Makerspace Dr Christa McKirland on power and authority
May 11, 2025
Dr. Christa McKirland, Dean of Faculty at Carey Baptist College and a theologian with a PhD from St Andrews, dives into the complexities of power and authority in Christian leadership. She critiques contemporary issues like scandals and cultural perceptions of authority, while emphasizing a theology grounded in Christ's model of servant leadership. Christa also examines women’s roles in the early church, offering insights on scripture interpretations and the impact of cultural biases. Her vision for leadership promotes shared agency and a familial approach to ecclesiology.
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Kingdom Power Is Service, Not Domination
- Christians must reorder authority around Christ's lordship, not human dominance.
- Jesus models vulnerability, weakness and service as true power, not ruling over others.
Systematic Theology Integrates Body, Scripture, Doctrine
- Systematic theology seeks to integrate doctrines like creation, sin and redemption into a coherent view.
- Christa warns against abstract theology that ignores scripture's cultural and embodied revelation.
Prioritise Voices While Centering Christ
- Treat every voice as valuable while acknowledging differing weights of testimony and character.
- Equip leaders to point people to Jesus rather than to become the human head of the church.