Thought for Today
Genesis 41:45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 9:6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.
1 Timothy 3:1 The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.
“Genuine spiritual authority exists only where the service of hearing, helping, bearing, and proclaiming is fulfilled. Every cult of personality that is based on the important personal characteristics, outstanding abilities, spiritual nature – is worldly and has no place in the Christian church.” (I Want to Live These Days with You, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pg. 186)
The word the NRSV translates as ‘bishop’ is ἐπίσκοπος (episcopos) which my lexicon defines as “overseer, one who watches over the welfare of others.” Neither of the faith traditions I serve have bishops. The faith tradition in which I was raised does not have bishops. Most faith traditions in the Reformed tradition do not have bishops. But, the question of episcopal authority, spiritual authority, exists in every faith tradition. So too does it exist in our civil societies.
Human history is abounding with examples of cults of personality. Bonhoeffer restricted his criticism of cults of personality to the spiritual realm. I cannot disagree with his criticism of such cults within the Church. Any faith tradition based on personal characteristics, abilities or talents of any individual, other than Jesus, is inappropriate. Yet, the temptation for any spiritual leader to allow his or her persona to influence worship, to allow such a cult to flourish and blossom is tremendous. The history of the Church has numerous examples, e.g., James Jones (The Peoples Temple), David Koresh (Branch Davidians).
Bonhoeffer also wrote, “The question of spiritual confidence, which is so closely connected with the question of authority, is decided by the loyalty with which one stands in the service of Jesus Christ – never by the extraordinary gifts a person may possess.” (ibid) The prophet Isaiah in the verse above gives us the pattern incarnate in Jesus, the Christ, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Any time a minister or any other church leader allows his or her personality to eclipse the truth and reality of Jesus a cult of personality will inevitably arise.
Jesus said, "Luke 10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." Christians demonstrate our love for our neighbors through serving them. When spiritual authority coalesces around the personality of any individual other than the Son of God, it is not God being worshipped, nor are the children of God, our neighbors, who are being served in love.
Is the same true in regard to civil authority? Are there civil ‘cults of personality?’ Can there be any doubt? Are such ‘cults of personality’ equally corrosive and damaging as are spiritual ‘cults of personality?’ I believe human history suggests they are equally so. I believe our earliest ancestors-in-the-faith understood. The very reason for God’s creation of the second human, Eve, was "Genesis 2:18 It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." I read that as less a comment about perpetuation of the species and more a comment about our fundamental existence as being for the purpose of helping each other.
Whether in church or in our daily lives, we were created to love God and to love and serve our neighbor as ourselves. Societies and nations should be aggregations of God’s children helping and serving each other. When we reach that point, God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Stay safe, serve each other, trust God,
Pastor Ray