LEADERSHIP AND EXISTENTIALISMS KEY TENANTS

For THEO 525 LUO (Fall 2011) Systematic Theology I Dr. Steven W. Ladd

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

Todd Hine October 13, 2011

Table of Contents THESIS ...................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 ESSENCE................................................................................................................................... 2 FREEDOM ................................................................................................................................. 4 OTHERS .................................................................................................................................... 6 AUTHENTICITY ....................................................................................................................... 9 ABSURDITY ........................................................................................................................... 11 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................ 13 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 15

THESIS The prevalence of existentialistic philosophy has permeated a vast array of human concepts to include the idea of leadership. This paper seeks to demonstrate that existentialism has failed in its practical application to leadership under its own foundational principles compared to the opposing Biblical principles that ensure the proper execution of leadership. INTRODUCTION The highly publicized leadership failures found in many vocations and occupations covering a multitude of geographical regions and locations rightly deserves a closer examination of the causes of such failures. One surprisingly powerful yet under-emphasized belief system is that of the existentialist. While an individual leader may not be an avid follower of existentialism, the individual may or may not even be aware of the already present beliefs that may be lurking under the surface, preparing the leaders inevitable fall. This not only warrants a closer look at existentialism and its unstable pillars when applied to leadership, but a comparable viewpoint of Biblical Christianity and how such theological doctrines can provide any leader with a substantial foundation upon which to build. Therefore, this paper which look closely at key points that can be found within the existentialist belief system to include those ideas that span secular and sacred existentialist backgrounds. In addition this paper will utilize references to key ideas that have been developed by the founding fathers of the existential movement from early writers such as Soren Kierkegaard, Jean Paul Sartre, and others. Many sources will be sited as evidence in support of the claim that Biblical Christianity is a superior belief system upon which to build a leadership style.

ESSENCE Jean Paul Sartre, a well-known secular existentialist that lived within the most recent of generations, brings to the discussion a principle belief of his predecessors still carried out through existentialism currently. Sartre claims that existence precedes essence.1 This requires some expositional clarity though. When addressing the essence of a said thing, the application of the word refers to what Elwell calls An essence, then, consists in a things most basic properties, what it is most fundamentally.2 Sartre maintained the claim that existence precedes essence. This means that nothing has essence without first existing. Then and only then will it be credited as having essence. The logical conclusion is that when applied to any specific human being, a person that exists does in fact, has an essence or has essence. The key point: without existence, there is no essence. Even further, a person without essence cannot exist. Take away the persons most essential of essences and the person will not only be able to function but will no longer possess familiar enough essences to be referred to as human and therefore have to possibility of existing. Having made this presentation for the concepts of existence and essence under an existentialistic point of view, the pertinent information is more within what the existentialists do with such beliefs. It is here the existentialist will argue for Sartres point: Modern Existentialism, particularly in the writings of Sartre, has made much of the thesis: existence precedes essence. In the case of man, its meaning is not difficult to grasp. Man exists and makes himself to be what he is; his individual essence or nature comes to be out of his existence; and in this sense it is proper to say that existence

Plantinga, Alvin. On Existentialism. Philosophical Studies 44, no 1 (Jul, 1983) pp 1 Elwell, Walter. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001. pg 389
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precedes essence. Man does not have a fixed essence that is handed to him ready-made; rather, he makes his own nature out of his freedom and the historical conditions in which he is placed.3 From this point the reader must examine the two positions applicable under the concept of leadership. The first is that of the leader. Under such a belief as that of existentialism that one creates their own essence based on the aforementioned criteria, the result is that the leader maintains the freedom to determine their own personal essence. This poses a problem though. For if the leader chooses to modify their own essence, they do so at the expense of known standards to which the followers have submitted. What is true for the leader is true for all. The second position comes in the form of the followers perspective. Although the follower has willingly submitted to the standards of the leader, under the existentialistic belief of essence, the follower has the freedom to define their own personal essence. This should be true, even if the essence is found at the cost of violating the leaders known standards. Any opposing argument would invalidate the existentialist argument. For instance, as a follower, if the ones essence is found to violate a known standard and the essence is then removed from the one, then the existentialist argument of ones own freedom in finding essence is itself violated. In addition, in limiting the one from claiming such an essence the potential for eliminating an essential essence does exist and if the essential essence is not permitted then the one may indeed cease to exist. The Biblical approach under the concept of essence comes from the doctrine of existence. While a Christian theologian would agree that essence and existence are mutually exclusive, the

Barrett, William (2011-01-26). Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy (p. 102). Anchor. Kindle Edition.

theologian would assert that it is impossible to choose ones essence.4 However, what one chooses through each and every individual decision or choice becomes then a part of their individual character. This common thread between the leader and the follower can now be delineated clearly. Both leader and followers have essence in their existence and what each decides to do with said essence and existence becomes part of and a reflection of each personal character. As a result, the leader can now establish clearly defines standards and move personally and freely within said boundaries without establishing a double-standard. The follower, likewise, provided with a clearly defined set of boundaries and expectations now have the freedom to move and operate within known realms. Each now possess the ability to change individual character without infringing upon the development of the other. FREEDOM Although this concept did not receive first billing in this paper, it nonetheless holds a common theme of existentialism in all areas of this belief system. One of the simplest definitions of existentialism incorporates this concept mightily in defining existentialism. Noted Christian apologetic Francis Schaeffer defines existentialism as, A modern theory of man that holds that human experience is not describable in scientific or rational terms. Existentialism stresses the need to make vital choices by using a mans freedom in a contingent and apparently purposeless world.5

Elwell, Walter. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001. Pg 424
5

Schaeffer, Francis. Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy. Edited by Crossway Books. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, 1990. Pg200

It is this freedom that must be addressed. To many existentialists the mere presence of consciousness is freedom. The making of the statement that man is free because he is conscious or has consciousness results in the logical conclusion of mans personal subjectivity. This subjectivity results in a veritable personal defining of all that can be considered as existing or having a sense of being. As one traces this line of thought back through the years and across the varying degrees of philosophers, the end result would be seen as a concept that developed from the original writer of many existentialistic points, Soren Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard reduced such concepts of appearing and not appearing to being nothing more than subjective negativity. This subjective negativity presented itself as that from within that opposes all that exists outside, namely all that is objective. Thus, as indicated by Frogel, Kierkegaards approach replaced the abstract unity of the world with the unity of the subject and was negated by giving priority to the concrete existence of the individual.6 From this assertion comes eventually the claim made by Sartre that this negativity is the soul of freedom: subjectivity is primarily free.7 To an existentialist, however, this freedom presents a significant degree of paralyzing fear in the hearts of many who never lay claim to their rightful possession of acknowledgment in the world. It actually causes trouble and pain in individual lives, the opposite of its purpose.

6 7

Frogel, Shai. The Soul: An Existentialist Point of View Human Studies 33(2010): 191-204

DuFrenne, Mikel. Existentialism and Existentialisms. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 26, no 1 (Sep., 1965) pp54

The strange dichotomy to this is that under such freedom an existential leader possesses the ability to define the world under personal terms and with such defining points act accordingly. Measurement of the leaders actions then becomes the only source of standardmeeting or failing. But taking this idea even further, if the individual has freedom to define and act accordingly, and every other individual has the freedom to act accordingly, how then can the group measure the leader when all they are really doing is measuring subjectively which all can do anyway? The end result must be that the leader cannot adequately be measured. The Christian theologian, however, operates under a more direct, objective, and specific set of standards. The very heart and center of an individual leader can now be ascertained to the point where even the intent of the individual can be measured against an objective and unmoving standard. As indicated byWartenberg, Protestantism saw the interior lives of people as more significant than their external behavior.8 For the Christian leader, freedom comes from knowing that even the thoughts and intents of the heart will be measured against the perfect standard. As a result, the leader should desire to adhere to the highest form of righteousness to the deepest levels internally. This also serves to ensure the followers of a leader who does not measure inconsistently but only judges rightly. OTHERS The only reason leadership exists as a word is the notion that within its definition is the existence of people in the plural form. In a world where all people are totally equal or where only one singular person exists there is no need for such a word. No vacuums exist though and as a

Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008 pp818

result the world is full of people requiring interactions at various levels of hierarchy. Sartre as a secular existentialist recognized this and through his writings his perspective of people and how their presence effects the beliefs system of existentialism. In a play he wrote entitled No Exit, he recorded these dreadful words: So this is hell. Id never have believed it. You remember all we were told about the torture-chambers, the fire and brimstone, the burning marl. Old wives tales! Theres no need for red-hot pokers. Hell is other people.(No Exit 46-47)9

With this perspective in mind the existentialist leader must address the question as it relates to others: Is what makes me a leader where I am or who I am that makes me a leader? Clearly the existentialist point of view of a persons place in life comes from its primary perception of a single human being to begin with: a being that determines the meaning of its existence by its choices.10 The answer then, is that the existentialist makes the determination according to his or her own freedom of consciousness. And this can only be arrived at through a self-centered approach limited in scope and perspective. This view entirely removes the presence of others, a fact that allows for the word leadership to exist itself. Yet in reality it cannot physically occur and as result the extension of the word others carries over into the context of a gathering of others that existentialists now term the They. Hence this term can be seen when applied when used in expressions such as they believe this to be true. Exactly who are the They? This is the group referred to be the particular existentialist at the given time of the expression used. This requires a bit more study.

Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008 pp 893-895
10

Frogel, Shai. The Soul: An Existentialist Point of View Human Studies 33(2010): 191-204

As discussed, the individual, according to existentialism, maintains freedom and this freedom allows for the individual to define oneself. This characteristic of existentialism is critical and has become nihilistic, or creatures who were able to structure their own behavior instead of being determined by nature to behave in pre-established ways.11 Herein the problem can be observed objectively: if each individual defines their won existence, how then does the group come together as a They and exist? The obvious answer comes in the form of a doublestandard in which the They expects the individual to conform to the Theys expected standards. This requires the individual to relinquish said freedoms, reducing their defining. The circumstances surrounding such a scene raises extremely important questions: who establishes the standards and further who enforces them? The questions beg for a positional fulfillment in the form of a leader. It is at this point the Biblical model of leadership takes over and presents an accurate reflection of true leadership and how it applies to others. Such examples can be seen in the selection of standards by the Creator Himself who established the foundational standards in the form of the 10 Commandments. From these 10 Laws all other forms of governmental standards flow or are drafted, especially those that deal directly with the relating of the individual to others. In the Biblical template of leadership, a hierarchy can be seen as being established where responsibility and authority are ascribed positionally and resultantly delegated to lesser degrees per the positional level within the hierarchy. The leader cannot then define their own existence without the inclusion of the follower or that of others. For it is in the establishment of such

Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008pp 1072

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standards the leader must be found personally as well. Further, the leader must be found to be of such a mindset as to Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.12 AUTHENTICITY The existentialist follows existence with essence. The existentialist develops the definition of self based on the freedom of choice. The existentialist concludes that actions to life in response to circumstances become the standards by which he is to be measured, but only from within the context of his own definition. This according to Wartenberg, captures the definition of the authentic existentialistic life, by saying, an authentic life is one lived in full acknowledgement of ones freedom as a human being to choose how to conduct ones life.13 Karl Jaspers, noted existentialist of the 1930s, observed the conditions that were occurring in his time prior to the start of the First World War. His observations of the world were captured in his book Man in the Modern Age. In it Jaspers characterized all the events going on at the time as being depersonalizing forces within modern society. As a result, his view of the existentialist is a struggle to live a genuine and authentic life in the wake of a society attempting to standards a mass scale of people.14

Philippians 2:3 Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008pp2102
13 14

12

Barrett, William. Irrational Man. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1958 pp32

The application of the authenticity to the position or function of leader comes more from the lines of the one being inauthentic. Here the true existentialist would take the approach that any person in such a position of leadership that conform to the demands of the followers or group is then living an inauthentic life, and as a result is unworthy of being is such a position of influence. Such a person is in fact, denying who they are in an effort to act according to the norms of society as opposed to the true self definition. To do such would be relinquishing ones freedom. This aspect of authenticity for the existentialist Heidegger comes in the form of understanding and taking upon self ones own death. This approach taken by Heidegger is summed up best in his own words: The authentic meaning of deathI am to dieis not as an external and public fact within the world, but as an internal possibility of my own Being. Nor is it a possibility like a point at the end of a road, which I will in time reach. So long as I think in this way, I still hold death at a distance outside myself. The point is that I may die at any moment, and therefore death is my possibility now.15

The elusive concept that eventually becomes in full view is that of suicide. Death is then the most personal and intimate of any potential personal encounters or experiences that one can have. While the death itself cannot be substituted by anyone or anything, the process of death can be externally generated, reliving the existentialist with the opportunity to execute death under his own freedom. As a result, suicide can be viewed quiet easily as the final opportunity to demonstrate ones one freedom and authenticity. This then becomes the final leap of faith crossing the ultimate obstacle to ones finite being into eternal existence.

15

Barrett, William (2011-01-26). Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy (p. 225). Anchor.pp225

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When it comes to Christian theology the definition of authentic takes on a rather opposing and just as potent context in a contrasting view. The Bib le first takes on the notion that things that are done for the sole purpose of glorifying God, those things are to be done in private and not in public. The purpose behind this coming from the books of Matthew and 1 Corinthians tells us that our actions are to not bring attention to ourselves unjustly, thus resulting in our actions stealing from the rightful owner of our worship, namely God. The context of authentic extended further takes into consideration the idea of a counterfeit as opposed to the real thing. Take into consideration the $20 bill. The real bill has been produced under the proper design and replication to that of the original and has been commissioned to operate with the assigned value ascribed. The counterfeit on the other hand, has no legal grounds of authority and therefore though modeled after a copy of a copy bears no real value and is hence a fake filled with deceit. This analogy applied to the leader ensures the leader is seen as one with assigned value by proper authority and has no falsity within, no deception of those to which depends on its viability. The authentic leader is real. ABSURDITY Mans existence is absurd in the midst of a cosmos that knows him not; the only meaning he can give himself is through the free project that he launches out of his own nothingness.16 Thus with these words the summation of existentialism can be seen. Driven by the original writings of Kierkegaard, the term has come to describe what existentialists hold dear; that anything contrary to reason is in and of itself, absurd. The idea of faith to an existentialist defies the basic of principles where one defines self through ones own freedom and actions.

16

Barrett, William (2011-01-26). Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy. Anchor. Pp247

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As a result when the existentialist takes into consideration the notion of things that require faith on the part of the individual, the idea becomes simply an absurd idea requiring more than mere reasoning to believe. This does not indicate that existentialistic thinking takes a notion of something to be believed by faith as being totally irrational and unreal. What this actually means is that the existentialist makes the claim that the amount of faith required to accept a concept as being real or true is such that it defies reason. And life to an existentialist is absurd, which is the most well-known claim involving the notion of absurdity.17 The absurdity that existentialism then sees in the forms of leadership comes in the notion that as the follower enters the organization at any level, the followers chooses to relinquish a certain degree of freedom in order to conform to the standards of not only the organization but of the leader as well. This, in turn, is recompensed by the leader who strives to empower the follower through a system of releasing power back to the individual in order to create an environment where the follower has the freedom to be who they chose to be through their own actions. The idea of this cyclic revolution is absurd. How then, does the idea or concept of absurd fit into the world of Christian leadership? As stated by Wartenberg, Within a traditional JudeoChristianIslamic perspective though not Kierkegaards revolutionary one there is a clear answer to this question: lifes purpose is to fulfill Gods commandments, often in hope of being rewarded in the afterlife. The metaphysical assumptions behind such a view are not hard to discover. God, it is thought, made human beings with a certain purpose in mind. In this respect, human beings are taken to be similar to many of the objects that we ourselves create.18

Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008pp1828
18

17

Ibid. pp1829

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Thus the Christina life, including the life of the leader is to fulfill God purpose as established for that particular individual by God Himself. To do otherwise according to the Christian Theologian would be absurd. According to same, humans were created with a purpose and it makes no sense or reason to not act according to our designed purpose. CONCLUSION When examined closely the key tenants and principles that can be identified through existentialist writers such as Soren Kierkegaard and Jean Sartre, the applicability of such tenants and principles prove to be costly when utilized functionally by a person in a position of leadership. Key notions, themes, or even ideas framed within the design of existentialism include such terms as essence, freedom, others, authenticity and absurdity. What these key terms come to define is the overriding belief system of existentialism: that man is free to be whatever man chooses to be in the freedom of mans own making of values where even man only measure self based on the standards designed by mans self. It has been shown that these principles representing only a small portion of the existentialist mantra can prove to be detrimental when applied to the person in leadership. Notwithstanding the fluidity of standards the fact that remains behind a leader is that the leader actually has followers. The importance of this fact cannot be overstated: The leader's actions have an effect on the followers. This being so eternally important the leader must take into consideration the insurmountable negative consequences of being allowed to establish subjective and changing personal standards while attempting to create objective and immoveable standards by which to

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measure subordinates. The double standard become readily apparent to those under the leader and the end result can only come in the form of disloyalty and distrust among many. The only true model of leadership that maintains the necessary degree of integrity and stability in order to be applicable to a multitude of leadership positions remains that of the Biblical Christianity model. It is within this context the standards for both leader and followers are clearly defined and the accountability for the leader remains that much great than for the follower. This ensures the leaders decisions affecting the group are made within the standards, are balanced, and have the good of the entire group as well as those of the individuals in mind.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Barrett, William. Irrational Man. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1958 Breese, David. Seven Men Who Rule the World From the Grave. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1990 DuFrenne, Mikel. Existentialism and Existentialisms. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 26, no 1 (Sep., 1965) pp51-62 Elwell, Walter. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001. Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1998. ISBN: 0-8012-2182-0. Frogel, Shai. The Soul: An Existentialist Point of View Human Studies 33(2010): 191-204 Ihde, Don. Existentialism Today. Journal of Thought 2:4 (1967:Nov.) p.19 Lawler, John. The Essence of Existential Leadership? Existentialism and Leadership. Leadership 215 (2005) http://lea.sagepub.com/ (accessed September 18, 2011) Medina, Marc. Leadership and the Process of Becoming Existential Analysis vol 22, no 1. (Janruary 2011) 70-82. Plantinga, Alvin. On Existentialism. Philosophical Studies 44, no 1 (Jul, 1983) pp 1-20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4319612 (accessed September 18, 2011) Schaeffer, Francis. Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy. Edited by Crossway Books. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, 1990. Visker, Rudi. Was Existentialism Truly a Humanism? Sartre Studies International 13, no 1, 2007. Pp3-15. Wartenberg, Thomas E. Existentialism: A Beginners Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008

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