we have the leader as seen in sociological terms and on the other, the
leader as seen in the christological approach applied to society, for
which Christ is the model.
b) Christ as the Model of the Responsible Leader
Son of God, Lamb that takes away the sins of the world, Rabbi,
Master, Messiah, Christ or Saviour, Son of Man – these basic names
attributed to Jesus Christ personify the responsible leader according
to the New Testament. And although other examples are quoted in
the Old Testament, Jesus remains the paradigm of the responsible
leader for the whole of the Bible. This can be understood with the
help of the dogmatic principle of the trinity which sees Christ as the
second person of the Triune God. He is the Father’s equal, he is God,
and so is responsible for creation.
From the historical and practical point of view, the life of Jesus as
it is recounted in the Gospels, is a responsible life. He was there for
his disciples and the crowds who flocked to meet him and follow him,
and he was sensitive to the problems brought to him by others. We can
list a number of attitudes, characteristics and behaviours that marked
him out :
- he did nothing wrong
- obedient and humble unto death
- the servant of his disciples and the crowds
- love, loyalty courage
- tolerance, solidarity
- human and humane
- honest, sincere, just, truthful
- strict and with a strong sense of what is right
- open to criticism and discussion
Conceptually speaking, Jesus makes service the basis of responsi-
ble leadership.^10 Speaking of this, he says to his disciples, ‘And who-
ever wishes to be first among you must be your slave ; just as the Son
of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as
ransom for many’ (Matt 20 :27-28). This concept of responsible lead-
ership is fundamental for Christian political ethics, because it places
the emphasis on the leader’s duty, humility (the slave of others), sense
of sacrifice expressed in the idea of ‘giving his life as ransom for
many’. Here the leader is thus present for and attentive to those
around him who are his main concern in all he does.
42 Responsible Leadership : Global Perspectives