The Newsletter for Chairs of Theological School Boards
Vol. 3 No. 9

What the papal election taught me about governance

One of the things I noticed in the new pope’s election was not just the speed, but how it was conducted.

While what happens during the meeting of the College of Cardinals is secret, it is clear that the decision to elect the new pontiff flowed from a strong sense of values. In the interviews in which cardinals have talked about Pope Leo XIV, they discussed the things that matter to them and the Catholic Church.

This is a wonderful example of what boards of trustees can and should do in times of decision: lean on the institution’s values to guide them forward. For the Catholic Church, we heard about Pope Leo XIV’s compassion, care for the poor, sincerity of faith, and his well-grounded theology, steeped in Catholic tradition. (He’s an alum of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago!)

I believe that the speed of the election came because of the shared sense of values among the cardinals. The successful candidate rose to the top because of the clarity of the leaders’ values. In any good search, those making the decision – a board – should spend time coming to a clear understanding of the institution’s values. While that sounds simple, values can often be taken for granted. Values are often assumed but not always shared, and without clarity, personal views can creep in. That’s why revisiting your school’s values regularly is essential.

If your board hasn’t had a recent conversation about institutional values, it might be time. Here are a few resources that might help. A few years ago, I wrote about how we created a mission statement here. You can also find a helpful video about how to assess institutional culture here. And, our Strategic Shorts videos are incredibly helpful. For example, check out this one, which includes discussion of how values affect an institution’s practice. If you’d like help thinking through this, our team can help. You can reach the team via email here.

Thanks for all you do in theological education.

Amy Kardash
President