The Velvet Steel: The Qualification of Gentleness (Epieikēs) in the Office of Elder
Deep Dive into The Velvet Steel: The Qualification of Gentleness (Epieikēs) in the Office of ElderScripture mandates that church overseers be "gentle" (epieikēs), a qualification that is not a suggestion for personality preference but a moral necessity for the office. This virtue is best described as "velvet steel," where the steel of orthodox conviction is sheathed in the velvet of a self-abnegating spirit. It is strength under holy control, defined negatively by Paul as being neither "violent" (a striker) nor "quarrelsome" (a fighter). A gentle elder does not insist on the letter of the law…
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