Power and Hierarchy

For a couple of reasons, I've been thinking a lot about power and hierarchy this week. For one thing, the Board of Trustees has been on campus this week--and everyone always bends over backwards trying to impress them and put on a smiley seminary face. And, even when they don't put on a smiley face, they are only honest about the issues that they are really willing to admit to and deal with. And I hate that showy aspect of life here. Then also, my friend Micah left a comment on my recent entry about the Holy Kiss in this blog--and he made the following point:

i notice that you include 'hierarchy' and 'power' along with 'separaton' and 'who's at the top of the totem pole'. and these all seem to contrast with practices of community and love. but do we think that all expression of power or all hierarchy must stand opposed to community and love?

He wrote a lot more than that (he makes some good points in the comment, if you want to read the whole thing), but it really made me think a lot about what I do think about hierarchy and power. And I've talked to a couple of professors whose perspectives I value, and got their input on this as well.

As for power, you can see in my own reply to Micah's comment that I agree it was wrong to include "power" in the list of things opposed to community and love. I wrote:

you are right in pointing out that it was sloppy for me to lump "power" in itself with things that are opposed to community and love. that is certainly not true. power dynamics exist in every relationship, structure, and organization. and power can be used for good, and to further the gospel and can promote love in a Christian community. Jesus is a good example of one who uses his power to empower those in a society who have no power. and that, most certainly, is a good use of power.

power is not in itself bad. and i appreciate you reminding me of that. i guess the problem is, i see many more examples of people using their power for their own gain, ego, or to dominate others (even just in everyday power dynamics). so i begin to grow wary of structural positions of power, and wonder whether (in our brokenness) we as humans ever really can handle our power and use it for good; because i rarely see that.

But I think I do need to reclaim the word "power" as a good thing, and that I need to be willing to own the power that I do have, and to use it in a humble way to empower others. I do think that we, as humans, just need to stay aware of how power affects us, and it is never a good thing to think we are somehow above the destructive affects of power. Power corrupts.

I am still against hierarchy, however. I'm all for difference and diversity, but not when it gets set up in a hierarchical way. I think hierarchy is an expression of our brokenness, rather than a necessary way of dealing with it.