Author: Andy Rowell

Book review of A Higher Loyalty by James Comey

I recommend A Higher Loyalty by James @Comey. The first half is riveting stories of darkness: home invasion, regret, Mafia, death of a child. The second half is a recounting of ethical dilemmas he faced: torture and surveillance under Bush, Clinton emails, and Trump pressure. Tweet.

The source of ethical leadership

It seems to me the conscience and ethics of @Comey have been significantly shaped by Christianity. If we want ethical leadership, Alasdair MacIntyre argues in After Virtue that a moral framework is not common sense but develops through the nurture of a moral tradition. Tweet.

Christians in the intelligence services and in journalism

Reading James @Comey on the fulfillment ethical people experience working for the @FBI and their high retention rate, I think more Christians and those passionate about truth on Twitter should join. The @NewYorker @michaelluo and @ProPublica are also hiring. Tweet.

Secrecy, confidentiality, gossip, and integrity

One of the thought-provoking aspects about the James @Comey memos and book is that Comey thinks (rightly!) that secrecy and confidentiality of a president's words and actions are NOT legally protected. Only classified material. The leader should do the right thing, not rely on secrecy. Tweet.

I think we often assume in any kind of one-on-one conversation that it is confidential and secret. @Comey is much more of the belief that if you would not want it on the front pages, you shouldn't say it. Your duty as a listener is not confidentiality but doing what's right. Tweet.

It is not a leak or gossip or dissension to expand the knowledge of wrong-doing so that it reaches those who can address it.
Christians often use Matthew 18:15 about one-on-one confrontation to perpetuate secrecy and confidentiality. But if there is something troubling about the one-on-one conversation, it should be escalated. Tweet.