The expression in English, to pass on the mantle, is used when there is a transition in leadership from the mentor to the apprentice. The idiom refers back to a Bible story. Elijah had been a prophet faithful to the God of Israel and he needed a successor. He found him in the person of Elisha. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over Elisha. A change in leadership is always tricky. The designated heir does things differently from his/her predecessor. We are seeing this happen in a more general way in the generational shift that is happening in our country. The boomers are passing the mantle to the Gen-Xers, the Millennials (and even Gen-Z). It might be different but it is good.
JUNE132020
By Church Staff
