For us sensitive, Christ-centered souls, certain words evoke a definite aversion. One of them is the word, ‘hierarchy.’ I wouldn’t be surprised if every one of you in some way or another have experienced a hierarchy that was used to abuse, control, or break you. Women and People of Color (POC) particularly feel it when those in authority dismiss their God-given right for safety and for control over their own bodies and voices. All of us have felt the competitive, dominating edge of others lording it over us. With their bodies, words, structures, and maneuverings, leaders in authoritative hierarchies have done what often feels like irreparable harm. No wonder we cringe at the word.
It is not an easy word to love.
Hierarchy: ‘Exercising Authority Over’
Even Jesus spoke about it, and it is recorded in all three Synoptics. Here is Jesus on authority as recorded in Matthew:
But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28).
Hierarchy basically means a ranking of those in authority. A word from the Middle Ages, it originally referred to the ranking of holy men. Though it is not an easy word to love, perhaps it is a necessary word, an important one.
In Matthew, we discover that the word for ‘exercising authority over’ in the passage is a verb formed with the combination of the noun ‘authority’ and the preposition ‘over.’ In this passage Jesus implies that the Gentile rulers are abusing their authority by caring little for the well-being of those under them. The question then, is Jesus suggesting that we should avoid hierarchies in our churches and ministries? Should we take positions of service to each other rather than ones of authority over each other?
I believe that hierarchy is part of our human identity. Hierarchy, when associated with responsibility and order for the purpose of ‘goodness,’ is the narrative of creation. The final act of creation in Genesis 1:28 is the story of our making. We are reminded that being made in God’s image included an authority over all the earth, an authority bestowed for the earth’s and humankind’s flourishing, not domination.
Hierarchy is a system structure, not a virtue. Because of the system structure, hierarchy supposes there is authority given to fulfill a responsibility of the one in authority to the ones benefiting from it.
What is a church without pastors or elders?
What is a family without parents?
What is the military without officers?
What is an education without teachers?
What is justice without prophets?
What is faith without God?
For us sensitive, Christ-centered souls, certain words evoke a definite aversion. One of them is the word, ‘hierarchy.’ The vast majority of us have experienced a hierarchy that was used to abuse, control, or break you. (1/3) Click To Tweet
Women and People of Color (POC) particularly feel it when those in authority dismiss their God-given right for safety and for control over their own bodies and voices. We feel the dominating edge of others lording it over us. (2/3) Click To Tweet
With their bodies, words, structures, and maneuverings, leaders in authoritative hierarchies have done what often feels like irreparable harm. No wonder we cringe at the word. It is not an easy word to love. (3/3) Click To Tweet
Forms of Hierarchy
The form of hierarchy can differ from group to group. Some groups function very well with a communal approach to decision-making and to the discernment of future direction. Still, there is always someone in authority that others recognize such as a ‘clerk’ in the Quaker tradition,1 a wisdom leader, or a designated person who guides the conversation and keeps it within the group’s agreed upon boundaries. Someone is in charge of moral order. Someone has authority to guide the process and to speak into it, if it’s not going well. This is a soft and implicit hierarchy.
We are all familiar with the authority that comes with a role, such as elders or pastoral leadership in a church, parents, teachers, doctors, business leaders. Without some sort of authority given based on skills, experience, and responsibility, the world would function quite chaotically. Roles and rules hold us together and keeps us civil. We are not all mature enough to care well for the whole. It also saves us a ton of time from constantly negotiating what’s happening next. This is a clearly defined hierarchy. We don’t put the toddler in charge of keeping the household financially sound.
To have authority, there must be some sort of hierarchy, some sort of agreed upon respect for boundaries, whether soft and implicit, or obvious and clearly defined. When we abdicate authority in a system, we leave a void for others to fill for their own purposes. Whether the abdication is silence, compliance, fear, or ‘pseudo-innocence,’2 these responses do not fulfill our God-given destiny to courageously care for and nurture this world.
I believe in hierarchy, though I enjoy it most when it comes in the form of collaborative engagement. However, I have been in positions from executive leader to professor in a classroom to church planter, when I have had to use my authority to protect the community and the mission. I have had to embody a Christ-like authority to fulfill my responsibilities. I cannot be good in any of those roles, if I’m not courageous at times to rebuke the dark and to build towards the light.
I believe there is an order for good in the universe which needs our attending. God is the supreme authority. God in the first commandment declared in clear tone and text: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). Jesus in the same way declared, “The first [commandment] is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one’” (Mark 12:29). God appointed leaders in Scripture. Jesus chose the 12 to be his voice and presence. He didn’t just gather a group of willing followers. These were tested and intentionally discipled persons. The disciples and other chosen leaders were the first to go out after Pentecost and preach the gospel.
We can confuse the form with the function. Hierarchy is the fabric of good order. Without the authority to do good, we can make little progress with the mission of God in the world.
I believe that hierarchy is part of our human identity. Hierarchy, when associated with responsibility and order for the purpose of ‘goodness,’ is the narrative of creation. (1/3) Click To Tweet
The final act of creation in Genesis 1:28 is the story of our making. We are reminded that being made in God’s image included an authority over all the earth, bestowed for the flourishing of the entire created order. (2/3) Click To Tweet
Hierarchy is a system structure, not a virtue. Because of the system structure, hierarchy supposes there is authority given to fulfill a responsibility of the one in authority to the ones benefiting from it. (3/3) Click To Tweet
Hierarchy Can Function Well – Or Poorly
So, when does hierarchy function well? When it:
- Loves and protects the community
- Discerns and guides with others the mission of God in that community
- Stewards the resources for the benefit of God’s mission in that community
- Exists for the benefit of God’s mission in the community, as well as in the neighborhood and world.
- Is held accountable for his/her actions, character and commitment to the mission
When hierarchy is used for authority over others, it looks differently, and often functions poorly. It happens when it:
- Privileges a few. Patriarchy is an example where only males are privileged.
- Seeks financial and social gain of a few using the mission as a cover
- Controls resources for consolidating and enhancing the authority and status of a few
- Isolates access to decision-making for a few who are like-minded
- Is not held accountable for his/her actions, character, and commitment to the mission
In the Gospel of John, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet at their Passover dinner, and he said to them,
“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (John 13: 12-15)
Jesus was the teacher and master of his disciples. He did not allow others, even Peter, to persuade him to give up his authority as God’s beloved Son. His authority wasn’t something he grasped so that he could gain from who he was. His authority was something he used to serve. He never gave up on his mission to give his life as a ransom for many. He was the lion king and the sacrificed lamb.
When we are in positions of authority whether soft or defined, the structure of hierarchy gives us capacity to fulfill God’s work in the world. To do that well, we have a responsibility to be like Christ. We are first and foremost required to be connected to God as our father and mother. We submit to God’s authority in our lives, so we live humbly. We seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, so we are wise. We learn and grow so with experience we can exercise our authority for the good of all. We develop accountability relationships to keep us honest and good.
Hierarchy can be a good word, if rightly understood. It can help us worship more completely our God and live more courageously our call.
A Pastoral Word on Unhealthy Systems
Now let me add a little word here at the end. If you are in a system which doesn’t recognize you because of your gender, ethnicity, or background, or if you are in a system which abuses its authority and is unrighteous – If you can, leave. If you can’t, live under the umbrella of authority that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit provide.
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MaryKate Morse, PhD, is professor of Leadership and Spiritual Formation at Portland Seminary. Currently, she is the Lead Mentor for the Doctor of Ministry in Leadership & Spiritual Formation. Raised in the Air Force, MaryKate lived in various states and overseas. With family, she lived in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia and Peru doing ministry and social projects with the Aymará Indians. MaryKate completed her doctorate at Gonzaga University where she studied the characteristics of renewal leadership as modeled by Jesus. After her doctorate she planted two churches and served in various administrative positions at the university, including Executive Dean of Portland Seminary most recently. She is a spiritual director and leadership mentor and coach, conference and retreat speaker, and author including Lifelong Leadership: Woven Together through Mentoring Communities, Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space, and Influence, and A Guidebook to Prayer. MaryKate is married to Randy and has three adult children and five grandchildren. She enjoys being with family, hiking, reading, exploring new places, and playing with her puppy, Tess.
Hierarchy functions well when it loves and protects the community, discerns and guides with others the mission of God in that community, and stewards the resources for the benefit of God’s mission in that community. (1/2) Click To Tweet
Hierarchy functions well when it exists for the benefit of God’s mission in the community as well as in the neighborhood and world and is held accountable for his/her actions, character and commitment to the mission. (2/2) Click To Tweet
Footnotes
1 Quakers are known for their fundamental belief in the Priesthood of all Believers, so all of us can contribute to the teaching and leading of a Quaker community. We call ‘business’ meetings ‘Worship for Business,’ because Christ is our present teacher. Therefore, we always need Christ at the center to think together about decisions. As a result, we begin with a period of silence to prepare ourselves to hear Christ. We also always have a ‘presiding clerk’ who discerns the direction of the Spirit in the group. She/he has authority as a guide who presides over the meeting process and agenda.
2 The term coined by Rollo May in Power & Innocence refers to those who use their ‘innocence’ as blinders to their own capacity for sin, and then celebrate powerlessness and helplessness. Christians do this when their ‘piety’ blinds them to their own limited understanding of themselves and the world. They have a distorted compassion.
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