Francis Berger
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The Crucial Difference between Authority and the Will to Authority

9/12/2022

16 Comments

 
​I referred to the passage below – excerpted from Berdyaev’s Slavery and Freedom -- in yesterday’s post concerning the difference between spiritual freedom and free will. I refer to it again today to highlight the critical difference between authority and the will to authority (bold added).

Christ was a free man, the freest of the sons of men. He was free from the world; He was bound only by love. Christ spoke as one having authority, but He did not have the will to authority, and He was not a master.

Berdyaev touches upon a vital point. Though Jesus occupied no formal position of authority during his life, he spoke as one having authority. What kind of authority did Jesus possess?

Well, I would call it the authentic kind – the internal kind that is aligned with God.

The kind of authority that addresses the spirit and illuminates souls. The kind that connects with people internally and moves them from within. The kind that invites and draws people toward it. The kind that seems familiar when encountered. The kind that does not seek to dominate but bows down to the lower and encourages it to raise itself upward. The kind that can speak without uttering a word. The kind that identifies potential and inspires that potential to move upward. The kind that radiates love.

Very few discussions about the necessity of authority ever care to mention the kind of authority Jesus possessed. The fact that Jesus did not aspire to any form of temporal authority – that he displayed no will to authority -- is also conveniently overlooked. More to the point, distinctions between authentic authority and the will to authority are rarely, if ever, made.

Jesus did not have the will to authority because he understood that the will to authority entails rule, domination, and compulsory unity. He understood that he could only disclose his Truth in freedom and not through the will to authority, which suffocates both freedom and thought.

He rejected the temptations of Miracle, Mystery, and Authority because he knew these temptations of religious authority are temptations toward the Anti-Christ.

Christ neither manipulated nor coerced. He did not take up the will to authority because he did not want people to bow down before him as an external, formal authority. He wanted – and still wants – people to follow him in freedom of conscience, in creativity, in free spirit. He wants people to follow him through love.

Christ demonstrated that freedom always enjoys primacy over the will to authority.

He knew that external authority in and of itself never convinces anyone of anything – that real conviction – the conviction to follow him – would have to come from within, and that this conviction would have to believe in the collaboration between one’s innermost self and God.

But by all means, let’s focus instead on debates about whether some corrupt prime minister truly enjoys a mandate from heaven, or whether we should bend the knee to evil when it commands good, or how society would self-destruct if we didn’t have authority, or how obliged we are to obey a police officer, and all the rest of it.
​
All very pressing and relevant, I’m sure. 
16 Comments
Anti-Gnostic
9/12/2022 21:17:59

I think Tolkein got it about right.

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2010/11/anarcho-monarchism

It is really hard to go from Jesus's actual teachings and activities as related in the Gospels to the imperial model of Nicene Christianity. The Revelations are frankly an anti-imperialist screed.

And it is likewise quite a leap from the old imperial, ecumenical model to the modern world of numerous secular, pluralistic States and power centers well beyond the Mediterranean. So I think an immense structural reform is required to get the Church back to reality but there is lots of money and gainful employment at stake at this point so it ain't happening until it has to.

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Francis Berger
9/13/2022 07:57:04

@ Anti-Gnostic - I am inclined to agree. There's no much point in saving society/civilization if you lose your soul in the process.

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The Continental Op
9/13/2022 00:40:17

I think the argument over there is a classic conservative rearguard action "we're getting crushed on every front; and while you're running for the hills, here's why we need to obey authority", when many can tell that we are ruled by a Mafia running amok.

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Francis Berger
9/13/2022 07:57:27

@ TCOP - That sums it up well.

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lea
9/13/2022 08:14:26

Might we call that authority that steers rather then orders?
The type that has a logical and natural attraction to it as opposed to the arbitrary kind, which always argues 'this is the chain of command so you must do such and such'. It is about time we progress into that and perhaps it's not too late yet.

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Francis Berger
9/13/2022 14:23:15

@ lea - "Might we call that authority that steers rather then orders?"

Yes, that would fit. "Guides" could be another way of putting it.

"It is about time we progress into that and perhaps it's not too late yet."

Good point. That progression is long overdue, but as you say, it's not too late yet.

However, I believe this sort of progression can only happen at the level individual level for the time being. That might change in the future.

The kind of authority I described is mostly/purely internal now. It requires people who are capable of perceiving it and then responding to it. Not many people are capable of that in our modern world, but everyone has it in them (or at least should have it in them).

I sometimes wonder if modern people would recognize/sense Christ's authority if he appeared and spoke to them today. Not everyone in Jesus's time sensed his divinity. I'm pretty sure barely anyone would today, but I'm probably being too pessimistic.

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JMSmith link
9/14/2022 13:42:23

Jesus had charismatic authority. The meaning of the word charisma degraded terribly, beginning around 1960, but its root, the Greek kharisma, means a divine gift. I think we can call charisma natural leadership or the power to command a voluntary following. A charismatic authority seems to be "charmed," and he attracts a voluntary following of people who want to share his charmed life.

Bureaucratic authority is the opposite of charismatic authority, and bureaucrats naturally envy and hate all charismatics. There is some sense to this, since many charismatics are dangerous Pied Pipers, but bureaucratic authority also has serious dangers. One is that it is uninspiring, another is that it will always "pity the plumage and forget the dying bird."

I see much of the recent clash between romantic and what you call Altar-Civilization Christians as a clash between charismatics and bureaucrats. As such it is a lot like the clash between Christ and the bureaucrats of Second Temple Judaism. In my view, charismatics and bureaucrats ought to work together, since neither can really flourish without the other. Bureaucrats keep the show on the road, charismatics ensure the show is worth seeing.

Right now we are vexed by the jealousy of the bureaucrats. Their jealousy is exactly the same as the jealousy Martha felt over Mary.

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lea
9/15/2022 10:16:14

I love these bits of idiom and general linguistic background that you keep giving us JMS, exactly the type of thing i would argue essential in public education if i could be bothered to pursue a career in that field necessary to make that happen. As few people are aware, Confucius apparently repeatedly mentioned that logical language and a society operating by it, would produce more honest and productive people. Makes perfect sense.

You could go on to wonder why language education is limited to word recital for the most part, but it all boils down to not having philosophy part of the 'program'. We need the trivium/ quadrivium back for lack of an even better framework that perhaps is yet to be made.

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Francis Berger
9/15/2022 21:13:04

@ JM - Sorry for my delayed response. I appreciate the observations you have noted, and I very much wish I could agree with the sentiments you have expressed.

For the past two days or so, I have been mulling over how to respond in a manner that won't come across as "too negative to be profound", but I find I can't do it. Not out of pride, or pettiness, or disagreeableness, or a stubborn commitment to constantly oppose, but out of what I intuit these times to be about.

I sense Berdyaev had his finger on the pulse when it comes to these times:

"We are entering an epoch of a new spirituality, that will correspond to the new form of mysticism. It will no longer be possible to argue against a heightened spiritual and mystical life that human nature is sinful and that sin must first be overcome.

A heightened spiritual and mystical life is the road to the victory over sin. And the world is entering a catastrophic period of choice and division, when these will be required of all Christians, an uplifting and intensification of their inner lives.

The external, everyday, moderate Christianity is breaking up. But eternal, inward, mystical Christianity is becoming stronger and better established.

And within mysticism itself a 'paraclete' type is beginning to predominate. The epoch of new spirituality in Christianity, can only be an epoch of a great and hitherto unheard of manifestation of the Holy Spirit."

The new epoch of Christianity -- should it come to pass -- will have little or no use for bureaucracy, which is now firmly in the clutches of Ahriman, though slipping quite steadily into the hands of Sorath.

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JMSmith link
9/16/2022 12:15:50

I appreciate you taking time to consider your words, not to mention my feelings. I've discovered my self-selected mission to reconcile Romantics and Bureaucratics isn't all that popular with either side, although the Corporate Christians have been the least receptive. I am naturally inclined to what you call the mystical path, but I also know that the organized churches of my childhood equipped me for the journey. I think we need churches, but I would have them operate more like schools from which students one day graduate. Sitting through services of Corporate Christianity as an adult seems similar to sitting through endless repetitions of high school algebra, or even seventh-grade social studies.

Lady Mermaid link
9/15/2022 03:07:08

The importance of internal authority has been on my mind w/ the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (May God receive her soul). There has been a lot of criticism in many right wing corners over the fact that Queen Elizabeth didn't do much to stem the tide of leftism that engulfs the UK. While the Queen performed her duties w/ the utmost dignity, her reign oversaw a great moral, political, and spiritual decline.

While I do wish the Queen had spoken against the System, the hard truth is that most of the British public either tolerate or outright embrace the current state of the world. Two modern monarchs tried to stem the forces of evil: King Baudouin of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg famously refused to sign bills legalizing abortion and euthanasia. They were overruled by democratically elected parliaments. Again, I would have loved to have seen the Queen give similar symbolic resistance. However, I don't believe it would have done much good given the state of the British public.

This proves that the throne and altar today doesn't have power or authority. The real problem does not lie w/ the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, Parliament, the Presidency, the Supreme Court, or Congress. Sadly, it lies w/ the people. Yes, the outer authority is corrupt. However, it is ultimately a reflection of inner authority. Good leaders come from good people. While it is possible for a bad king to rule good subjects, bad kings are usually the fruit of a bad kingdom.

That's the one aspect that missing in the "debate" about throne and altar civilization. Throne and altar come from the heart and are reflected outwardly; not imposed from above.

An example close to my heart is the post WW II Spain that my mother grew up in under Franco's rule. Now, I am grateful for Franco winning the Spanish Civil War against the Communists. I truly believe that he saved Spain. However, his vision of a Catholic Spain collapsed shortly after his death. Now, many on the right blame the Spanish monarchy for bringing democracy to Spain after Franco's death. However, if the Spanish had wanted to remain a traditional Catholic country, they would have done so. The hard truth is that the majority of the Spanish people voted against Franco's party once they had a choice. Internal authority had not taken ahold in their hearts. Outer authority can only rule by force for a season. People must want the good and the true. King Arthur himself could not save the UK. If he were to come today, the majority of the British public would despise him. That's the real challenge of our times. There's a lot of complaints about leadership, but there is very little discussion about how to change the hearts and minds of the people.

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David Earle link
9/15/2022 11:15:19

Christians should really work out this business of authority because an antichrist system is being established which will desperately be looking to seize all authority. Anybody who finds their authority in the external, in people or institutions, may be in great danger of succumbing to this system when it arrives.

Perhaps God is pushing us in this direction, here and now, as preparatory work for what's coming.

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Francis Berger
9/15/2022 21:24:29

@ David - Well put. I agree. The worrisome thing about authority and the antichrist system is that Christians who are attuned primarily to externals will likely find the antichrist system very appealing, and they will be drawn to it. In fact, many already are . . .

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Francis Berger
9/16/2022 19:46:16

@ JM - And I appreciate your efforts in trying to heal the rift. Sounds like a thankless job, so let me be the first to formally thank you.

I agree with your views concerning church. As you know, I attend Mass nearly every Sunday in my small village of 650. I attend Mass mostly for the sake of my son, for the reasons you touched upon in your comment. I enjoy the mild sense of community. I like being in the building. Every once in while the priest manages to say something that resonates with me, but most of the time it really is like taking high school algebra all over again, except with the addition of bad organ music. TradCaths would argue I'm not trying hard enough, but I don't think that has anything to do with it.

I don't despair over any of this. I think God is doing his best to show us the way forward, and it doesn't seem that Church is *essential* going forward. It may be essential again one day in the future, but now?

The informal establishment of small sobornost communities of kindred Christian spirits or Christianity contained within families seem like the only authentic forms of Christian community for the time being. That doesn't mean that I think everyone should just up and abandon the Church, but I do think they should think about internals a bit more, and perhaps think about expanding their Christianity into areas beyond the churches.

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lea
9/17/2022 07:25:31

Almost every form of 'constructive spirituality' in it's broadest sense seems to have gone through crises of varying intensities. Most of those (if not all) are tied to this topic in some way. It's waivering faith when faced with loss of wordly posessions and comfort, when finally put to a real test. The front of keeping face and seemingly keeping true with tradition while acquiescing to destructive elements that Steiner described, and have been mentioned here plenty of times now. Ironically even people running his schools have bowed down completely in a lot of places not understanding the message.

It is difficult to communicate the folly, since there are no 'concrete promises' to be made, while the scientistic beliefs that are now so widespread do project a fairly clear mirage of prospects and potential, and people seem to -want- to believe in those instead of anything traditional. They appear closer to experience and therefore to reality, in their minds.

Examining whether that assesment could, and will be true, looking at recent history for references, is just not something most people will do.

Boiling down something ive been thinking about for a decade here, so if its a little vague please excuse me, more to come later.

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Francis Berger
9/18/2022 10:00:08

@ lea - I apologize for the delay in posting your comment.

For me, it all comes down to the ultimate purpose of man in God's Creation. Is man a creature whose primary responsibility is to bow down before the Creator and worship Him? Or does God seek a companion and co-creator in man? I think you know where my sympathies lie.

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