Ecclesial Leadership as Friendship

<p>When it comes to talking about the activity of directing the church the language of leadership and leaders is increasingly popular. Yet what is leadership – and how might theological narratives better resource the discourse and practice of leadership in ecclesial contexts? In identifying and critiquing managerialism as a dominant narrative of leadership in the Western church this book calls for an alternative approach founded on the concept of friendship.</p><p></p><p>Engaging with the wider field of leadership studies the book establishes an understanding of leadership activity and brings it into conversation with an incarnational ecclesiology. The result is a prophetic reimagining of ecclesial leadership in terms of a relational kenotic praxis. This praxis of mutuality and love is framed here in the rich language of Christian friendship. The book also wrestles deeply with the embodiment of such a praxis making explicit the power behaviours typical of friendship-leadership and offering constructive guidance for practitioners in the task of implementation within a complex and fractured world.</p><p></p><p>This book offers a new vision of the centrality of friendship to leadership of a healthy church community. As such it will be of great use to scholars of practical theology ecclesiology and leadership as well as practitioners in church ministry.</p>