Christ’s Idea of Authority in the Church, Reflections on Reform
by John Wijngaards, (WIPF & Stock Publishers, Eugene, Oregon, 27 August 2023)
Review by John Buggy STL, BSW (Hons) in ARCVoice, March 2024
John Wijngaards is an internationally renowned theologian and scripture scholar and founder of the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research in London. John holds that authority is only truly exercised when everyone has a say in the important matters of the community or assembly (“ekklesia”). He resigned, not from the priesthood, but from priestly ministry because of the Church’s refusal to ordain women.
In this very readable book, John maintains that any leader with enough power can force people to obey or conform to what he/she wants. But the true leader inspires people who want to act in response to his/her message. Each chapter engages the reader in reflection through story-telling in much the same way that Jesus did through parables. This is supported by reference to Jesus’ words and actions in specific situations as recorded in the Gospels. John’s questions at the end of each chapter prevent the reader from escaping from the thoughts that he would definitely have stimulated.
John proposes that the authority which Jesus gives to his community included the power to forgive sins and to preside at the Eucharist. From this viewpoint he questions the superior dignity usually given inappropriately to clerics. He gently pulls apart the misunderstandings often created by literal interpretations of the Gospel that were never intended by the writers. He shows an acute awareness of how outdated religious imagery is problematic when attempting to engage an increasingly educated congregation. His meditations on the approach of Jesus to each important issue will likely lead the reader to think about the nature of God, possibly even to provoking a revision of some previously unreflective assumptions.
The subtitle, Reflections on Reform, could have been given more prominence in opening up the aspect of how and when much needed reform might be achieved. The book appears to lean towards a gradual step-by-step approach, seemingly favoured by Jesus. However, John is strong in pointing out that the Church has erred on some very important matters, presumably owing to the inappropriate exercise of authority. If there are errors, and particularly falsehoods, shouldn’t there be more urgency as more and more people withdraw from identification with institutional religion?
However, this book is a reflective reminder to all of us to concentrate on the central core of love in Jesus’ message and the authority it provides in proclaiming that message. The book should especially be offered to anyone who finds it difficult to overcome any scruples that are holding them back from the liberation that Jesus’ authority gave.
John Buggy STL, BSW (Hons), Spokesperson of Australian Reforming Catholics