The Systems View of the World: A Holistic Vision for Our Time (Advances in Systems Theory, Complexit

The systems view Laszlo introduces is a holistic model of the universe in which all parts are mutually affecting. It stands in sharp contrast to the traditional linear, mechanistic model in which the universe is a collection of unrelated things operating independently where there is only one cause for every event. According to systems theory, everything is fundamentally interrelated and input into one aspect of a complex system will affect other aspects of that system. An open system, such as a church, must change in order to maintain itself in a dynamic environment. Receiving input from the environment is essential if an organization is to be able to respond effectively to its ever-changing environment. Just as systems theory recognizes that an organization is not fundamentally separate from its environment, systems theory does not allow the church to be seen as fundamentally separate from the larger community in which it is located. The implications of this worldview for ethics as well as for practices in personal and public life are yet to be realized. Many of our church beliefs and practices are firmly rooted in the Enlightenment concept of individuality that most systemic thinkers have set aside. What would the Church system -- and our daily practices of accountability – look like if we were to re-work them so that they were sufficiently systemic?