Talking more about power

It was Easter Sunday, and after the sun came up over the horizon during our congregational sunrise service, we all tramped inside to share an amazing potluck breakfast spread. My husband Keith landed at a men’s table, and I watched with interest as they became very animated in their discussion.

Keith was sitting with Ravi, a man from our congregation originally from India. It was Keith’s first time to be in casual conversation with him. Keith mentioned that his grandparents had been missionaries in India, and India had been a huge influence on his family. Ravi wanted to know where, and with whom. Hyderabad! Yes, that is where Ravi was also from.

The conversation moved along, and Ravi knew the church, the leaders and the history. He began to talk about the church being embroiled in what is becoming a multigenerational lawsuit over the property that was left behind by the missionaries. Ravi was of the opinion that the missionaries had done great work, but the property was a big problem. He is still angry with the church leaders who are fighting over control over that property, and he knows the conflict has moved on to the next generation in the church, causing serious division. This story is also well known to Keith, and both Ravi and Keith began to commiserate over church leaders who wield too much power.

Ande from Eritrea was also at this breakfast table. He spoke up, saying that this is an issue in his country, too. Some church leaders want to protect their control, and will do whatever it takes to maintain their power and authority within their church.

Others spoke up around the table. The issue of power and control by church leaders was recognizable as an issue here in Ontario, too. Keith recalls the stories he’s heard of the days of the bishops, who carried significant authority in the church, not only around clothing, hair coverings and cars, but about communion and church discipline.

All the men agreed that they have seen the misuse of power by church leaders in their churches in their own countries, leading to divisions, with people following that leader or this one. Keith was intrigued to see the nods of recognition of similar issues, whether the conversation was about the Anabaptist church in India, the Anabaptist church in Eritrea, or the Anabaptist church in Ontario.

Kimberly Penner, in her Jan. 10, 2022, Canadian Mennonite article on power, had this to say: “We all exist within relationships of power, including in the church. This is not a bad thing. What we need to do is figure out what power we have and how to use it well. We can use our formal power wisely, to empower those with less informal power.”

I grew up in an era and a church when women had little formal power, with few expectations, and training or role models on how to manage power (as a woman). Yet I have held formal relationships of power in both management and governance in the church and church-related organizations for the last 25 years. It is a constant struggle for me to not back away from power, and to not abuse power, but to use my formal and informal power as wisely as possible.

It is somewhat ironic that it was at a men’s breakfast table where talk about the abuse of power by church leaders took place. It is not surprising that the conversation easily crossed cultures and borders.

As Penner wrote, “If we are serious about being peacemakers, then we need to talk more about power.”

Arli Klassen is a member of First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Ont., and can be reached at klassenarli@gmail.com.

Read more The Church Here and There columns:
The limits of control
Belonging comes first
The wider church and church budgets
On boycotting church
Indonesian peacemaking