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This book offers a pragmatic approach to the benefits of spirituality and sustainability for both individual and organizational success. It introduces sustainability and workplace spirituality as contemporary solutions to the challenging organizational environment. The first few chapters introduce the fundamentals of spirituality, workplace spirituality, and sustainability. The author then demonstrates how the three qualities are beneficial in achieving personal and business success. Through the combination of synthesized research summaries and case studies of individuals and organizations, this book offers readers a fresh perspective on the importance of spirituality and sustainability to organizational performance.

Amidst the exponentially growing interest in'work as a calling,'contemporary discussions have taken an individualistic turn away from the earlier prosocial character that once marked this orientation to work. Now, discussions about'work as a calling'mostly prioritize personal fulfilment via the pursuit of deeply'meaningful work.'Excessive focus has been placed on the experience of meaningful work in ways that are detached from the genuinely good workplace ends that allow for such a meaningful experience to ensue. This book provides a novel paradigm for reimagining the idea of'work as a calling,'which serves as a corrective that better supports the individuals'search for meaning and their contribution to the common good, arguing that the two go hand in hand, and so they cannot be separated. Thus, the key idea captured herein is not simply that scholars have misunderstood the very notion of'work as a calling'by implying that it is essentially just synonymous with meaningful work, but, even more importantly, the point is that scholars and laypersons alike often fail to realize how true meaning ensues as a result of a genuine concern for contributing to human flourishing and the common good through one's work.Providing a new perspective on'work as a calling'by examining the issue from the perspective of morality rather than self-actualization, this volume will be of interest to researchers, academics, professionals, and students in the fields of business ethics, management, leadership, and organizational studies.

If you know God loves your work, you can--as Paul put it--'work at it with all your heart.'But too often even Christians find it hard to engage fully with what occupies them for hours every day. This book will help you relate your work to God's eternal kingdom purposes. Here you will find not just one or two but several biblical reasons for getting up and going to work. During your lifetime you will spend, perhaps, 100,000 hours working in paid or unpaid work. Will you see spiritual significance in those hours? In the end, will they really matter? These easy-to-read chapters will help you view your daily work within a new and much larger perspective. For example, what if you were to begin seeing your work as a worship offering that God gladly receives? Or what if you were to discover how he intends to use your work to further your own spiritual growth? Get set to move from'Thank God, it's Friday!'to'Wonderful, it's Monday again!'

Leading Lives That Matter compiles a wide range of texts—from ancient and contemporary literature, social commentary, and philosophy—related to questions of vital interest for those who are trying to decide what to do with their lives and what kind of human beings they hope to become. This book draws upon both religious and secular wisdom, bringing these sources into conversation with one another. Mark Schwehn and Dorothy Bass identify four vocabularies typically used in discussions of the meaning of life choices: authenticity, virtue, exemplarity, and vocation. Six guiding questions shape the chapters that contain the majority of the texts. Each chapter's texts provide a variety of insights and approaches to be considered in addressing the question, arranged and introduced in ways that prompt deeper reflection. Leading Lives That Matter invites readers into arguments that have persisted for generations about what we human beings should do and who we should be. This second edition includes forty-seven new readings from a diverse array of writers, including Toni Morrison, Kazuo Ishiguro, Denise Levertov, Malcolm Gladwell, Julia Alvarez, Alice Walker, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope Francis, and Chung Tzu. Three new guiding questions have also been added: To whom and to what should I listen as I decide what work to do? With whom and for whom shall I live? What are my obligations to future human and other life?

Shape-Shifting Capital: Spiritual Management, Critical Theory, and the Ethnographic Project is positioned at the intersection of anthropology, critical theory, and philosophy of religion. First, González explores the phenomena of “workplace spirituality” in a language that is accessible to a general readership. Taking contemporary trends in organizational management as a case study, he argues, by way of a detailed ethnographic study of practitioners of workplace spirituality, that the conceptual and institutional boundaries between religion, science, and capitalism are being redrawn by theologized management appropriations of tropes borrowed from creativity theory and quantum mechanics. Second, González makes a case for a critical anthropology of religion that combines existential concerns for biography and intentionality with poststructuralist concerns for power, arguing that the ways in which the personalization of metaphor bridges personal and social histories also helps bring about broader epistemic shifts in society. Finally, in a postsecular age in which capitalism itself is explicitly and confidently “spiritual,” González suggests that it is imperative to reorient our critical energies towards a present day evaluation of postmodern capitalism's boundary-blurring. González further argues that the kind of “existential deconstruction” performed by what he calls “existential archeology” can serve the needs of any social criticism of neoliberal “religion” and corporate spirituality.

This book uses stigma theory to provide meaningful insight into the coping mechanisms of employees who experience critical and judgmental reactions to their religion in the workplace. Thomson's research synthesizes the various models of invisible diversity management and offers strategies for application at the organizational level.

Many observers propose the exclusion of all religious related aspects from organizational life, others promote a more tolerant approach of certain practices, symbols and ceremonies, and few commentators highlight the values, diverse religious beliefs and experiences that employees could bring to the organization. Arguments, conclusions and recommendations are often contradictory and inconclusive due to the complexity and dividing nature of religion diversity. In Managing Religious Diversity in the Workplace the editors present a selection of essays, conceptual papers, empirical studies and case studies about how religious diversity and spirituality are managed. The book explores how firms address organizational and managerial challenges deriving from the religion diverse backgrounds of their employees. The different contributions discuss policies and practices, how implicit and unmarked religious norms influence the'managing'of religious issues in organizations, and what the benefits of a religion diverse workforce are. It also includes contributions which address aspects of spirituality in the workplace, and the role of legal frameworks and their influence on organizations and their policies and practices regarding religion diversity. The perspectives and contributions include a wide range of disciplines by authors from leading academic institutions around the world.

Leading Spiritually reviews workplace spirituality from revered streams such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, but also from a stance of personal reflection, self-leadership, and powerful interpersonal relationships.

Dieses Buch will daran erinnern, dass Arbeit die Basis aller Kultur ist. Die Würde körperlicher wie geistiger Arbeit ist ein Leitmotiv in den vierzehn hier vorgestellten Essays. Die Retrospektive umfasst die Arbeiterbewegung in ihrem Ringen um die soziale Frage, die Auswirkungen des Sozialistengesetzes, die Bildungspolitik der frühen Sozialdemokratie. Ein weiterer Bereich ist der Literatur gewidmet: Lessings letzte Kämpfe in Wolfenbüttel, Schillers und Heines Haltung zur Französischen Revolution, Liliencrons Dichterleben, Goethes Reisen, sein letzter Aufenthalt in Marienbad – die Elegie. Für die theologische Position stehen die Arbeiten über Franz von Assisi und seinen Weg in die Heiligkeit; über Dietrich Bonhoeffers gläubiges Leben, das mit seinem Opfertod im Widerstand gegen die Tyrannei endet.

There is a growing movement to incorporate faith and spirituality in the workplace, to do things better, to utilize all the human capabilities of employees, and to truly revolutionize the role of business in the world. Creating Enlightened Organizations is the first book to provide a truly comprehensive approach to creating an organization designed to unleash full human potential in the workplace. Businesses have learned how to involve employees in problem solving, improve the emotional intelligence of their leaders, reengineer the business processes and create customer delight, but they have left out one essential ingredient that makes all the difference - the human spirit. There is a hunger for meaning and purpose in our workplaces and in our institutions. This book simplifies and organizes the best of what is going on in organizations at the individual, team and systems levels and provides guidance for putting it to practical use. It also offers a radically new view of the purpose of business in society and provides examples of leading edge organizations that make a positive difference in the world. Spirituality is the new competitive edge, and enlightened organizations know how to integrate the human spirit and spiritual values into their business practices.

This book, the first of a groundbreaking series, provides a solid theoretical and empirical grounding from the psychology of religion and spirituality to the emerging field of workplace spirituality. Leading researchers in the psychology of religion have contributed up-to-date reviews within their areas of expertise to help guide the emergence of this exciting new discipline. Each chapter is written with the workplace researcher in mind. Not only is the relevant literature from the psychology of religion reviewed, but it is also made relevant to the workplace setting. The religious and spiritual aspects of such topics as meaning making, emotional resilience, sense of calling, coping with stress, occupational health and well-being, and leadership, among others are discussed within the context of work life. Surely researchers interested in workplace spirituality will keep this book, as well as others in the series, within arm's reach for years to come.

Explore the benefits of workplace spirituality in making work more meaningful and rewarding. Even as the subject of spirituality in the workplace is gaining momentum, surveys show the number of workers satisfied with their jobs is decreasing. Based on many years of professional, practical experience, the contributors to this powerful anthology help you correct this drop in morale by showing you how to restore meaning and purpose to the workplace. Offering new perspectives for a spiritual approach to work, each of the contributors to this innovative resource is a business leader, teacher, speaker, or writer on the topic of workplace spirituality. They represent the United States, Canada, Asia, Australia, Europe, and South America. Together, they present a comprehensive understanding of what it means to be a “spiritual workplace” and what it takes to create one. In today's rapidly changing, challenging work environment, this is a resource no business leader, business management student, policymaker, or rising leader should be without. Contributors Richard Barrett • Margaret Benefiel, PhD • Jerry Biberman, PhD • Kathy Lund Dean, PhD • Satinder Dhiman, EdD • Frederick T. Evers, PhD • Linda Ferguson, PhD • Charles J. Fornaciari, PhD • Kerry Hamilton, CPCC, ACC • Ellen Hayakawa • Tanis Helliwell, MEd • Craig E. Johnson, PhD • Dr. Richard King • Marjo Lips-Wiersma, PhD • Joan Marques, EdD • James F. McMichael, PhD • Jacqueline Miller • Julia Mossbridge, PhD • Judi Neal, PhD • Robert Rabbin • Birute Regine, EdD • Rev. Lucy Reid • Rabbi Dennis S. Ross • Lance Secretan, PhD

Do you ever feel sick of your job? Do you ever envy those people who seem to positively love what they do? While those people head off to work with a sense of joy and purpose, for the rest of us trudging back to the office on Monday morning or to the factory for the graveyard shift or to the job site on a hundred-degree day can be an exercise in soul crushing desperation. “If only we could change jobs,” we tell ourselves, “that would make it better.” But we don't have the right education... or we don't have enough experience... or the economy isn't right... or we can't afford the risk right now. So we keep going back to the same old unsatisfying jobs. The wonderful truth, though, is that almost any kind of occupation can offer any one of us a sense of calling. Regardless of where we are in our careers, we can all find joy and meaning in the work we do, from the construction zone flagger who keeps his crew safe to the corporate executive who believes that her company's products will change the world. In Make Your Job a Calling authors Bryan J. Dik and Ryan D. Duffy explore this powerful idea and help the reader navigate the many challenges—both internal and external—that may arise along the pathway to a sense of calling at work. Over the course of four sections, the authors define the idea of calling, review cutting-edge research on the subject, provide practical guidelines for discerning a calling at all stages of work and life, and explore what calling will look like as workplace norms continue to evolve. They also take pains to present a realistic view of the subject by unpacking the perils and challenges of pursuing one's higher purpose, especially in an uncertain economy. The lessons presented will resound with anyone in any line of work and will show how the power of calling can beneficially shape individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.

The thousands of Americans struggling with career choices in today's tough economy will find this refreshing and hilarious discussion on creativity, vision, and the pursuit of fulfilling work to be exactly what they need in order to look toward a brighter future and hone a more positive outlook. Describing God as the “Master Craftsman,” the source of creativity and inspiration, it illustrates how faith can embolden creative ideas through Biblical stories, animal observations, and wisdom drawn from America's great heritage of invention. As a unique combination of both productivity and spiritual boost, the book reveals the true meaning of work, wealth, and job security as humans doing what humans were created to do.

Work as center of life has such an important role in our lives; it bears a standard by which we measure our success. It is a major component of self-actualization and well-being. Professional life offers the hope of rewarding work, not just financially but work that is fulfilling. However, professions are also riddled with complexities and ethical conflicts that obstruct the goal of meaningful work. Our jobs are fraught with moral ambiguities and dilemmas; these become sources of frustration and alienation. What is needed is a transformation, a renewal of our professional lives and the institutional contexts in which we operate, to humanize the alienating aspects of work and professions. Thomas Merton (1915-1968), though a cloistered monk, wrote extensively on spiritual and social issues. He has been called'a spiritual master'for contemporary times. He possessed an uncanny sense of self-awareness and moral imagination. His life and writings have inspired countless persons on life's spiritual journey. Yet, while people have looked to Merton for guidance on spiritual issues, the implications of his thought for several other areas of life are open to exploration. This book focuses on the significance of his reflections in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, which offer one the confidence to embark on a journey that seeks to transcend the complexities of professional life, and courage to transform the negative features of workplaces and organizations through reasoned moral action, moral imagination, and leadership.

In the midst of the workaday modern world, this book addresses the question, “how can work become a form of prayer?” It is a compilation of Keeble's insightful essays dealing with the oft-neglected relationship between God and work, spirituality and art, as well as contemplation and action. He focuses on renowned British artists and craftsmen such as poet and engraver William Blake, calligrapher Edward Johnston, sculptor Eric Gill, and key figures of the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain. Throughout, Keeble assesses their contributions and insights in the light of the traditional understanding of the arts and crafts— especially as articulated in the writings of “Traditionalist” authors Ananda Coomaraswamy and Frithjof Schuon— wherein laborare est orare (“work is prayer”).

A job is never just a job. It is always connected to a deep and invisible process of finding meaning in life through work.In Thomas Moore's groundbreaking book Care of the Soul, he wrote of “the great malady of the twentieth century…the loss of soul.” That bestselling work taught readers ways to cultivate depth, genuineness, and soulfulness in their everyday lives, and became a beloved classic. Now, in A Life's Work, Moore turns to an aspect of our lives that looms large in our self-regard, an aspect by which we may even define ourselves—our work. The workplace, Moore knows, is a laboratory where matters of soul are worked out. A Life's Work is about finding the right job, yes, and it is also about uncovering and becoming the person you were meant to be.Moore reveals the quest to find a life's work in all its depth and mystery. All jobs, large and small, long-term and temporary, he writes, contribute to your life's work. A particular job may be important because of the emotional rewards it offers or for the money. But beneath the surface, your labors are shaping your destiny for better or worse. If you ignore the deeper issues, you may not know the nature of your calling, and if you don't do work that connects with your deep soul, you may always be dissatisfied, not only in your choice of work but in all other areas of life. Moore explores the often difficult process—the obstacles, blocks, and hardships of our own making—that we go through on our way to discovering our purpose, and reveals the joy that is our reward. He teaches us patience, models the necessary powers of reflection, and gives us the courage to keep going.A Life's Work is a beautiful rumination, realistic and poignant, and a comforting and exhilarating guide to one of life's biggest dilemmas and one of its greatest opportunities.

What was once taboo - faith at work - is increasingly accepted in corporate America. From secretaries to CEOs, growing numbers of businesspeople today want to bring their faith to work. Yet they wrestle with how to do this effectively and appropriately in a pluralistic corporate setting. For help they turn not to their clergy, but to their peers and to a burgeoning cottage industry on spirituality at work. They attend conferences and seminars, participate in Bible study and prayer groups, and read books, blogs, and eNewsletters. They see their faith as a resource for ethical guidance and to help find meaning and purpose in their work. In God at Work, David W. Miller looks at how this Faith at Work movement developed and considers its potential value for business and society. Done well, the integration of faith and work has positive implications at the personal level, as well as for corporate ethics and the broader economic sphere. At the same time, increasing expressions of religion and spiritual practices at work also present the threat of divisiveness and discrimination. Drawing on the insights of theological ethics as well as the sociology of religion, Miller analyzes the history of the modern day Faith at Work movement from its roots in the late 19th century to its modern formulation and trajectory. He examines the diversity of its members and modes of expression, and constructs a new framework for understanding, interpreting, and critiquing the movement and its future. Miller concludes that workers and professionals have a deep and lasting desire to live a holistic life, to integrate the claims of their faith with the demands of their work. He documents the surprising abdication of this field by church and theological academy and its embrace, ironically, by the management academy. Offering compelling new evidence of the depth and breadth of spirituality at work, Miller concludes that faith at work is a bona fide social movement and here to stay. He establishes the importance of this movement, identifies the possibilities and problems, and points toward future research questions. God at Work is essential reading for business scholars and leaders, theologians and clergy, and anyone interested in the integration of faith and work.

As a pioneer in the sustainable business movement, Smith & Hawken co-founder Dave Smith is on a mission to inspire people everywhere to reconcile compassionate values with capitalism. To Be of Use shows that business can be a force for radical change and paints a picture of how those driven by simple core values can make the world a better place. The book is a fascinating combination of Smith's own transformation and rise in sustainable business with an inspirational manifesto of what meaningful work is and how we can find it.

Comment expliquer et mettre à jour le lien intime qui existe entre alimentation et sexualité? En quoi l'incorporation alimentaire est-elle le phénomène biologique le plus étroitement lié à l'acte sexuel comme rencontre de deux'corps'qui dans le cas de la sexualité, à défaut d'être à proprement parler assimilés l'un par l'autre, échangent de leur substance et de leur être au point d'en donner un fruit qui participe de l'un et de l'autre? Les justifications d'un tel rapprochement, que nous avons tenté de conceptualiser, et que la psychanalyse ne cessa de nourrir, trouvent dans les Saintes Ecritures leur plus vive expression.

Title from e-book cover screen (viewed on July 14, 2005).