Alan Fadling: Notes from my Unhurried Journey

The Leadership Institute staff community has long functioned as a kind of Protestant Christian order, though we have not formalized that as of yet. (I use “Protestant” to distinguish from an Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholic order). Elton Trueblood had a remarkable little essay on the theme, “The Emerging Order” (and being written in the 1950s, he wasn’t talking about anything related to the contemporary Emergent movement). Listen to this:

“The idea that is developing so powerfully is the idea of an order. An order is a society of persons, united by some common rule of obligation. The reformation that is sought is that by which the church as we know it becomes an order in this sense.” (Elton Trueblood. “The Emerging Order.” The Yoke of Christ and Other Sermons. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958, p. 120.)

An order is a community of men and women who are connected on the basis of a common rhythm of life and ministry. This is how I would prefer to state “common rule of obligation” (a phrase which feels more rigid and less life-giving to me). Becoming an order or being part of an order is not about making people as comfortable as possible as they come to us. We don’t invite them to join on the basis of self-interest, then grow in selfless discipleship to Jesus. At least that wasn’t His approach.

“What is needed, by contrast, is a movement of great power which cuts across all denominational lines, so that those who are working for the recovery of the lost provinces in the Methodist Church will feel a deep sense of unity with those who are doing the same in the Presbyterian Church, though this horizontal loyalty never interferes with the denominational loyalty. This is exactly what is coming to pass, and it presents no conflict of loyalty whatever. Because an order is radically different from a denomination, loyalty to both at the same time involves no difficulties. We must be wary of new religious movements which tend to draw people away from their local churches. What we seek, instead, is a movement which, by the inculcation of a new mood and the encouragement of a new discipline, can make ordinary Christians more effective members where they already belong and where their contributions are needed.” (Trueblood, p. 121.)

An order does not have to live within a single denominational or organizational boundary. In fact, it is probably better if it doesn’t. An order is a relational reality that seeks to serve the various communities and traditions from which participants come. It doesn’t exist for its own benefit, but for the benefit of others. Whatever order emerges from the extended community of The Leadership Institute will seek to serve the churches, institutions and ministries from which members come. It would not seek to replace or supplant them, but serve and enrich them. That’s at least what I long for.

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