The story of Silverius is a cautionary tale of dynamics that are remarkably familiar to those of us living during the late 20th and early 21st centuries in America. People with power find a way to manipulate religious people to force other people with power to do their bidding.
Does this sound confusing? Well, imagine that there is an Empress or a President. Neither of them is, in point of fact, especially religious. Each of them is power hungry. They each have the power to stir up certain religious sects through fanning the flames of division, through pointedly and publicly supporting the most rabble-like elements while simultaneously making fun of those snowflakes who disagree. Then that person, be it an Empress or a President, uses these riled-up religious people (who now see this Ultra Power Person as their champion!) to pressure other power-holders (say minor princes, majority party leaders, governors, bishops) to fall in line with the wishes and designs of the Empress or President. In fact, some of these other lesser dignitaries find that not only is their power threatened, but, potentially, even their own lives! And all the while, the Empress or President grows steadily more powerful, and any disagreement with said Person becomes equated with shitting on the religion of these rabid followers!
But what to do with those dignitaries who INSIST on maintaining their dignity?! You know–those one or two people who won’t submit, won’t agree to sacrifice their principles, won’t just “go along to get along”? They are traitors! They are haters of religion! “Lock them up! Lock them up!”
Such was the tale of Silverius, who saw his fellow bishops fall in line behind Empress Theodora. You see, Silverius was pope at a time when Rome had fallen to Theodora’s forces, and he was–at least geopolitically–under her dominion. Theodora had hoped to use him (popes can be valuable pawns) to further other ends she had. And, as Butler reports, “The good pope was sensible how dangerous a thing it was to oppose the favourite project of an empress of her violent temper, and said with a sigh in reading her letter [“inviting” him to be of assistance to her], that this affair would in the end cost him his life.” And Silverius was right–it turned out to be a dangerous thing to oppose this Empress.
Yet here’s the thing: Silverius nonetheless did the right thing anyhow!
Silverius did not fall prey to the rationalization that “If I lose what I have, if I don’t make a few concessions here and there, then I can’t do any good for anyone.” It is a huge temptation to tell yourself that you can’t do any good if you’re ousted as pope, majority leader, elected representative, pastor, or civil servant…as a cover for cowardice and a lack of conviction. This is not about leadership and the need of give-and-take; rather, this is about whether any of us will, with Silverius, choose to resist a vacuum of leadership that operates by sucking out the hearts and souls of public servants…including you and me who are just fellow human beings walking the face of this earth.