In his brief book, Tribes, Seth Godin addresses his concern the phenomenon of social media, “With tribes flourishing everywhere, there’s a vast shortage of leaders.”[1] Andy Crouch expands on that concern in his own book Culture Making. He describes the evolution of culture through people groups who settled along river systems. Leaders emerged within the group. The values of emerging leaders communicated through the group to shape group norms. As the relationships within groups matured they evolved into cultures.[2] Overtime, river systems transformed into highways and highways have been eclipsed by “the information highway.” We are faced with a challenge of the lack of leadership, perhaps even the lack of knowing what is leadership. St. Benedict realized the importance of leaders in communities and described the essence of the effectual heart of a leader in Chapter 2 of The Rule.
More than 15 centuries have passed since St. Benedict instituted his regula as a measuring stick to gauge one’s spiritual progress in community. In the second chapter he defined servant leadership as a quality of the abbot. Benedict began with his usual simple approach by reflecting on the character of Christ. The styling of “abbot” is taken from the same root word Ἀββᾶ (Abba), which Jesus cried out in the garden, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) The seriousness of Christian leadership’s calling must be kept ever in the forefront of one’s mind. The purpose of the abbot’s actions are more important than the acts themselves, for it is the purpose (or intent) that motivates and it is the purpose that permeates “the minds of his disciples.”[3] The abbot is called to be the consummate example of the quote attributed to St. Francis, “Preach the gospel always, and when necessary use words.” He is charged to hold the place of Christ within his community, just as St. Paul urged, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Teaching is innate in Christian leaders, expressing itself through example and equality. The concept that “rank has its privileges” ought to be abhorrent in Christian leadership. The abbot follows Christ’s words, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28) Christian leaders are unique. Bosses direct. Christian leaders shepherd. They place themselves in front to provide others a visible example of Christ, while protecting others as they risk themselves. The Christian leader promotes, exhorts, edifies, and loves. Even when discipline is necessary, discipline is administered solely through the emotion of love. Its intent is to correct while error is still new, so that we may pray in the words of St. Chrysostom, “Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us…”[4]
In addition to exemplifying Christ as a servant leader, those who are called into leadership are to display equality to others. Through Peter’s encounter with Cornelius, he realized, “that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34) Therefore, spiritual fathers must also show equal love to everyone. By so doing, the Christian leader is more capable of guiding others into responsibilities based more on their abilities, rather than personal bias. Furthermore, discipline is distributed on the basis of what most effectively results in correction rather than partiality because it is motivated by loving concern for every person.
The abbot and prioress present an example of companion who leads others in a common journey to know God. They are not the boss who is pushing others on the path they want them to walk. Neither are they self-promoting, desiring recognition of their spiritual piety. Instead, Joan Chittister suggests the purpose of spiritual leadership is to create an environment in the community where the presence of God confronts each of us and guides us along the Way. The abbot or prioress are not the measure of spirituality to be sought by disciples. Pleasing the spiritual leader should not be the goal of the monastic. The spiritual leader is “a lover of people, a leader who can persuade a person to the heights, show them the mountain and let them go.”[5]
In Him,
Br. Dan, OSB
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[1] Godin, Seth, Tribes, New York: Portfolio, 2008. pg. 12.
[2] Crouch, Andy, Culture Making, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2008. pg. 25-27.
[3] Fry, Timothy, et. al., editor, The Rule of St. Benedict in English, Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 1982. pg. 21.
[4] The Book of Common Prayer, New York: Oxford, 1979. pg. 102.
[5] Chittister, Joan, A Spirituality for the 21st Century, New York: Crossroads, 2016. pg. 34.
