Equality…
an e-lusive quality
Where have you seen it in your life?
Image by Sophie Killingley of Perish + Fade
True equality is dependent on so many factors, it is a rarer jewel than wisdom.
by Rev Tina Hodgett
It requires individuals who are willing to do the long, slow, inner work of recognising where they prefer the shortcut of power over the moment-by-moment risky dance of honestly reaching out, letting down, making amends, trying again, giving out, opening up, falling down, drawing in, pulling back…and doing it all again! – until trust is formed. A trust that welds you together with another person in such a way that your relationship will withstand almost every pressure. Then – I think – we have equality.
We often choose to trade equality for hierarchy. The church is riddled with imbalances of power, and power used to keep the powerful safe. Hierarchy short-circuits the dance and turns it into a march.
The model of Christ is different. Christ gives up all power – becomes nothing. Is vulnerable to the inconsistency, fear and self-centredness of humanity. He doesn’t use power to insulate himself from risk and harm. He conducts a dance with every individual he meets, and his co-dancers are free to make any moves they choose. This is equality.
In Pioneering Parishes we yearn to see relationships between pioneers and priests demonstrate this kind of risky dance. Pioneers and priests who hold responsibility for the parish have different gifts and vocations, but both are equally vital in parish ministry. You may cry out ‘What about accountability?! What about lone rangers? What about due diligence and safeguarding and risk assessments?’
Greg and I know from our personal experience and practice in this area that trusting relationships built up over time through openness, generosity, vulnerability and humility bring about a level of resilience, resource and sustainability in pioneering parish ministry that a relationship built on power, status and hierarchy can never begin to achieve. When trust is present, everything else follows.
Read the Pioneering Parishes Beatitudes series so far here.
