M
MrSnaith
Guest
I’ve been thinking about the meaning and purpose of authority lately, and I just wanted to share some of my thoughts, and I invite comments and dialogue.
We repeatedly hear, usually within the context of the protection of marriage, that the family unit is the fundamental cell of society. Taking this image as a jumping board, I would argue that, in the context of authority, parental authority is the fundamental model for all other societal authorities.
Ultimately, God is the only true model of authority, as He is the source of all authority, but for the purposes of this post, I want to look at the family to understand the way authority is meant to be exercised within human society. That said, I certainly invite comments that examine the Fatherhood of God within the context of this question, so as to deepen our understanding of this question.
Meaning
It seems to me that the meaning of authority is love in service through sacrifice. That is to say, the exercise of authority is to be done as an act of love, in the service of the beloved, through a measure of self-sacrifice. Anyone who exercises authority as a means to dominate violates and abuses their authority. As evidence of this truth, I submit that those who exercise authority as it is meant to be, as an loving act, invite loyalty and obedience, and those who use it to dominate invite rebellion and disobedience.
Purpose
It seems to me that the purpose of authority is threefold. First, it is to teach right thought (truth) and right action (morality). Second, it is to govern in order to provide for the needs of those who are subject to it. Third, it is to defend its subjects against violations of their human dignity.
Within the family unit, the meaning and purpose of authority should be clear. Parents love their children, and for the two decades they are under their care, parents usually sacrifice much to make sure their children are cared for properly. Parents who don’t do this usually lead dysfunctional families. Parents are the first teachers of their children of the basic truths of life, and inform their morality through the rules of the house. Parents work to earn money to buy food and clothing and housing and comforts for their children, and diligent parents will set up savings funds and teach their children how to handle money in order that they will be able to take care of themselves later in life. Parents protect their children for the evils of the world that would violate their innocence, their health and life.
With this understanding, we should arrive at a clearer understanding of what we should expect from our government. Does our government actually care about us? Or is it self-serving? Does it dominate? Does it stand for truth, or does it cater to the fickle demands of the people? Does it inform true morality in its laws, or do its laws give freedom to immoral adventure? Does it allow for equal opportunity in its governance? Does it work toward a fair distribution of wealth? Does it work to fulfill the needs, not the wants, of its subjects? Does it actively protect its subjects from attack from outside aggressors? Does it protect the most vulnerable of its subjects within its own borders?
I suggest that, how well a given government (or any legitimate authority, such as a school teacher, or a bishop) answers each of these questions will correlate very closely to how well its nation will prosper, exist harmoniously, and avoid social and economic deterioration. It will determine how function or dysfunctional its nation is.
Thoughts?
What do you think the most important attribute an authority figure should have?
We repeatedly hear, usually within the context of the protection of marriage, that the family unit is the fundamental cell of society. Taking this image as a jumping board, I would argue that, in the context of authority, parental authority is the fundamental model for all other societal authorities.
Ultimately, God is the only true model of authority, as He is the source of all authority, but for the purposes of this post, I want to look at the family to understand the way authority is meant to be exercised within human society. That said, I certainly invite comments that examine the Fatherhood of God within the context of this question, so as to deepen our understanding of this question.
Meaning
It seems to me that the meaning of authority is love in service through sacrifice. That is to say, the exercise of authority is to be done as an act of love, in the service of the beloved, through a measure of self-sacrifice. Anyone who exercises authority as a means to dominate violates and abuses their authority. As evidence of this truth, I submit that those who exercise authority as it is meant to be, as an loving act, invite loyalty and obedience, and those who use it to dominate invite rebellion and disobedience.
Purpose
It seems to me that the purpose of authority is threefold. First, it is to teach right thought (truth) and right action (morality). Second, it is to govern in order to provide for the needs of those who are subject to it. Third, it is to defend its subjects against violations of their human dignity.
Within the family unit, the meaning and purpose of authority should be clear. Parents love their children, and for the two decades they are under their care, parents usually sacrifice much to make sure their children are cared for properly. Parents who don’t do this usually lead dysfunctional families. Parents are the first teachers of their children of the basic truths of life, and inform their morality through the rules of the house. Parents work to earn money to buy food and clothing and housing and comforts for their children, and diligent parents will set up savings funds and teach their children how to handle money in order that they will be able to take care of themselves later in life. Parents protect their children for the evils of the world that would violate their innocence, their health and life.
With this understanding, we should arrive at a clearer understanding of what we should expect from our government. Does our government actually care about us? Or is it self-serving? Does it dominate? Does it stand for truth, or does it cater to the fickle demands of the people? Does it inform true morality in its laws, or do its laws give freedom to immoral adventure? Does it allow for equal opportunity in its governance? Does it work toward a fair distribution of wealth? Does it work to fulfill the needs, not the wants, of its subjects? Does it actively protect its subjects from attack from outside aggressors? Does it protect the most vulnerable of its subjects within its own borders?
I suggest that, how well a given government (or any legitimate authority, such as a school teacher, or a bishop) answers each of these questions will correlate very closely to how well its nation will prosper, exist harmoniously, and avoid social and economic deterioration. It will determine how function or dysfunctional its nation is.
Thoughts?
What do you think the most important attribute an authority figure should have?