The Radical Resurgence

In this essay I must turn aside from weightier matters of historical theology to deal with a rather simple-minded subject. If we were to read Matthew 23 and take Jesus’ words at face value, we should come away with the notion that He was not very impressed with all the titles we make so much of today. We should feel that all this talk about “Doctor” and “Reverend” and “Senior Pastor” is somewhat superficial, that titles are merely manmade epithets and quite contrary to the idea of a brotherhood church.

At the same time, if we were to read the New Testament epistles we would get a pretty clear hint of what Christian leadership looked like. It is a very far cry from the world’s model of a CEO or institutional president. And there is to be no pride, no bossiness, no “swagger” whatsoever. The New Testament is always insisting on mutuality and stressing the fact that we are all brothers (or sisters) in Christ, though, of course, some are “big brothers” in the sense that they have more wisdom and experience than others.

We must remind ourselves that in the passage where Jesus forbids the use of honorific titles He gives us a reason: “…for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.” Jesus commands us to foreswear such titles, not because they are evil in and of themselves, but because they maximize what should be minimized in the family of God, where each member has equal value and worth.