular world, then the choice of the next PB matters hugely. Such
a leader may do little to resuscitate our leaking institutions. But with such a
leader as our chief pastor, we will hear and answer God's call to be agents of
resurrection, bringing good news to the poor, release to the captives, and
recovery of sight to the blind.
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