Over four weeks in May, the Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation Melbourne hosted a lecture series exploring Christian leadership for the 21st-century context.
In week 1, Rev. Dr Kevin Lenehan, Associate Dean of Post-Graduate Studies at the Catholic Theological College Melbourne, delivered a talk entitled, "Exercising an Adult Faith: Wrestle. Challenge. Move.” In it, he explored the changing landscape in Australia and its implications for leaders of communities of faith. Drawing on the writings of Pope Paul VI on Christian Identity in Dialogue (
Ecclesiam suam, 1964), he discussed the qualities and competencies needed by faith leaders to express a mature, resilient and Gospel-based belief stance in a pluralistic world.
Suggested points for reflection/discussion:
- Leaders in today’s society face high expectations of accountability, transparency, and authenticity. This is particularly so for leaders in faith communities, where religious ideals and Gospel values are at stake. As a leader/leadership group in your community, how do you exercise these qualities of accountability, transparency, and authenticity?
- In his speech at the National Conference of the Italian Church (2015), Pope Francis said that "The situations that we live today, therefore, bring new challenges that for us sometimes are difficult to understand. This, our time, requires living problems as challenges and not obstacles: the Lord is active in the work of the world." Does this resonate with you? How so?
- In this "change of era", Fr Kevin suggests using the VUCA Paradigm (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) as a guide to identifying and responding to events and situation that seem beyond our control. Thinking about the people in your community, can you name situations that would fit into each category? Reflect. Discuss.
- An alternative way of using the VUCA Paradigm is the following: (V) Vision, (U) Understanding, (C) Clarity, (A) Agility. How might you and your leadership team approach this in your community?
- How might you and your community enact Pope Paul VI's words on 'Christian dialogue with the world' from Ecclesiam suam?
Characteristics of dialogue:
- perspicuitas (clarity): “dialogue demands that what is said should be intelligible”
- lenitas (gentleness): reflecting the meekness of Christ
- fiducia (trust): confidence in the both the power of the words, and the good will of both parties to the dialogue
- prudentia (prudence): aware of the psychological and moral circumstances of the hearer.