Does Religious Leadership Have a Future? Introducing the Social Context (Turbulence) and the Project

• In Event: The Future of Religious Leadership in Turbulent Postmodernity

Short Description

In 2010 an interdisciplinary group of Dutch/Belgian scholars began a three-phase study of religious leadership to examine the well-being of religious leaders, reactions of religious denominations to changing leadership practices, and ways educational institutions are adapting. Presenters will map challenges for leaders and members of religious communities, especially concerning training of upcoming religious leaders.

Detailed Abstract

Religious Leadership has a respectable history and tradition. Much has been written and said in historical and theological research about this past. But what does the future of religious leadership hold? How is this different from other types of leadership, like in business, health care or in schools?

The Dutch/Belgian research group from various universities joined forces in order to research the future of religious leadership in turbulent postmodernity. Its main question is: How do religious leaders, religious communities and their educational institutions reconstruct a new profile for religious leadership in a post-Christendom culture? The group seeks to enlist other viable European partners to map challenges for leaders, religious institutions, and for theological faculties and seminaries that are responsible for the training of religious leaders.

When it comes to religious leadership it depends on the level or lens one looks through: the personal, the institutional, and the educational levels. In 2013 the research group completed a ‘history of research’ to collect and organize what had been researched over the last decades, and what questions remained unanswered, concerning the functional well-being of (ex-)religious leaders, and the perception of their leadership within religious communities.

In 2014 the research group examined how religious denominations have reacted to the shifts in leadership style and roles over the last decades, and to the change in the understanding of leadership in a secular age, against the background of their theologically-defined normative interpretation of religious leadership.

In 2015 the research group mapped the way educational institutions in recent decades have adapted their vision, mission and curricula in response to the changing number of candidates for religious leadership, the changing profile of the candidates and the shift in the understanding of leadership in a secular age against the background of their religiously defined normative interpretation of leadership.

In this lecture the presenters will introduce and explain these three levels. These levels may well conflict with each other. The religious community has different expectations of their leaders than the religious leader him/herself. Religious education differs from the expectation and role identity of the pastor. Not seldom, the religious leader is in conflict with him/herself. Profession, Person and Leadership are in conflict. This occurs not only in local communities, but also at the regional, national or international level, and also in other (religious) institutions in which religious leaders work, such as hospitals, high schools, the military, or prisons. Our observation is that religious leaders tend to flee, not only literally, but also mentally. They ‘stay’ but are uncertain or unaware of the core business of their religious institutes and their duties. They have a incorrect or at least an unhelpful attitude towards authority or authenticity. Also, in some religious institutions, gender, ethnic identity and other minority issues remain an area of concern. From the perspective of the three above-mentioned levels, we ask, What should be the skills for religious leadership in turbulent times?

The ultimate goal of this research group is to contribute to the construction of a new profile for leadership of religious communities in a post-Christendom culture, where religious identities and activism have caused significant social and cultural turbulence. The research group maps challenges for leaders, for religious communities as organizationally and religiously defined frames within which the leaders operate, and for educational institutions in the Netherlands and Belgium that are responsible for the training of the upcoming religious leaders.

Participants

• Eddy Van De Borght, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Leon Van den Broeke, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Theologische Universiteit Kampen