Faith and Work

Christian Perspectives, Research and Insights into the Movement

Edited by:
Timothy Ewest, Houston Baptist University

A volume in the series: Advances in Workplace Spirituality: Theory, Research and Application. Editor(s): Louis W. Fry, Texas A&M University Central Texas.

Published 2018

Those who adhere to a faith tradition are longing for theories and insights into how they can be true to their faith within the workplace and yet be sensitive and respectful to others of varying faith commitments and beliefs. Yet for Christians, respect of other faith traditions is especially difficult since Christianity as the dominate religion has become secularized and institutionalized within the workplace as represented in holidays and days off.

Within the multiple theoretical and research dimensions of management, religion and spirituality, this book explores theoretical, conceptual and strategic theories and research which consider how individuals and organizations integrate their Christian faith in the workplace, and how these groups attempt to change society as a whole. This historical movement is characterized by a desire for people to live a holistic life which integrates their Christian faith into the workplace, also deemed “faith at work”.

Historically, Christian’s faith integration is manifested individually or collectively and is demonstrated in the ways it shapes and informs the values systems, ethics, character and attitudes towards work. This edited volume draws themes out of the three historical epochs of the faith and work movement traced by Miller (2007) in the book, God at work: The history and promise of the faith at work movement. These organizing themes, while not congruent to the historical epochs, do capture the ways in which people of faith have historically attempted to integrate their faith into the workplace. These themes include: Individual integration, organizational strategies for integration and societal integration.

CONTENTS
Book Series Introduction, Louis W. (Jody) Fry. Foreword, David Miller. The Reason of Faith: Macro-, Mezzo-, and Microemergences of Faith in the Workplace, Timothy Ewest. PART I: INDIVIDUAL. Ancient Spirituality at Work, Cathy Driscoll and Elden Wiebe. The Impact of College Type and Occupational Category on Faith and Spiritual Integration in the College Workplace, Sharlene Buszka and Timothy Ewest. Bringing Meaning to Work: Spirituality, Meaningfulness, and Engagement, Simone Meskelis and J. Lee Whittington. Priests of Creation in the Workplace, Mediators of Order: Taking God to Work, Peter McGhee and Myk Habets. “As the Birds to Flying, So Is Man Born Unto Work”: Martin Luther’s Notion of Work as an Individual Source for Meaning, Peter Seele and Lucas Zapf. PART II: ORGANIZATION. Decent Work, Meaningful Work, and Self-Developing Work: Three Key Ethical Perspectives From Catholic Social Teaching, Domènec Melé. Caring for Employees: Corporate Chaplains as a Model of Faith at Work, David W. Miller, Faith Ngunjiri, and Dennis LoRusso. Faith, Family, and Work: A Christian Perspective on Family Business, Allan Discua Cruz. Congregational Promotion of Faith Integration to Work Outcomes for Individuals, Mitch Neubert and Kevin Dougherty. PART III: SOCIETY. Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity Exploratory Implications for the Diaspora in the United States, Tamrat Gashaw and Timothy Ewest. The Holistic Motivation of Social Entrepreneurs, Kent Seibert and Julia R. Marra. Heading for the Multifaith Workplace, Stuart Allen and Peter Williams. PART IV: CONCLUSION. Secular and the Sacred: Tracing Their Dimensionality and Tension, Timothy Ewest. About the Contributors.