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Christian Leadership in an Age of Identity Politics

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Christian Leadership in an Age of Identity Politics Digital Commons @ George Fox University Seminary Doctoral Programs Theses and Dissertations 2-2021 Christian Leadership in an Age of Identity Politics Lloyd Wilkinson Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin Part of the Christianity Commons GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN AN AGE OF IDENTITY POLITICS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY LLOYD WILKINSON PORTLAND, OREGON MARCH 2021 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Lloyd Wilkinson has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 16, 2021 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspectives. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Sarita Edwards, PhD Secondary Advisor: Clifford Berger, DMin Lead Mentor: Jason Clark, DMin, PhD Copyright © 2021 by Lloyd Wilkinson All rights reserved Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from the New Standard Version, Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Taking on a doctoral programme is never a simple task. Not only does it require many hours of research and writing, there are people and organisations in the background that make it possible. To that end I wish to acknowledge my wife, Jane, who encouraged me to undertake the programme and has cheered me on along the way. Again to my church community and staff for allowing me the space to complete this work, and for patiently listening to lengthy explanations about my latest thinking. Then there are the individuals who allowed me to interview them personally and in groups; without their input I would not have gained the clarity I needed at certain points. I am also greatly appreciative of the financial support from the St Johns College Trust Board who generously provided the scholarship that made this work possible – I cannot thank them enough. Finally, I would like to thank those who have supervised my work: Dr Sarita Edwards, Dr Clifford Berger and Dr Jason Clark without whom I would have paddled up many unnecessary estuaries. And finally to my children who have kept me grounded in reality by taking almost no interest at all. iii EPIGRAPH Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8) “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us….. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near…” (Ephesians 2:14,17) iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. III EPIGRAPH ....................................................................................................................... IV TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... V ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... VII PART ONE: LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS .........................................................................1 CHAPTER 1: POSTMODERN COLLISIONS ...................................................................2 CHAPTER 2: HOW DID WE GET HERE? ISMS, IDENTITY, ECONOMICS & DIGNITY ...........................................................................................................................11 ...ISM’S PAVING THE WAY ....................................................................................11 Identity Politics – a child of conflict ............................................................................16 Two Global Reckonings ..............................................................................................20 Economic Distribution .................................................................................................23 Dignity .........................................................................................................................28 Nationalism vs Personal Rights ...................................................................................30 CHAPTER 3: IDENTITY POLITICS AND IT’S INFLUENCE ON NEW ZEALAND AND THE CHURCH ........................................................................................................36 The Politics of Church Identity ....................................................................................36 Personal Christian Identity: Casualty or Perpetrator? ..................................................45 Effect on Christian Leaders .........................................................................................47 The Complexity of Desire ............................................................................................49 CHAPTER 4: LEADERSHIP ADAPTATION OR MUTATION? ..................................52 From Ministry to Management : Theology to Pragmatism .........................................52 A New Set of Values ....................................................................................................60 The Quiet Pushback .....................................................................................................66 The End Result .............................................................................................................70 PART TWO: AN ALTERNATIVE PATH .......................................................................72 Introduction ..................................................................................................................73 CHAPTER 5: LEADERSHIP & DESIRE : THE MIMETICS OF RENÉ GIRARD .......77 René Girard ..................................................................................................................77 Subject, Object and Mediator ......................................................................................80 Conflict and Violence ..................................................................................................83 The Antidote to Violence? The Scapegoat ..................................................................86 The End of Scapegoating .............................................................................................89 CHAPTER 6: LEADERSHIP THINKING : THEOSIS, KENOSIS AND DIFFERENTIATION ........................................................................................................95 Theosis .........................................................................................................................96 Kenosis .........................................................................................................................99 Differentiation ............................................................................................................106 v Implications ................................................................................................................110 CHAPTER 7 LEADERSHIP TO WHAT END? .............................................................112 Likeness .....................................................................................................................112 Path - “Imitate Me” ....................................................................................................117 Freedom .....................................................................................................................123 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................129 Pulling it all together ..................................................................................................129 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................136 vi ABSTRACT This dissertation is an attempt to understand New Zealand Christian leadership in a time of divisive identity politics. Using epistemological mapping, the first part of the research begins by considering the effect postmodernism had on the self-understanding of both western society and the wider church. It then considers the impact of neo-economics on traditional political divisions and the shift towards empowering minority social groups. As these changes unfolded, the New Zealand church experienced a dramatic decline, creating significant challenges for its leadership. Through interviews and reflection on leadership writing over the last fifty years, the research maps the change in leadership epistemology such that it has altered ethics, values and theology to justify pragmatism as a primary mechanism for successful ministry. Notwithstanding a quiet call for proper reflection on the nature of leadership in uncertain times, the power of ever- changing secular business models still holds sway in 2020. In most cases, the church has become yet another identity political group concerned with its shrinking place in society. Consequently, part two of the
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