The Tyranny of the Minority: What Happens When Institutions Crumble

The Importance—and Tension—of Institutions in the Church

In American politics, getting “primaried”—where a small but vocal faction organizes to remove a sitting leader—has become a defining feature of modern elections. But what if the same thing happens in the church? In many non-denominational and evangelical settings, pastors can find themselves in a similar position, ousted not for theological error but for making the “wrong” people uncomfortable. Without a bishop, denominational structure, or institutional support, pastors who challenge the status quo can be forced out by congregational backlash. This raises a fundamental question: without strong institutions, who protects pastors from reactionary forces? And who holds them accountable when they go astray?

How Institutions Provide Stability and Accountability

Many Mainline denominations also practice congregational polity—such as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church (to some extent). Yet even among these traditions, institutional structures have developed to provide guardrails that prevent congregations from being entirely reactive.

For example, in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), clergy must seek “standing” each year from their middle judicatory. While a local church ultimately chooses who they hire or fire, the standing process ensures that pastors are vetted and held accountable. Similarly, in the United Church of Christ, the middle judicatory can serve as a source of support and protection when conflicts arise between pastors and congregations.

Even still, institutional accountability is not without flaws. History has shown what happens when institutions fail to provide meaningful oversight. Jim Jones, one of the most infamous cult leaders in history, was once an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). His unchecked rise and tragic downfall serve as a chilling reminder of what happens when leaders operate without accountability. It’s my understanding that many of the norms around pastoral “standing” in the Disciples were developed in response to this tragedy, reinforcing the need for institutional checks and balances.

At the same time, institutions can overreach in harmful ways. Thomas Jay Oord, a theologian and seminary professor, was “defrocked” by the Church of the Nazarene for his views on LGBTQ+ inclusion. In that case, a denominational board—composed largely of laypeople (from what Oord said on social media posts), many with far less theological education than Oord—ultimately decided to remove him. This illustrates the tension at play: institutions provide stability and structure, but they are only as good as the people who uphold them.

The Decline of Institutional Trust

Trust in institutions is at an all-time low. From government to media to the church, people are walking away from traditional structures, disillusioned by corruption, cover-ups, and power plays. But before we celebrate the decline of institutions as a move toward greater freedom, we must ask: what happens when there’s no structure left to hold us together?

Religious sociologist Ryan Burge has spoken about the decline of institutional trust and its consequences. When people stop believing in institutions, they either disengage entirely or turn to alternative sources of authority—often ones that are more reactionary and less accountable (MAGA anyone?).

Michelle Warren highlighted this trend in our conversation. She recalled a meeting with a pastor of a large evangelical church in Douglas County who told her:

“Nobody's talking about immigration here.”

She paused, then responded:

“No, you aren’t talking about immigration here.”

This dynamic—where churches avoid difficult conversations out of fear—illustrates what happens when institutional trust erodes. If churches fail to disciple their congregants, people will still be discipled—just by cable news, social media, or political influencers. The absence of strong institutional frameworks has allowed ideology to replace theology in many spaces.

The Necessity of Institutions, Even in Their Imperfection

Of course, institutions have their failures. The Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention, and countless others have faced scandals and cover-ups that have caused deep harm. Many people today rightly approach institutions with skepticism.

Yet, as Warren pointed out, without institutions and norms holding us together, we fall under the weight of the tyranny of the minority—where those who know what they want exercise power and position to force it on the majority, who themselves can’t find enough common ground to organize and resist.

At the same time, institutions exist for a reason. In a past podcast conversation, religious sociologist Todd Ferguson noted that institutions act as a sort of “human instinct”—preserving and protecting human practices over time. While institutions can become rigid or corrupt, they also help sustain values and practices that would otherwise fade away. Institutions ensure that wisdom and experience are not lost in generational shifts or cultural upheavals.

“We need to be willing to humble ourselves and leave our places of comfort to love people who are different. That is literally what Jesus did.”

This is why institutions—though flawed—are necessary. They provide continuity, accountability, and protection. They ensure that leadership is not entirely subject to the whims of the moment. They uphold theological and ethical standards that help faith communities retain their integrity.

Finding the Balance: Valuing Institutions Without Blind Allegiance

If history has taught us anything, it’s that institutions should neither be idolized nor discarded. They should be valued with a healthy dose of scrutiny. Institutions must be held accountable—and they must also be protected from those who would dismantle them for personal or political gain.

Warren argues that evangelical churches, in particular, have been hiding from the world’s darkness rather than engaging it:

“We as evangelicals—and I would even say white privileged America—have been hiding out in our basements with our canned goods, batteries, and flashlights, waiting for the darkness to pass until Jesus comes. Instead of using everything we can with the light that he says, ‘I am the light of the world, you are the light of the world. Go shine.’”

The great challenge of our time is this: Can we restore and reform institutions while still trusting them enough to provide structure and guidance?

A post-institutional world may seem freeing in the short term, but in the long term, it leaves us vulnerable—adrift in an environment where power is seized by the most forceful voices rather than stewarded through shared governance. If churches and religious leaders fail to recognize the value of institutions, we may find ourselves longing for them once they’re gone.