Spirituality as Faith in Relation to Management

Abstract

The chapter elucidates how spirituality is revealed in the workplace and in management. It suggests to distinguish among faith-based spirituality, folk or indigenous spirituality, and humanist spirituality. The common theme in these spiritualities is the vision of transcendence: a perception beyond the ego-self and a conviction that rational and objectified knowledge is not the only permissible discourse in describing reality. In Judeo-Christian thought, humankind is made in the image of God and therefore concepts of spirituality are generally viewed in relation to God as the Creator and Sustainer of life. The word for spirit or soul in Hebrew is “nephesh” which refers to the essence of life or the act of breathing and that this spirit or breath of man is given by God. The Hebrew system of thought does not conceive of personhood in dualistic terms such as “body” and “soul”. In the New Testament, “psyche” is the word used for the spirit of a person. It is the life essence, the self and inner person. Leading corporations are addressing the question of ethical values in the context of stakeholder engagement. A Christian manager is likely to engage in such questions from the perspective of understanding management as a vocation in which he or she is to manage “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Thompson believes that creating an environment in which these questions can be discussed and plans made in light of the discussions depends on the quality of the organization and its leaders. Whilst the discussion at a public level is not usually related to spirituality, nevertheless the underlying conversations that constitute business quality, integrity and responsibility are frequently energized by spirituality and religious faith.