...whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled,decent, hospitable, able to teach,not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money.
Wikipedia has an extensive article on nobility, defining it as "a social class found in many societies." The article includes a list of many types of nobility found in societies throughout the world. But the article says nothing about the virtues which are rightly expected of noble persons. While the article's tone is neutral and "non-judgmental," nobility is associated with privilege, hierarchy, patronage, and patriarchy.
As a former English major, I remember nobility differently. It was a quality of propriety, gentleness, and modesty expected of the upper classes but honored when found in any stratum of society. An illiterate peasant might act nobly in his treatment of women, children, needy persons, and enemies. He acts with those virtues expected of Saint Paul's bishop. In the meanwhile, those who are called nobles are expected to govern with both justice and mercy, and regard every human being as an equal in the sight of God. They should always recognize the nobility of those they serve.
Clearly, it has fallen to the Church, and not to Wikipedia, to remember what we expect of the upper classes.
Despite Wikipedia's implied confidence in its inevitable disappearance -- "Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy." -- classism remains and I can think of no human scenario in which it might disappear. Status clings to the word men even in that founding principle, "all men are created equal."
Americans cling to the idealistic illusion of equality despite the obvious differences of strength, ability, wealth, education, authority, and virtue that persist among human beings. Some people are better than others! And they're often called betters by the lower classes.
We will always -- so long as we want to get anything done -- bestow authority on some people to decide for the rest of us. With increasing specialization in every field of knowledge, we must trust fewer and fewer persons to know precisely what we should do. And there will always be rank among those authorities, with some being higher than others. Although the word doctor once meant teacher, it now means a medical person with superior knowledge. If we must wait for a consensus of agreement on every little detail of every decision, no project will ever begin, much less be finished.
Doctors who act nobly treat regard their patients with deep respect first because every person is made in the image and likeness of God: and then for their intelligence and right to participate in decisions about themselves.
And we will always expect nobility of those who lead, especially those who aspire to political leadership. They must demonstrate the virtues Saint Paul describes in his ideal bishop. Human beings and human society deserve no less.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.