BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day Thursday July 25, presented by Revd Dr Sam Wells
Good morning. Once it became clear to the President that he was not likely to be able to see his country through another four years, a new Democratic Party candidate was required. Should the reins simply pass to the Vice President, or not? The last few days have been a study in where authority truly lies in American politics.
We started with the question of legitimacy: did there need to be a new set of primaries? Then we moved to the business of endorsement: did the backing of the Clintons and Nancy Pelosi outweigh the caution of Obama? Quickly we had the evidence of financial support: if she could raise 81 million dollars in a day, then surely she could capture the imagination of the public. But what about her record? There were concerns about the Mexican border and mutterings about her staff supervision. Then there’s identity: with her Jamaican and South Asian heritage, together with being a woman, she represents something about the country’s future. But she’s not from a swing state. And so it goes on.
Maybe these are all versions of a single question – does she give the Democrats the best chance of winning? But I sense this reveals a more complex heartsearching about authority. In what do people place their trust – integrity, experience, success, money, charisma, identity or rhetoric? And what might give Kamala Harris greater authority than she currently is perceived to have?
The gospels portray Jesus surrounded by the chattering classes of his day. On one occasion he’s asked, ‘By what authority do you do these things?’ Jesus appears to dodge the question. But in fact, the whole gospel story provides the answer. He presents the authority of example, by being himself prepared to face the physical consequences of his unpopular opinions. He embodies the authority of wonder, by doing and saying things that inspire awe and attract admiration. But most of all, he offers the authority of truth. He sees things in a fresh and arresting way, and there’s a continuity between what he upholds and the way he lives. People don’t just believe him: they believe in him.
The root of the term ‘authority’ lies in the word ‘augment.’ It identifies an additional quality not reducible to power or status. It’s something that goes beyond trust, competence and experience. These are foundational; but when it comes to a person assuming an exalted role like a presidential candidate, you’re looking for something more. Elections, finances, endorsements, record and identity all matter. But they’re not enough. Maybe real authority lies in something deeper: qualities like example; awe; and truth.
