Faith in Business Theme
Each year, Faith in Business focuses on a theme that reflects the contemporary world of work. It does so from a Christian perspective infused with freshness and creativity. The aim is to stimulate biblical and practical insight, discussion and initiative in the sphere of work and in the church contexts to which working Christians belong. This reflects our practical focus; any theological exploration is carried out with the ‘so what?’ in mind.
We bring each theme alive through our output and events throughout the year, most notably through our Faith in Business Monthly lunchtime webinars. All this activity culminates in the Faith in Business Cambridge Leadership Retreat, where a diverse cross-section of business leaders (including early-stage entrepreneurs) gather for two days of inspirational input, discussion, gathered worship, reflection, and prayer and ministry based on the theme.
The theme for the academic year 2024-25 is as follows.
Just Grace: Forgiveness and Accountability at Work
'Anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective' (James 5.15b-16).
The world of work is being shaken by a seemingly endless series of scandals. Individuals and organizations have behaved in a way that has damaged lives, lost trust, and generated negative economic outcomes. Highly esteemed organizations are amongst those affected; in the UK including the Post Office, the BBC, Harrods, and the organizations responsible for the provision of clean blood, clean rivers, and fireproof cladding.
But whatever the size and public profile of the organizations within which we work, we are all subject to human failings (including our own) and need to find creative ways of dealing with them that are sufficiently robust to withstand today’s toxic culture of blame.
As Christians we have a role to play in modelling God’s grace and justice in these situations. But how do we do this in collaborative and practical ways that are sustainable and life-giving, especially in ordinary ‘secular’ contexts?
We aim throughout this academic year (leading up to our retreat in April 2025) to address this through exploring the following five questions. The dates indicate when these themes will be discussed at our Faith in Business Monthly online lunchtime seminars (12.30 to 1.30pm UK time), to which all are welcome.
7 NOVEMBER 2024
Just Grace in People Management: what practical protocols, conduct codes and disciplinary procedures best reflect justice, grace, accountability and forgiveness? When trust has been broken, reconciliation, redemption and restoration can be hard to achieve. But exercising accountability and enforcing discipline can also be problematic. The Apostle James is clear in his words above that forgiveness has healing power but that it is a gift that cannot be kept to ourselves. Here and elsewhere in his letter, James seems to be echoing Jesus’ teaching that, when God sends forgiveness, the recipient must hand it on for it to be effective. We are keen to explore with you how the just grace this reflects works practically.
5 DECEMBER 2024
Just Grace in Innovation: how can a corporate ethos of just grace stimulate innovation, which inevitably involves trying and failing? Within today’s accusatory culture, the demand and offer of apology has become an almost daily news item. But the situations in which they arise are often driven by harsh criticism and vindictiveness, often magnified through social media. In this context, the New Testament sounds a very different note. It calls all who follow Jesus to manifest such a generosity of spirit that they are ready and willing to take the risk of apologizing and forgiving. This can be very hard to do, especially when the person or organization to whom they confess their wrongdoing committed the misdeeds that provoked that wrongdoing. There may also be personal and legal implications. All this can result in the kind of stalemate and risk aversion that thwart entrepreneurial endeavour. How can we and our organizations rise above it?
9 JANUARY 2025
Just Grace in Case Studies: what practical learning can we derive from workplace case studies about the inherent tensions between justice and grace; trust and trustworthiness; mercy and grace; containment and reconciliation; law and liberty; wrong and redemption? The sheer difficulty in exercising just grace is probably why Jesus is so persistent in addressing forgiveness and accountability in his teaching, and why these issues underpin his most famous sermon, the so-called Sermon on the Mount (Mt 6.14-15); and in his most famous prayer, the so-called Lord’s prayer: ‘Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us’ (Mt 6.12); and in his most famous saying, the so-called Golden Rule: ‘do to others what you would have them do to you’ (Mt 7.12). The real-life case studies we will review together should throw new light on these foundational world-formative teachings and help us to embody them in our sphere of work.
6 FEBRUARY 2025
Just Grace in Workplace Culture: what corporate governance policies, management systems, grievance procedures, counselling programmes and leadership styles best enable a harmonious and inspiring culture of just grace? All Christian leaders, whatever the size of their organization, are likely to be confronted frequently with the forgiveness-accountability dilemma. There will, therefore, be experience and insight almost all of us can share that will be of great value to other leaders. We are keen this year to provide a safe space where Christian leaders can share their experience of managing conflict in ways that foster trusting and trustworthy organizations that have a strong ethos of forgiveness and accountability. It must not be for lack of opportunity to share worked examples that leaders feel inadequately equipped to face the complexities of offering forgiveness and enforcing accountability. The candid sharing of examples in a context of trust will help to fire our imaginations as to how we can help ensure our organizations manifest an inspiring culture of just grace.
6 MARCH 2025
Just Grace in Overcoming Obstacles: what are the inhibitors of just grace in the world of work, and how can our learning this year overcome them? In getting to the heart of the matter, Jesus makes just grace a matter of the heart. And this gives hope. Figuring out with our minds how best to exercise the justice, grace, forgiveness and accountability to which he calls us can only get us so far in complex situations. In the end what is needed goes beyond reason. It is the most basic, God-given, human emotion: love. If we love God and love our neighbour as ourselves, Jesus tells us, we meet all God’s demands. Love is the secret to flourishing institutions and the God Christians serve, including in their work, is the God of love. Accordingly, God not only requires accountability; God also provides forgiveness. God’s justice is gracious, just as his grace is just. How then can we help each other, through God's rich resource of love, to overcome whatever hinders in our work the free flow of just grace?
Join us, let the conversation commence, and may the fruit of it grow!
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