The Body of Christ as a Human System

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"And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

 -1st Corinthians 12:21


      One of my favorite topics to talk about is hierarchies and systems. Complex systems fascinate me, and my interest is perked significantly by human systems like agencies, institutions, and governments. 


My other favorite topic to talk about is ideas and ideologies. One thing I've oberved in the world is every single grouping of people, whether a government, agency, political movement, or any particular organisation of people is systemized into a hierarchy by ideas.


I'd bet you twenty bucks you won't find an exeption to this. Ideas form the purpose and foundation of pretty much all human organisations and movements. They are the reason they exist. As I've observed people in the community, I've noticed how really passionate and zealous people seem to be almost taken over mentally by ideas that they end up acting on behalf of. I noticed that people are more under the control of their belief systems rather than the other way around, making me sympathize with the old Carl Jung quote "people don't have ideas, ideas have people," like a symbiote to a host.


The oldest in depth description of a human system that I have encountered is the Body of Christ analogy in 1st Corinthians, where Paul the Apostle describes the church as the literal "body" of Christ that acts on Jesus' behalf on earth and he gives various metaphors and analogies to reinforce his point and show how the church operates as a single body completing the objectives of Jesus on earth (or at least it's supposed to.) He even reinforced systems ethics, stating that once a member of the body, you are now essential. "And the eye cannot say to the hand "I have no need of you."


This gives everyone in the system value and purpose, and the social and system security that comes with that value and purpose. You can't dispose of anyone.


Whether you are a Christian or not, the idea of Jesus Christ exists regardless, and as an idea alone He is still incredibly powerful. Over two billion people profess some faith in Jesus and are a member of some form of Christianity. Even Islam has a connection to Jesus, and that almost doubles that number. As far as systems go, Christians are systemized into that "body" or hierarchy by the very idea of Jesus, and if that system of Christianity had a much higher level of coherence and unity instead of how fractured it is it would probably be one of the most powerful systems on the planet.


One thing I've learned about ideas and belief systems is that they can evolve and even just a slight difference in feelings and interpretations of scripture can splinter huge swaths of believers from each other and rift and divide the "body of christ." That's exactly what's happened.

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