Presbyterian Presbyopia

Presbyopia starts affecting Presbyterians (and others) in the early years of their ministry or church membership, and becomes particularly noticeable at around the age of 40.  In the early years, the church is seen as so perfect that they feel a real pride in being a minister in such a perfect denomination.  Everything in the garden is rosy, and nothing but the good is recognised.  Even obvious unfaithfulness is not regarded as serious because “this is just the way we do things.”

In later years, say at about 40, our ability to see details is reduced and looking at church details causes a certain degree of strain.  The pain is a felt pain, but is seen as no more than a slight discomfort for which no action needs to be taken. 

The reality is that no one escapes presbyopia, not even Presbyterians!  Even if you've never had a previous vision problem this will eventually arrive.  Those people who are theologically or ecclesiastically short-sighted, or myopic, notice that their near vision blurs when they wear their usual ‘spectacles.’  These ‘spectacles’ (or Scripture) help them to see matters clearly, but what they see they do not like, and this also causes a level of strain in them.   The real situation stares them in the eye but they do not recognise it; indeed, some refuse to recognise what they see through their ‘spectacles,’ and decide to ‘bury their heads in the sand,’ or prefer to live away from the brightness of the light.  Staying in darkness is attractive, and that’s where many of them live – away from the light of Scripture.  Refusing to face up to what the light exposes is a sure sign of presbyopia. 

Some Presbyterians are longsighted and this is a problem that can sometimes hit them like a ‘double whammy’ - all of a sudden in their early 40’s their previously good distance eyesight starts failing at the same time as close vision becomes increasingly strained.  With this condition, they can neither see the ‘big picture’ nor the closer details.  They find themselves in a kind of constant mist or fog.  All they can recognise are mere outlines, shapes, generalities; and in these they rest content. 

This has its advantages, however, for it keeps them from becoming annoyed at what they see.  Their minds start playing tricks with them, but so long as they do not cause problems for themselves or others, they live in blissful ‘blindness.’  Pragmatism kicks in and they opt for self-preservation and future prosperity.  The reasoning goes something like this: “It’s a good job I don’t see things as clearly as once I did because then I might have to take actions that could have serious personal and family consequences.  Yes, I still use my ‘spectacles’ to help with vision, but then again I’m not always sure that what I see with them is the truth, so I just consult them occasionally and go on in my own way.” 

Such men refuse to take Scripture seriously, even though they have these ‘spectacles’ with them all the time.  But when they come into contact with other men who still have their eyesight, men who can see spiritual things clearly, these men are then treated as ‘square pegs in a round hole.’  They’re odd, obscurantists, idiosyncratic.  To protect your ministry, you stay away from such people.  Their spiritual perception is too clear and it only brings discomfort to people like us.  They make the rest of us feel so uncomfortable, uneasy, and put us ‘on edge.’  Deep down we know they are absolutely correct in what they say, but it’s too uncomfortable for us to accept and/or act upon.  What they say is right; but in a church like ours, who’s interested in what’s right!

Presbyopia is a universal condition - it will affect all of us eventually. The growing number of people in their forties and beyond generates a huge demand for proper treatment and action.  Surgical correction may even be necessary to help Presbyterian presbyopes deal with their failing vision.

Presbyterian Presbyopia Symptoms and Signs

When people develop presbyopia, they need to keep things at arm's length in order to focus properly. When doing detailed work, they may develop headaches, stress and strain, or feel fatigued. As the condition progresses and people head into their fifty’s the arms are not long enough for this trick to work so they decide to live in avoidance and denial of what they see.  Also around this time most people “give up” altogether, and become time-servers.  They haven’t that much longer to go until pension age, so they keep their heads down so as not to jeopardise their future. 

What Causes Presbyterian Presbyopia?

Presbyterian presbyopia is caused by an age-related process, though there are signs that the condition is setting in at a much younger age. It is generally believed to stem from a gradual thickening of tissue and loss of flexibility of the lens inside your spiritual eye.  It is reminiscent of sclerosis where a certain hardening of essential tissue takes place with the consequent loss of ability to perform as in earlier days.  They become ‘woody’ and adopt a formal approach, and the mind, the thinker, is the first to be affected.  Rather than think issues through, it is easier to go on the defensive, even if that entails the defence of the indefensible.  It is preferable to ‘assassinate’ the one who encourages critical thought than follow this argument.  To reject the message, it is easy to reject the messenger.  

Age-related changes take place to the detriment of the soul. With reduced ability to see the truth, the ‘eye’ has a harder time focusing on details.  In fact, it gets to the stage when they do not want to focus on details, for these are too difficult to take on board.  They’ve given their 30, 35, 40 years to the ministry, and retirement is within sight.  Just settle down now, take it easy, and your lump sum and pension are on their way.

Treating Presbyterian Presbyopia

To correct this condition, several remedies are available.  One is to take those with it into the ‘consulting room’ and seek to correct what is amiss.  This might involve a period of specialised re-training for the work of the ministry.  Obviously these sufferers are not even aware of what has happened, but those not closely caught up in their work can see more clearly what is going on.  That treatment is needed in obvious.  When ministers cannot see what is really there, they end up trying to defend the indefensible, and in so doing they only make complete fools of themselves.  Others become ‘firm’s men’ and this is a closely related condition that says, “My church right or wrong.”  But they cannot see what it is they are saying.  Others can, but not they. 

Another treatment is more radical – surgery to remove the offending condition.  No one likes this, but sometimes it is the only treatment that will save the situation.  When such a condition is left unchecked, it degenerates into something much more serious, and can be fatal.  The removal of the cause of the offense is much more effective than tinkering with it, and applying some kind of ‘band-aid’ remedy to it. 

At the end of the day, what is sought is clear sightedness in the ministers of the Gospel so that that Gospel can be preached and applied incisively to every situation.  It is the essential health of the church that is aimed at, not its destruction.