Business And Religion

Addressing a phenomenon that continues to shape our culture today, Professor Lunden presents a full-length analysis of the relationship between business and religion during the 1920s. He examines both the impact of the business mentality on Protestant institutions and values and the effects of religion on business. Beginning with a discussion of business and entrepreneurship as determining factors in the development of American society, Lunden looks at the position of the Protestant churches vis-a-vis business. He next explores business attitudes toward religion. Commenting on the adoption of specific Judeo-Christian concepts, religion. Commenting on the adoption of specific Judeo-Christian concepts, he describes both how these concepts were applied in a business context and what concessions were made by business when Protestant values came into conflict with those of the commercial world. In his final chapter he considers the implications of the business community's appropriation of religious functions and the widespread belief that its mission was linked to the redemption of society.

'I wish this book had been around when I tried to teach about entrepreneurship in its social context; life would have been much easier with these informed sources.' – Alistair R. Anderson, Aberdeen Business School, UK This rich and detailed book makes a very timely contribution to extending our understanding of entrepreneurship in its social context. Using selected examples, the respected contributors show how the values developed in religious beliefs and practices shape entrepreneurship. For too long the entrepreneur has been characterized as an isolated, economically driven individual, thus ignoring how enterprise and entrepreneurs are products of their society, their culture and their religion. This innovative book discusses both entrepreneurship and religion, as well as indicating how the synthesis of beliefs and practices combine in entrepreneurial endeavours. It provides a conceptually useful way of framing the individualistic entrepreneur in his or her social and cultural context, demonstrating how entrepreneurial agency operates within and through a variety of religious contexts. Illustrated with original photographs, this captivating book will be warmly welcomed by students and researchers with interests in entrepreneurship, sociology, religion and cultural studies. Government policy-makers in immigration will also find this book an invaluable read.

In this study of over 65 CEOs and top executives, author Laura Nash probes how Christian business managers integrate faith with a successful life at work. Through her interviews with business leaders, Nash discovers that religion can play a vital part in business leadership by helping establish ethical standards and guide everyday business decisions.

Business has received little attention in American religious history, although it has profound implications for understanding the sustained popularity and ongoing transformation of religion in the United States. This volume offers a wide ranging exploration of the business aspects of American religious organizations. The authors analyze the financing, production, marketing, and distribution of religious goods and services and the role of wealth and economic organization in sustaining and even shaping worship, charity, philanthropy, institutional growth, and missionary work. Treating religion and business holistically, their essays show that American religious life has always been informed by business practices. Laying the groundwork for further investigation, the authors show how American business has functioned as a domain for achieving religious goals. Indeed they find that religion has historically been more powerful when interwoven with business. Chapters on Mormon enterprise, Jewish philanthropy, Hindu gurus, Native American casinos, and the wedding of business wealth to conservative Catholic social teaching demonstrate the range of new studies stimulated by the business turn in American religious history. Other chapters show how evangelicals joined neo-liberal economic practice and right-wing politics to religious fundamentalism to consolidate wealth and power, and how they developed marketing campaigns and organizational strategies that transformed the American religious landscape. Included are essays exposing the moral compromises religious organizations have made to succeed as centers of wealth and influence, and the religious beliefs that rationalize and justify these compromises. Still others examine the application of business practices as a means of sustaining religious institutions and expanding their reach, and look at controversies over business practices within religious organizations, and the adjustments such organizations have made in response. Together, the essays collected here offer new ways of conceptualizing the interdependence of religion and business in the United States, establishing multiple paths for further study of their intertwined historical development.

Throughout recorded history, the primary sources of conflict in life have been religion and ethics. The 21st Century is right on track, from the war in the Middle East to sectarian violence nearly everywhere else. Hardly a day goes by without headlines about religious conflicts.Additionally, the news is filled with the shenanigans of Enron, WorldCom, and Solyndra, forcing hard questions about business ethics to the forefront of peoples' minds.THE GODS OF BUSINESS is an indispensable guide for discovering the intersection of faith and the marketplace. In plain language, Todd Albertson reveals the anatomy of the world's major religions - Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Secular Postmodernism, Shintoism, and Sikhism - and discusses how their spiritual traditions impact business ethics.Provocative, eye-opening, and funny, THE GODS OF BUSINESS provides telling insights into the loudly proclaimed dogmas and silent subtleties that dramatically affect individuals - businesspeople, educators, politicians, journalists, students, and others - who are unaware of, or confused about, diverse religious beliefs, or who are just wishing they could turn back the clock and deal with their hometown ways of doing things.THE GODS OF BUSINESS is, as the MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW writes, "A 'must-have' primer for anyone unfamiliar with basic tenets of world religions in today's era of globalization.

"Tells the largely forgotten story of the historical ties between conservative Protestants and corporate America; shows how business executives have been crucial to the growth of modern evangelicalism; explains how evangelicals attached their social and religious aspirations to American corporate culture and the private sector."--Https://global.oup.com.

Is capitalism Christian? Is there a Christian perspective on business? How should a Christian use power in the workplace? In addressing such difficult questions as these, Business Through the Eyes of Faith demonstrates how God can dwell at the center of one's life even in the secular marketplace. Here is pragmatic affirmation of the role that committed Christians can play in the business world. The authors stress the connections between Christian principles and good management and provide biblical passages that support their principles and relate them to the practical issues faced by Christian managers. Issues such as employee motivation, workplace communication, business leadership, the role of profit, and social responsibility are all addressed in concrete terms and reinforced by short vignettes, suggested biblical passages to explore, and commentaries from contemporary theorists and practitioners. Business Through the Eyes of Faith shows that business can and should be a reflection of God's kingdom. It is an invaluable resource for Christian business students, managers, and those who wish to understand the concerns and motives of Christians in the business world.