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In the eyes of the beholder… theopolitics and theopolitical leadership in 1 and 2 Chronicles
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 33, No 3 | a634 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v33i3.634
| © 1999 H. Nel
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 17 August 1999 | Published: 17 August 1999
Submitted: 17 August 1999 | Published: 17 August 1999
About the author(s)
H. Nel, Department of Biblical Studies, Extramural Division, University of Zululand, Isipingo, South AfricaFull Text:
PDF (318KB)Abstract
Theopolitics, a comprehensive subject that embraces all aspects of life, should not be confused with the antiquated conflict between church and church or between church and state. Theopolitics is about power and about who takes the lead in the struggle for supremacy.
The hypothesis of this article is that theopolitics consist of four major elements: i.e. a deity, the reporting of actual events, the mute, faceless masses and leadership. According to this premise leadership should be divided into visible leadership and an invisible leadership corps. As far as the visible leaders are concerned, their acts are “in the eye of the beholder”, but they have no power, only the potential to manipulate the masses and the media. All power lies safely and securely in the hands of the invisible leadership. Without realising it themselves, the masses are mute and faceless. Invisible leadership, too, is mute and faceless, but that is due to personal preference, because its anonymity is the nucleus, the essence of its powerbase.
It is impossible to provide an immutable interpretation of the concept theopolitics within one article. The only objective of this article therefore is to contribute to the debate by highlighting a few of the problems relating to the role of theopolitical leadership. Unfortunately the quandary of theopolitical leadership is the uncertainty whether it is an unattainable dream about the past, a reality of today or a viable option for a successful tomorrow.
The hypothesis of this article is that theopolitics consist of four major elements: i.e. a deity, the reporting of actual events, the mute, faceless masses and leadership. According to this premise leadership should be divided into visible leadership and an invisible leadership corps. As far as the visible leaders are concerned, their acts are “in the eye of the beholder”, but they have no power, only the potential to manipulate the masses and the media. All power lies safely and securely in the hands of the invisible leadership. Without realising it themselves, the masses are mute and faceless. Invisible leadership, too, is mute and faceless, but that is due to personal preference, because its anonymity is the nucleus, the essence of its powerbase.
It is impossible to provide an immutable interpretation of the concept theopolitics within one article. The only objective of this article therefore is to contribute to the debate by highlighting a few of the problems relating to the role of theopolitical leadership. Unfortunately the quandary of theopolitical leadership is the uncertainty whether it is an unattainable dream about the past, a reality of today or a viable option for a successful tomorrow.
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