Dear Sarah and all,

Yes, your vicar's interpretation comes closer to the way I had understood
this text (second-hand - I am no biblical scholar!).

But you also indirectly raise another issue that I, as an 'included
observer', think may be of great importance to living theory action
research:


What is democracy?


We may be fortunate in this country in having a democratic voting system.
But we do not have a democratic system of representing diversity in our
governmental and educational practice. 'Majority rule' (or indeed 'minority
rule') via a selected elite, in my thinking, is a form of Vampiric tyranny
based on exclusional principles, not a democracy engaging and exploring all
possible viewpoints. I am not aware of any truly democratic forms of
governance currently operating anywhere in the world. As I see it,
'Democracy' and 'Freedom' as currently expressed by many 'world leaders' are
empty, hypocritical pretences, and the abusive use of these words as they
are imposed on non-compliant others is a most virulent form of colonialism.
By their very nature, inclusional 'Democracy' and 'Openness' cannot be
imposed; they can only be offered. And, no, they cannot embrace any form of
absolute 'closure' (that would be like the body embracing cancer; the victim
embracing the Vampire) within their own practice, though they may
acknowledge and understand the fearful desire for closure and find ways to
live and work with it, without succumbing to it.

Finding holographic ways to represent diverse viewpoints in our systems of
governance and education, without resorting to the selection of hegemonic,
partial-sighted elites, seems to me to be an important aspiration for us.
And I don't think it's beyond our wits, once we relax our addiction to
exclusional (closed systems) thinking. This is why I am interested in the
syncretistic idea of 'Arthurian' governance, based around the notion of the
'Round Table', as distinct from 'Authoritarian' governance. This is the
approach that I try to bring to my own educational practice, as witnessed by
Jack, amongst others.

Jack - might you be able to show some clips of the discussion sessions
and/or student artwork from LEP to illustrate this 'Arthurian' approach?


Best

Alan


----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Fletcher <[log in to unmask]>
To: Alan Rayner <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 03 July 2005 11:12
Subject: Re: A/R as spiritual practice


> Dear Alan/All
>
> Years ago I remember our vicar (wonderful enlightened man - now working in
one
> of the toughest areas of Bristol!) had a very different interpretation of
this
> same text.  He said we should see this as an exhortation NOT to be
subservient
> ie You choose what is due and you give what is due (and no more) to
authority.
> We are so fortunate in that we freely elect a governing class in this
country
> and clearly there needs to be a ruling elite of some kind in every
society -
> and it is the element of choice that is crucial especially in action
research.
> There are ruling elites in action research too who enable and abuse. We
choose
> to support them - sometimes because they represent (rhetorically at least)
our
> aspired values, sometimes because we feel they embody these ideals in
practice
> As you know I feel strongly that we should be more catholic (pun
intended!) in
> this list and not restrict ouselves to discussing self-study action
research.
> We should pay it due respect - but no more - other kinds of AR are useful
too.
>
> Kind regards
> Sarah
>
> Quoting Alan Rayner <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> > Dear Jack and all,
> >
> > Yesterday morning I was intrigued to note a quote from the bible
(Romans)
> > in our Parish newsletter exhorting us to 'submit to the governing
> > authorities'. This quote had followed on from the story of Jesus saying
to
> > 'Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is
> > God's'. Our Parish priest apparently interpreted this to mean that we
had
> > both secular and spiritual responsibilities. It is easy to see how this
> > interpretation could result in subservience to what might be called 'The
> > Vampire Archetype', a tyrannical regime in which an elite few or one at
the
> > top of a hierarchical governmental structure impose their will upon
those
> > many upon whom they depend, whilst declaring their independence of these
> > many, their 'host'. My feeling is that there are many such tyrannical
> > regimes at large in our modern world, not least in our educational
> > Institutions.
> >
> > So the questions that occur to me are as follows:
> >
> > 1) Who or what are the governing authorities?
> > 2) What is meant by 'submission'?
> >
> >
>