Integrating Christian Faith and Work: Individual, Occupational, and Organizational Influences and Strategies

Description

Though the majority of Americans claim faith in God and adults spend the majority of their time working, these two important dimensions of life are rarely effectively integrated. It is important for people of every faith tradition to consider how, when and if their faith and work are to be integrated. This is especially true as research shows that the integration of faith and spirituality in the workplace results in numerous benefits for individuals, organizations and society - if done respectfully. This book presents key research insights concerning integration influences and strategies for Christians who seek to integrate their faith and their work. Specifically, it discusses how individual, occupational and organizational factors influence faith and work integration, and suggests diverse ways to integrate the Christian faith at work. The Faith and Work Integration Spheres of Influence Model is presented as a tool to guide individuals in better understanding how to develop their own personal plan for faith and work integration within the context of limiting or enabling occupational and organizational factors. It also suggests areas for further research on this topic. Readers will learn how Christian faith and work integration can be maximized based on individual attributes, occupational characteristics, and organizational factors. Front Matter ....Pages i-xviii Introduction (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 1-7 Historical Perceptions of the Meaning of Work (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 9-26 The Meaning of Work (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 27-47 Christian Views of Work (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 49-61 Definitions and Terminology (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 63-84 Benefits of Faith and Work Integration (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 85-111 The Need for Faith and Work Equipping and Training (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 113-132 The Faith and Work Integration Spheres of Influence Model (FWSI) (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 133-149 Individual Influences and Strategies (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 151-189 Occupational Influences and Strategies (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 191-214 Work Organization Influences and Strategies (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 215-258 Faith Organization Influences (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 259-277 Conclusion (Sharlene G. Buszka, Timothy Ewest)....Pages 279-282 Back Matter ....Pages 283-291