Baptizing Business: Evangelical Executives and the Sacred Pursuit of Profit

Baptizing Business explores the relationship between business and religion, highlighting the tension experienced by conservative Christian business leaders due to their perceived incompatibility with religious mandates. It reveals that evangelical executives are as inclined to export business concepts as to import religious objectives, challenging the traditional understanding of the influence between religious and economic life.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 224 pages
\n Publication date: 17 September 2020
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
\n

Baptizing Business delves into the intricate relationship between business and religion, shedding light on the perspectives of conservative Christian business leaders. Through extensive personal interviews with a diverse group of evangelical executives, the book challenges prevailing stereotypes and previous research that suggest inherent incompatibility between religious mandates and business objectives. Instead, author Bradley C. Smith argues that the tension experienced by evangelical executives arises not from inherent opposition between business and religion, but rather from a sense of being marginalized within their own faith communities. This perception leads them to assert that faith should take precedence over business in cases of apparent conflict. Smith's insightful revelations reveal that evangelical business leaders are equally inclined to export business concepts into other domains and import religious objectives into business contexts. This prompts a reevaluation of the direction of influence between religious and economic life.

The book is filled with captivating stories that offer a nuanced and unbiased portrayal of the growing influence of intensely religious business leaders. These narratives highlight the enduring spirit of capitalism, as defined by Max Weber, which finds renewed expression in the experiences of evangelical executives. Their accounts have profound implications for our understanding of the faith at work movement, evangelicalism, and the role of religion among elites. Baptizing Business provides a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of religion, business, and society, offering a fresh perspective that challenges preconceived notions and encourages deeper exploration of these complex dynamics.

\n Weight: 458g\n
Dimension: 162 x 243 x 24 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780190055776\n \n