Autoritetens anatomi

• Main Author: Tormod Kleiven
• Format: Article
• Language: Danish
• Published: Ansgar Teologiske Høgskole, Örebro Teologiska Högskola, Høyskolen for Ledelse og Teologi 2019-01-01
• Series: Scandinavian Journal for Leadership & Theology
• Subjects: authority; power; leadership; congregation; church
• Online Access: https://162.241.156.157/~sjltjour/index.php/sjlt/article/view/39

The anatomy of authority: How legitimate and legitimized power is exercised in collegial and church committee meetings in church context This article is titled ‘the anatomy of authority’ and poses the following question: What are the characteristics when legitimated authority (meaning authority given from above) and legitimized power (meaning authority given from below) is exercised in collegial and church committee meetings in local congregations in the Norwegian Lutheran Church. The empirical material is a case study from two congregations. Theory about authority as a term and a phenomenon and about the relation between leadership and authority is the basis for an analytical discussion of the case study. The analysis highlights issues such as the relationship between authority and roles of leadership, competence, charisma and vulnerability as an authoritative expression. I claim that every participant has the possibility to exercise endorsed authority depending on a position of earned trust in the context. Formal leaders represent the legitimated authority. Nevertheless, this source of authority still appears insufficient because earned trust also for these leaders is the key to exercising authority. Findings emphasized in the conclusion are: – Authority in this context is primarily based on legitimized authority through earned trust. This kind of charismatic authority is rooted in the ability to create a confidencebuilding dialogue – Authority based on legal premises has to be legitimized by including all participants in the processual work of clarification and decision-making. – Competence is valued, but it has to be linked with the ability to reflect the limitations of this competence in the specific context by approving the relevance of others’ competence. – Exposing one’s own vulnerability in an honest way may increase rather than decrease authority. However, it may also be used as a manipulative tool to mask or prevent disagreements and tensions in relationships.