Boettcher, Reinhard2019-09-252019-09-252012-04-2520079783905676549http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/184842Issues pertaining to leadership and power in the ministry of the church arise throughout the whole Lutheran communion, sometimes simmering just beneath the surface, other times surfacing openly. The Tenth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation expressly called member churches to face up to these issues and to seek constructive solutions. Numerous efforts are underway in order to respond to this commitment. The following is an attempt to contribute to these efforts. What is involved is multifaceted and needs to be examined from various perspectives, using a variety of tools and resources. Sociological approaches are helpful for analyzing the structures of and dynamics within the church. Psychological approaches can help get at factors such as selfesteem, trust and fear. Management approaches deal with administering, planning, organizing, supervising, accounting, evaluating, etc. This paper focuses on the theological aspects and seeks to encourage reflection and discussion in the churches on how leadership and power are exercised in light of central biblical and theological understandings. How can power and leadership be exercised in ways that are consistent with what the church preaches and teaches? Particular emphasis will be given to biblical references as well as to Lutheran teachings related to ministry.1 online resource (28 pages)engWith permission of the license/copyright holderministryleadership stylesPolitical ethicsReligious ethicsMethods of ethicsGovernance and ethicsTheological ethicsChristian denominationsDogmaticsLutheranPublic, political theologyBook