The Dense Fog of Sycophancy:

​Process Theology, Jesus, and Integrity in Political Life

In American politics today and in other parts of the world, sycophancy casts a suffocating fog over authentic governance, replacing truth and integrity with manipulation and flattery. This "dense fog" obscures clear judgment, corrupts relationships, stifles collective flourishing, and undercuts democracy. Leaders surrounded by insincere praise lose sight of reality, while flatterers sacrifice their authenticity for personal gain. Our need is for a way to clear this fog—an approach that illuminates the deeper relational dynamics at play and offers pathways to healthier, more ethical connections. Enter open and relational theology in the Christian spirit, which provides a lens to critique sycophancy and reimagine relationships through its core idea of relationality.

Relationality in open and relational theology operates on two levels: one ontological, describing how everything is fundamentally interconnected, and the other normative, envisioning how relationships can embody ideals such as mutual respect, authenticity, dialogue, and the embrace of difference. By linking this normative vision to the concept of initial aims from God, process-relational philosophy offers a profound critique of sycophancy and a constructive vision for building relational integrity in politics.

Ontological Relationality: The Fabric of Existence

At its core, open and relational theology asserts that everything is what it is in relation to other things. This ontological claim emphasizes the interconnectedness of all entities. No being exists in isolation; each is shaped by its relationships with others.

For instance, an actual entity—a moment of experience — is defined by its prehensions, or the ways it feels and responds to other entities. This relationality is intrinsic and inescapable, forming the very fabric of existence. However, ontological relationality is descriptive, not prescriptive. It simply acknowledges that relationships are fundamental to being without addressing their moral or qualitative dimensions.

Normative Relationality: The Ethics of Connection

Beyond this ontological level, open and relational theology introduces a normative vision of relationality, focusing on the quality of connections. Normative relationality calls for ideals such as mutual respect, authenticity, dialogue, and the embrace of difference. It is not enough to recognize that all things are interconnected; we must strive to cultivate relationships that enhance flourishing.

In this vision, genuine relationships are marked by care and responsiveness. Mutual respect acknowledges the intrinsic value of others, while authenticity ensures that interactions are sincere and meaningful. Dialogue creates spaces for open exchange, and the embrace of difference transforms diversity into an opportunity for growth and creativity.

Normative relationality reflects open and relational theology's commitment to novelty, creativity, and mutual becoming, imagining relationships as sites of transformation and co-creation rather than domination or exploitation.

The Role of Initial Aims from God

In open and relational theology, the concept of initial aims or divine lures deepens the vision of normative relationality. Initial aims are possibilities offered by God to every actual entity in every moment, inviting them toward beauty, harmony, and intensity. These aims are not coercive; they are gentle lures toward the best potential for relational flourishing.

Initial aims inspire the qualities that normative relationality envisions:

• Mutual Respect: Honoring the intrinsic worth of others as co-creators in the web of existence.
• Authenticity: Aligning actions with one’s true self, rejecting manipulation or flattery.
• Dialogue: Engaging in genuine exchange, valuing diverse perspectives.
• Creativity in Difference: Seeing contrast and diversity as opportunities for richer relationships.

These divine invitations guide individuals and communities to build relationships that reflect God’s vision for a flourishing world. They remind us that relationality is not just a fact of existence but also a moral calling.

Sycophancy as a Failure of Normative Relationality

Sycophancy, in all its forms, represents a profound failure of normative relationality. By prioritizing self-interest over mutual respect, it distorts relationships and betrays the initial aims that God offers.

• Loss of Respect: Sycophants treat others as means to an end, reducing relationality to exploitation.
• Erosion of Authenticity: Flattery replaces sincerity, creating shallow, manipulative connections.
• Stifling of Dialogue: Sycophantic environments suppress open exchange, favoring echo chambers over truth.
• Fear of Difference: Sycophants avoid challenging power, preferring conformity over creative tension.

From an open and relational perspective, sycophancy blinds both the flatterer and the flattered to the divine possibilities for transformation and growth. It deepens the fog of manipulation, isolating individuals and corrupting systems.

Clearing the Fog: A Process-Relational Approach

To dispel the dense fog of sycophancy in politics, open and relational theology invites us to align relational practices with God’s initial aims. This involves:

1. Embracing Openness: Cultivating relationships grounded in authenticity and mutual care.
2. Prioritizing Flourishing: Making choices that enhance the well-being of individuals and communities.
3. Fostering Accountability: Encouraging environments where honesty and constructive feedback are valued.
4. Celebrating Difference: Viewing diversity as a source of creative novelty and relational richness.

By responding to the divine lure toward healthier relationality, we can move beyond the manipulative dynamics of sycophancy and build connections that reflect the best of what is possible in a world of interdependence.

In politics and beyond, the fog of sycophancy is a symptom of relational failure—a refusal to honor the mutuality, authenticity, and creativity that relationality demands. Process-relational philosophy offers a way out of this fog by linking relationality to the divine guidance of initial aims. It challenges us to imagine a world where relationships are not tools of manipulation but acts of co-creation with God, fostering beauty, harmony, and justice. Only then can we clear the dense fog and build a political and social order rooted in genuine connection and flourishing.
 
Jesus as a Window into Initial Aims and Healthy Relationality

From a Christian perspective, Jesus embodies the initial aims from God in their most profound and transformative form. His life, teachings, and relationships reveal a way of living that prioritizes authentic connection, mutual respect, and care for the marginalized. In the context of sycophancy, Jesus serves as both a model and an antidote, demonstrating how relationality grounded in divine love can transcend manipulation, self-interest, and insincerity.

In his ministry, Jesus consistently upheld the dignity and worth of every person, regardless of their social status or power. He did not flatter the rich or the powerful for personal gain, nor did he shy away from challenging the hypocrisy of religious and political leaders. Instead, he practiced a relationality rooted in honesty, compassion, and a deep respect for the divine image in others. This approach is the antithesis of sycophancy, which thrives on falsehood and self-serving flattery.

For instance, Jesus’ interactions with individuals like Zacchaeus, the tax collector, or the Samaritan woman at the well, demonstrate his commitment to authenticity and mutual transformation. He approached these relationships not with pretense or manipulation, but with a radical openness to the possibility of renewal and healing. In doing so, he modeled the initial aims from God, showing how relationality can be a pathway to flourishing for all involved.

The Way of Jesus as a Divine Lure

The way of life that Jesus embodies can be understood as a concrete manifestation of God’s initial aims. His teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, are invitations to live in alignment with God’s vision for healthy relationality:

• Mutual Respect: Jesus’ call to love one’s neighbor as oneself reflects a deep recognition of the value of every person, rejecting the hierarchical and exploitative dynamics that sycophancy fosters.
• Authenticity: Jesus frequently emphasized the importance of inner integrity, urging his followers to let their “yes” be yes and their “no” be no. This call to straightforward honesty stands in stark contrast to the deceit inherent in sycophantic behavior.
• Dialogue and Difference: Jesus engaged with people from all walks of life—Pharisees, sinners, foreigners, and the poor—welcoming diverse perspectives and challenging exclusionary practices. His relational openness reveals the creative potential of embracing difference.
• Care for the Marginalized: Jesus’ preferential option for the poor, the sick, and the outcast is a direct challenge to the sycophantic tendency to cater to the powerful while neglecting the vulnerable.

By living out these values, Jesus points the way to a relationality that is not transactional or exploitative but deeply rooted in divine love and mutual flourishing. This way of life is a window into God’s initial aims—a gentle, persistent lure toward relationships that heal and transform.

Jesus as an Antidote to Sycophancy

Sycophancy thrives in environments of fear, insecurity, and the pursuit of power. Jesus confronts these dynamics head-on, offering an alternative vision of relationality that undermines the very foundation of sycophantic behavior.

• Courage in Truth: Jesus’ refusal to flatter or manipulate challenges us to stand in the truth, even when it is uncomfortable or costly. His boldness in speaking truth to power provides a model for resisting the allure of sycophantic praise.
• Relational Freedom: By centering his life on God’s love, Jesus demonstrates a freedom from the need for human approval. This freedom allows for relationships that are genuine and life-giving rather than calculated and transactional.
• Redemption of Relational Brokenness: Jesus’ ministry is filled with examples of restoring broken relationships, both between individuals and within communities. His actions reveal the possibility of redemption and transformation, even in the midst of unhealthy relational dynamics.

Following Jesus as Co-Creation with God

For Christians, following the way of Jesus is a form of co-creation with God. It means aligning one’s life with the initial aims that God offers in every moment, striving to embody relational integrity in all interactions. This commitment is not easy—it requires vulnerability, humility, and the courage to resist the temptations of flattery and manipulation. Yet, it is through this way of living that the fog of sycophancy can be lifted, making space for relationships that reflect the divine vision of beauty, harmony, and justice.

In this sense, Jesus is not only a guide but also a companion in the journey toward healthy relationality. His life reminds us that relationships are not merely about what we can gain, but about what we can give and receive in mutual care and respect. In following his example, we participate in the ongoing work of God, co-creating a world where authenticity and love prevail over deceit and self-interest.