Faith in the Workplace
(NBC-TV’s “Today Show,” 19
March 2004) Play
video [Windows Media format]
CAMPBELL BROWN, co-host: You
may have noticed a growing trend. People aren’t just expressing
their faith in houses of worship anymore. Now the workplace is
getting religion, too. NBC’s Ron Allen reports.
GROUP: (Singing)
How sweet the sound.
RON ALLEN, reporting: On the
third Thursday of each month, this board room of a New York
law firm becomes a ministry. Bibles replace all legal briefs.
JOE
RUTTA (Christian Legal Society): If you would just do a miracle,
oh, God.
ALLEN: They’re members
of the Christian Legal Society who, like Joe Rutta, see no
separation between work and faith.
RUTTA: I try and live my life
in – as
a – with Christian principles throughout the day. And I
think that trying to cut that off in the middle of – of – of
a workday and not be natural in who you are would be a bit odd.
UNIDENTIFIED
MAN: Is it an accurate portrayal?
ALLEN: Tonight’s topic, the
movie “The Passion” and how it can help open a dialogue
with co-workers about faith. At a time when religion is prominent
in pop culture, it’s perhaps no surprise that more people
are attending prayer sessions and Bible study groups in the office
and incorporating those principles on the job.
RUTTA: If you can
discuss every other thing under the sun at work, why not – why
exclude God?
ALLEN: Some religious scholars
are calling what’s happening ‘the faith at work movement.’ More
than a thousand loosely networked organizations, with hundreds
more forming each year, seeking ways to bring spiritual beliefs
into factories, offices and workplaces across the nation. But
why now? Yale professor David Miller thinks the recent scandals
have caused many in corporate America to seek more ethical ways
of doing business. Longer, demanding hours also have many employees
asking themselves hard questions.
DAVID MILLER (Yale Center for
Faith & Culture):
What do I do with my life? What’s it mean to be a CEO?
How can I please God through my work? Can this be a vocation
or a calling? Well, the Christian faith and many others say, ‘Yes,
it can be.’
ALLEN: And with so many Americans
now deeply committed to their faith, more offices may soon become
faith-friendly workplaces. For TODAY, Ron Allen, NBC News, New
York.
BROWN: Laura Nash is an expert
in workplace ministry who teaches courses on management and corporate
ethics at the Harvard Business School. Laura, good morning.
LAURA
NASH (Harvard Business School): Good morning.
BROWN: So traditionally,
there have been two subjects that are off limits at work, politics
and religion.
NASH: That’s right.
BROWN: But what changed? Was
it really the corporate scandals?
NASH: I think so. I think the
disgust at the ethical behavior going on, the sense that we’re
losing our values, the never-enough culture. How do we begin
to have some sense of limits? But you’re right. This is
a new movement. Religion is important to people. Money is important
to people. But we had a kind of detente about them in the workplace.
BROWN:
Explain the various groups. Because there is a lot of diversity.
You do have choices.
NASH: That’s right. I think
it’s important to understand this is not one movement representing
one denomination. A lot of it is grass roots, individuals. Interestingly,
it’s been organized more by business people than religious
professionals. And so to characterize it as a kind of ‘Let’s
take over the world,’ which some people fear, is – is
really not accurate.
BROWN: Well, there are a couple
of things that actually I thought, you know, might be sort of
the downside of this. One being, there is a lot of diversity
in religion. You know, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists at
work. If you have one group that’s going off to form a
religious group within the workplace, doesn’t that sort
of divide employees?
NASH: It can.
BROWN: Or you’re – you’re
identified based on your religion.
NASH: You can be iden – I
think that’s what you saw in the – in the – in
the video that some of the people, that’s what they want.
It’s part of their bringing themselves to work. And more
of your work is taking over more of life. Why shouldn’t
your life be expressed in – in work? Having said that,
there’s two cultures going on. We have a culture of diversity
in the workplace that we value religious freedom. In America,
it’s about freedom when you express your religion, don’t
step on the feet of somebody else. I think those are strong traditions
in our society.
BROWN: But there can also be
a line where you cross where there is an evangelical sort of
approach to it where you’re trying to convert people
at work.
NASH: They’re walking a tightrope
here. How on do you express your religion but not force it on
someone else. How do you not abuse your power? And I think there
has to be a very clear line here about not creating a clubby
membership. Lot of these groups stay offsite, out of the workplace
for that reason. They’re voluntary. They’re up front.
Others are more cagey about it. And – and that does create
a lot of suspicion.
BROWN: How are businesses reacting?
And what can it mean for the company involved or the business
as opposed to the individual?
NASH: It’s hard to – it’s – it’s – there’s
a diverse business culture as well. So there are many reactions.
But I think it’s now permissible to say, ‘This is
who I am. This is what I believe.’ I’m hearing it
more in the workplace. I’m hearing it more about ethics
in the workplace. I think businesses are also very concerned
that they don’t signal you can use your belief in God instead
of rational management procedures. And religion tends to push
for never-enough solutions of its own. So what everyone is searching
for is a framework for success that goes beyond money and goes
to these lasting values. It’s not just people with one
sectarian belief.
BROWN: But if you’re needing
to bring this into your job and your work life, does it also
mean that you’re not getting what you need from your church
or your mosque or your synagogue? That in your place of worship,
they’re not doing enough for you?
NASH: I did a – a – a
large study of this problem. Why weren’t the churches providing
these services themselves, and I think mainstream churches have
had an anxiety about capitalism and money that has kept them
out of the workplace. And that’s part of the reason. And
so business people of faith approached – they often approach
someone from a church or a – or a synagogue to help them
run a service. But they started the movement themselves, primarily.
BROWN:
Overall, do you think this is a good thing?
NASH: I think as long
as it’s
not used to beat up people and form clubs it’s good. I
think this search for lasting success is important. I think we
need to learn “just enough” in our vocabulary. That’s
one of our problems. But I don’t – and I think it
has to be inclusive of people who don’t wear it on their
sleeve. And it’s why my latest book, “Just Enough” is
on a secular version of this. It’s very important. It’s
very exciting what’s going on.
BROWN: Interesting. Laura Nash.
Thanks. And we’ll be right back.
