The Church, Authority, and Foucault addresses the problem of the Church's enmeshment with sovereign power, which can lead to marginalization. Breaking new ground, Ogden uses Foucault's approach to power and knowledge to interpret the church leader's significance as the guardian of knowledge. This can become privileged knowledge, under the spell of sovereign power, and with the complicity of clergy and laity in search of sovereigns. Inevitably, such a culture leads to a sense of entitlement for leaders and conformity for followers. All in the name of obedience.
The Church needs to change in order to fulfil its vocation. Instead of a monarchy, what about Church as an open space of freedom? This book, then, is a theological enterprise which cultivates practices of freedom for the sake of the other. This involves thinking differently by exploring catalysts for change, which include critique, space, imagination, and wisdom. In the process, Ogden uses a range of sources, analysing discourse, gossip, ritual, territory, masculinity, and pastoral power. In all, the work of Michel Foucault sets the tone for a fresh ecclesiological critique that will appeal to theologians and clergy alike.
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About the Author
Steven Ogden is an adjunct lecturer in theology, and a member of the Center for Public and Contextual Theology (PACT), with Charles Sturt University Australia. He is also the Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Fortitude Valley. Previously, Steven has been the Principal of St Francis Theological College Brisbane, and the Dean of St Peter's Cathedral Adelaide.

motw/The Church, Authority, and Fouc - Steven G. Ogden.epub

motw/The Church, Authority, and Fouc - Steven G. Ogden.pdf

Ogden, Steven G.;

Ashgate Publishing Limited

Taylor & Francis Group

Taylor & Francis Ltd

Gower Publishing Ltd

Taylor and Francis

CRC Press

Routledge new critical thinking in religion, theology, and biblical studies, Basingstoke, 2017

Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies, Florence, 2017

Routledge new critical thinking in religion, theology, and biblical studies, London, 2017

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

1, PT, 2017

Memory of the World Librarian: Slowrotation

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Reference works -- 1. The Church and the problem of sovereign power -- Thinking otherwise -- The problem of sovereign power -- The marginalization of the other in the life of the Church -- The child as other: Sovereign power, child abuse, and the Catholic Church -- The marginalizing effects of untested norms -- Suspicious minds: on theologians inferring Foucault does not care about truth -- Practical matters: orientation, major sources, key terms, chapter outline -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 2. Under Foucault's gaze: the subject, freedom, and power-knowledge concept -- The subject and the possibility of freedom -- A meta-ethical perspective -- Foucault's work -- Foucault's subject -- The mesh of power-relations -- Power/knowledge: those who are charged with saying what counts as true -- Truth matters: an epistemological note -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 3. The concept of authority: guardians, gossip, and the sovereign exception -- The aim of the case study -- Epistemic hubris -- The bishop as the guardian of knowledge -- Gossip and the multi-layered nature of discourse -- Authority, sovereignty, and the sovereign exception -- Focusing on the diocese -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 4. The spell of monarchy and the sacralization of obedience -- We still have not cut off the head of the king -- Episcopal vocation: in the shadow of the king -- Unrestricted unilateral power -- The drive toward unitary discourse and uniform behaviours -- Pastoral power and the sacralization of obedience -- The elephant in the sitting room -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 5. The Church as an open space of freedom -- Introducing a spatial approach -- Freedom -- Culture change and new spaces -- Ekklesia and the ethos of the Christian space -- Notes -- Bibliography

The Church, Authority and Foucault" addresses the problem of the Church's enmeshment with sovereign power, which can lead to marginalisation. Breaking new ground, Ogden uses Foucault's approach to power and knowledge to interpret the church leader's significance as the guardian of knowledge. This can become privileged knowledge, under the spell of sovereign power, and with the complicity of clergy and laity in search of sovereigns. Inevitably, such a culture leads to a sense of entitlement for leaders and conformity for followers. All in the name of obedience. The Church needs to change in order to fulfil its vocation. Instead of a monarchy, what about Church as an open space of freedom? This book then is a theological enterprise, which cultivates practices of freedom for the sake of the other. This involves thinking differently by exploring catalysts for change, which include critique, space, imagination, and wisdom. In the process, Ogden uses a range of sources, analysing discourse, gossip, ritual, territory, masculinity, and pastoral power. In all, the work of Michel Foucault sets the tone for a fresh ecclesiological critique that will appeal to theologians and clergy alike

2025-10-27