It's a quote from 30 years ago that still feels relevant, although, in reading it today, I felt the need to question one phrase: "self-emptying power." I know power can be gained and power can be let go, but can we really empty ourselves of our power? I think this is something with which we struggle in the church and in our culture. Some are pushing back against the idea of having white privilege because they don't want to believe that someone can have an inherent sense of power and privilege that they were born with and can't abandon. In my experience, many ministers have struggled with the idea of their implied power and authority. In the culture of diaconal ministry, we see ourselves as working in the margins, with those less privileged and oppressed and that we don't have the same power and authority of ordained ministers in the church. This might be so but is there not some inherent power in just being a minister? Might rejecting and denying our inherent power make us less effective ministers?
I had a conversation recently with a friend about clergy collars and why she wears them. It gave me a lot to think about and I am considering whether this will work for me in my ministry. Part of it has to do with the implied power of others over me and being recognized as a female pastor in circles where this is sometimes not respected. It's also about helping others recognize me as a minister and eliminating the awkwardness some feel when trying to identify my role, especially in some church settings where the people encountered are secular and unsure of the traditions and rituals of the church. I've also heard that it can be used to represent the church, for example at protest marches or pride parades, or even at funerals where it might be appropriate to wear "a uniform", for example the funeral of other clergy, firefighters, police officers, political leaders, etc.
Sometimes I think we've abandoned the collar because it makes us stick out as Christian in a very secular society. Some of us don't like to stand out and some of us don't want the stigma that comes with being named Christian in this culture. It's a symbol of the power we hold as ministers in the church and it makes us uncomfortable, especially as this power has been abused and is still being abused. Ironically, when this power is abused, we sometimes make policy that attempts to hide the scandal or that puts such prohibitive rules on relationships between ministers and other community members that we get problems of isolation or a sense of otherness that creates further divisions and sometimes causes further abuse of power.
How might we claim this power and, instead of abusing it, use it to advocate for those on the margins, use it to stand with those being oppressed, use it to be prophetic in a world that needs to hear words of truth and messages of mercy and compassion? I don't believe one can ever empty one's self of power. We are all vulnerable in different ways but I also think we all hold a certain amount of power, whether because of our gender, as someone who is visibly of European descent (white), straight, physically able, articulate and intelligent, charismatic, economically wealthy, the role or position we hold, and a myriad of other ways we might hold power. I think we need to name that power, name our vulnerabilities, and decide together how they might serve the common good.
Jesus had power. Yes, he was a Jewish man, the son of a carpenter, who lived among people oppressed by an empire. But he was also a rabbi, a teacher, who was followed by crowds of people. He was respected and he held a certain authority that inspired people to follow him. If he had been a person without any kind of power, he would not have been seen as a threat and crucified. Jesus is an example of someone who used his power to share the word of God, to heal and to empower, to speak to others in authority, and to walk with those on the margins. May we follow his example and use our power in similar ways.
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