Authoritarianism…For God’s Glory?
In this episode of the Centering: the Asian American Christian Podcast, hosts Yulee Lee and Daniel Lee are joined by guest Gabriel Jay Catanus (Director of the Filipino American Ministry Initiative and Affiliate Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at Fuller Seminary; Lead Pastor of Garden City Covenant Church - Chicago), who shares insights on the pitfalls of authoritarianism within church leadership, drawing parallels from historical examples like Dietrich Bonhoeffer's criticism of Nazi Germany and discussing how immigrant church communities can inadvertently foster toxic leadership dynamics. The conversation also highlights the importance of plurality, cultural sensitivity, and self-reflection in cultivating healthy spiritual leadership. The episode concludes with practical advice for leaders to avoid believing their own hype and for communities to focus on collaborative and ethical leadership practices.
00:00 Introduction to Toxic Ministry
00:48 Understanding Authoritarianism in Ministry
03:11 Guest Introduction: Gabriel Jay Catanus
04:49 Authority and Power Dynamics in Churches
08:43 Cultural and Spiritual Influences on Leadership
12:35 Charismatic Authority and Its Challenges
21:02 Navigating Spiritual Power and Leadership
27:24 Muscular Christianity and Nazi Ideology
28:10 Identifying Authoritarian Leaders
29:26 Embracing Plurality in Leadership
31:20 Efficiency vs. Plurality in Ministry
32:18 Challenges for Asian American Leaders
35:59 God's Relationship with Authority
37:13 Personal Reflections on Leadership
46:42 Concluding Thoughts and Future Topics
Dr. Gabriel Jay Catanus https://www.gabrieljcatanus.com/
Fuller’s Asian American Center aac.fuller.edu
The Grand Inquisitor by Dostoevsky https://www.gutenberg.org/files/8578/8578-h/8578-h.htm
The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-brothers-karamazov-a-new-translation-by-michael-r-katz-fyodor-dostoevsky/aefeb2fa8f45adb1
Bonhoeffer's 1933 radio address https://books.google.com/books?id=PF1cpVfZS60C&pg=PA268&lpg=PA268&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false
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