Why We Still Need Kings

In today's postmodern society, kings and royalty are viewed as quaint and obsolete remnants of the past. Our egalitarian sensibilities tell us that no one has the right to lord over us. The great democracies of this age operate on the principle that leaders must be elected by the people themselves, or at least appointed by people such as we have already elected. Leadership and governance is only conferred as a temporary stewardship, for an appointed time. And justly so. The notion of a divine right of kingship throughout ancient and medieval times has played itself out in a history of conquest, murder and sinister deeds as rulers strove to maintain dominion.

Today, kingship appears to have no relevance in our world. Monarchies such as those operating in Japan and England are seen as merely symbolic figureheads, of no real importance. Their days are filled with publicity and charitable works, admirable, but not crucial to the government of their respective nations. The idea of kingship, or the idea that certain people are "chosen" as being worthy to rule, is a memory of the distant past. The Queen of England might be struck down by lightning today and the world would continue without much interruption or turmoil, except for the news media, which would no doubt go into an insane frenzy.

And yet our attention would be inexplicably drawn to those news stories. We would stop what we are doing to watch the funeral on TV. Coverage of the wedding and the death of Princess Diana was watched by millions around the world. Why can't we let go of our fascination with Kings, Queens, Princesses? Why do our daughters start playing dress-up princess by the time they are three? Somehow, planted deep in our hearts, there is something about the idea of royalty that still draws us near; it's the dream come true, the happily ever after. Somewhere inside every girl there is a princess yearning to be recognized as the most beautiful, gracious lady in the land. In every boy there beats the gallant heart of a strong prince or knight in shining armor, doing great deeds. Disney has certainly figured this out -- princess stories and fairy tales are their most popular family films.

Tales of kingdoms and their rulers never seem to lose their popularity. The legends of King Arthur and his glorious Camelot are re-imagined and re-told countless times, yet they continue to capture our imagination. Cynics will declare that it's all fairy tales, childish nonsense. On the other hand, scholars assert that embedded in myths, legends and fairy stories are truths that touch human beings deep within our core being. C.S. Lewis wrote "the value of myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by 'the veil of familiarity'." The stories of the great kings and queens is our story, too, of our endless struggles and perils, trials and triumphs, sorrows and joys.

In a way then, we still need kings in our world. Not as rulers of course, but as a part of our collective lore. I am talking about the kings of old, the figures of ancient and medieval ages, romanticized as they may have been over the years: King David, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Alfred the Great, Elizabeth I. Sadly, many of today's young people know more about the Kings of Leon or Lady Gaga than they know of Queen Victoria. The vacuum of kingdom is filled in our modern world by celebrity worship. We idolize entertainers, billionaires, and sports figures and reality show stars! At the same time, our political leaders seem to be generally disrespected and frequently maligned by the media. In fact, we're always willing to find fault with our idols via some scandal or evidence of wrongdoing. Our society is yearning for someone worthy of our adoration, but who is worthy?

Thomas of Aquinas wrote "that is is necessary for men who live together to be subject to diligent rule by someone." He was talking about being ruled by a Christian king, but the qualities he described are still what we seek today. The Good King symbolizes for us the ideal citizen. He is a leader that works for the good of all the people, issuing justice and mercy in perfect balance as necessary. He lives by a code of conduct that strives for the Light and stands up to the Darkness. By his very nature, he is someone that people want to follow. The Good King represents one worthy of our service and loyalty, one we would be willing to follow, to die for.

There is a magical moment in story (or in movies) where the knight kneels down to pledge his sword and life to his beloved sovereign, swearing fealty even unto death. It inspires us rather than repulses us. A curious reaction, because it's hard to imagine ourselves doing the same with any boss or leader that exists in our ordinary lives. But in watching that scene we sense a bigger truth, that we human beings long for a sense of purpose, that intangible something worth living and dying for, a quality that is symbolized by the King.

Kings remind us that there are times when we need to submit our will to something greater than ourselves. In modern culture, we have forgotten how to submit. In fact, we frequently forget how to show respect, humility and common courtesy! (Did you know that "courtesy" comes from "court" meaning how to conduct oneself in the king's court?) The word "obey" has become politically incorrect, connoting subservience or even slavery. Many couples stridently choose to strike out the word "obey" in their marriage vows, or substitute another word. Since we have rights and personal freedom, no one can tell us what to do. This mentality has left us unconstrained to pursue our own materialistic and narcissistic ends. We are the "Me Generation", puffing ourselves up with king sized egos to match our king sized appetites for stuff. We bow down to no one, and in the process are in danger of becoming arrogant and prideful.

Yet the Good King shows us that true nobility comes by serving a bigger purpose than oneself. As Christianity's influence grew in the West, the lore of the Good King evolved from the grim hero/warrior of old into a Lord of mercy and compassion. He became more like one of us, a Lord among equals, a brother in arms. The great Kings of legend and literature are the ones that lead by the example of their lives. Like Tolkien's Aragorn, they ride with the troops into the battle, risking it all to fight the enemy at the gates of Mordor. Like Arthur, they apply justice equally and are not above the law themselves (Arthur would not put his own queen and Lancelot above the law when they were caught committing treason/adultery, but submitted them for trial at great cost to himself.) Like Jesus, they display Kingship by acts of service and healing, such as kneeling down to wash the disciples' feet, showing us the way of Love.

Often the "great" Kings of history are remembered for their conquests and military leadership. They had to be ruthless, fierce and shrewd to negotiate in the harsh reality of ancient times. But there were great Kings and Queens who had a lasting impact on the world by their efforts in healing, defending, managing, educating and building up their societies. Often these real-life kings (David, Solomon, Charlemagne, Alfred the Great) are notable for relying on their faith for guidance and wisdom. Even when they fail and fall due to human weakness, we learn valuable lessons by studying their lives.

Kings symbolize what is great about our potential as Men. As we exalt the King, He exalts us by challenging us to become the best we can be. Even as we lose ourselves, we gain and are uplifted. Human beings strive to live up to ideals; we hold onto them and to Hope. Part of the Arthur legend is that the King shall return at the hour of greatest need. When the true, worthy King finally returns and comes into his Kingdom, it's another magic movie moment. We find ourselves rejoicing at the coronation scene. That joy expresses our feelings as we see the Good King as a sign pointing to our Hope for the future. In a time where there are no more Kings in the world of Men, I say we need the true King more than ever.

Oedipus
Ulysses (Odysseus)
King Lear
Macbeth
Oberon and Titania, of the Faerie Kingdom
Arthur of Camelot
Aragorn of Gondor
Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy of Narnia
Mufasa and Simba, from Disney's the Lion King

St. Thomas Aquinas. "On Kingship." Trans. and Ed. R.W. Dyson. Cambridge, UK: The Cambridge University Press, 2002. <http://assets.cambridge.org/97805213/75696/sample/9780521375696ws.pdf>

Lewis, C.S. "The Dethronement of Power." Understanding The Lord of the Rings; The Best of Tolkien Criticism. Ed. Rose A. Zimbardo and Neil D. Isaacs. New York, NY: Houghton Miflin Co., 2004.

Wood, Ralph C. "The Gospel According to Tolkien." Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.

Campbell, Joseph. "The Power of Myth." Ed. Bill Moyers. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1988.

Official Website of the British Monarchy <http://www.royal.gov.uk/>

Asimov, Isaac "Chronology of the World." Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.