Class Reflection for Monday of Week 10

The issue of authority and leadership was discussed in class today, and it’s one that I have many questions about.  On the one hand, the model for leadership that Dr. Bolger has been espousing–a Trinitarian one–stresses mutuality and equality and consensus.  These are wonderful things to stress, but what about the models of leadership we have in the New Testament?  When Paul writes to the Cornithians, “for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  Therefore I urge you to imitate me,” (4:15-16) is this a consensus model of leadership?  Granted, Paul previously qualifies his exhortations in 1 Cor. when he describes Apollos and himself as “God’s co-workers,” (3:9)  and not as ultimate authorities over against God’s authority. But, although Paul attributes his authority to what is only given to him by God, he takes this authority and runs with it.  Anyway, this isn’t a thorough look at how Paul plays with issues of authority in the New Testament, but that said, there seems to be some tension between how Paul conceives of authority and a trinitarian model for authority.  How should we reconcile this tension?  No doubt, many authoritarian church leaders have “humbly” attributed their authority to what God gives them, but this attribution doesn’t necessary temper a top-down approach to leadership. Of course, these are all hermeneutical issues.  We could also pick and choose  episodes from Christ’s ministry that support more of an authoritarian style of leadership just as much as we might develop a servant-leadership model on the basis of this ministry.  So, which lens should we use? But that question brings us to a veritable dead-end, considering what a quagmire hermeneutical/epistomological issues can be. I think I need to take another class from Nancy Murphy.