In Peter Berger's terms, the sacred and the profane are like oil
and water. In Augustine's terms, the heavenly and earthly kingdoms are two
distinct realms, a Christian being only a pilgrim passing through the latter,
hence not to be "of it" while in it. I contend that such "white
and black" dichotomies are artificial, and thus ill-fitting as paradigms
in which to situate religion and ethical business leadership. Perhaps a
devoutly religious CEO can unabashedly apply ethical elements of his or her
religion without severing them from their theological underpinnings, and
therefore without the need for subterfuge. I suspect that the legions of the
CEO's subordinates would feel more, rather than less, respected.
The full essay is at “Religion
in Ethical Leadership in the Secular Context of Business”
