Max Weber was one of the principle writers of the theory of bureaucracy, which was believed to create a formal system to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. Five principles, according to Weber, were required for the implementation of bureaucracy. Henri Fayol identified fourteen principles of bureaucratic management, including division of labor, centralization, discipline, and subordination of individual interests to the common interests. Norms, standard operating procedures, and rules are typical means by which such methodology is implemented.
Ironically, the very theory implemented to ensure efficiency and effectiveness has a connotation of the opposite. Quite frequently, the very norms and standard operating procedures meant to ensure effectiveness do so at the expense of efficiency. This is no profound statement for it has been experienced by all at the BMV, academia, and within the church.
Unlike the practices of the world, faith has no bureaucratic red tape. There are no standard operating procedures necessary to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. No procedures and rules are required for acceptance of the grace and love of the redeeming blood of Christ. Frequently though, since bureaucracy is a staple part of worldly lifestyle, man has tried to implement such practices in the name of religion in order to transform faith into comfortable, understandable human thought. Such transformation is in vain for faith requires a reliance on Christ and not the rules of man.
Many lessons over the past academic year have evolved into papers, exams and projects. Thankfully, beyond academic work, the lessons of the classroom can be transformed to teach us eternal lessons about the nature of the living of God.
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