Complexity is a popular notion in Church leadership theory today. One Church leadership theorist puts it simply and clearly as follows: "The church is a complex system ... Complex systems appear to be self-organizing." The trouble is, though, the emphasis on self-organising. I have called it "faith in complexity". If it's not that, then it seems to come close. OBSERVATION: The "complexity theorists", I think, are right insofar as the Church is a bit of a disaster when it comes to wanting to run it, organise it, influence it, steer it, control it. However, I take the view that the Church is divinely directed, not self-organising. That, said one theologian, is what preserves ministers from worry. For interest, here is a "classic" statement of complexity theory and Church: Complexity Theory as Model and Metaphor for the Church.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
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5 comments:
Thanks for this. I am going to be doing some research using Systems Theory to investigate some of the oddities of the Methodist Church. I can use this to help my markers and supervisors be grateful that I intend keeping things as simple as possible!
Perhaps, by the time you're though, they'll rename Methodism Complexitism?
What a good idea! Well, maybe not Complexitism, but I wonder what word would describe Methodists better today. Certainloy we have lost John Wesley's methodical approach to spiritual disciplines.
Certainloy we have a lost a methodical approach to spelling. How about Discombobulationism? That might appeal to you. :-)
hehehe. I love tags.
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