Forskningsperspektiver på kirke og menighet som organisasjon

Understanding churches as organizations inevitably means borrowing models and premises from organizational theory (OT). This chapter outlines the basic assumptions underlying dominant perspectives in OT, enhancing the possibility for an informed utilization and exploration of the commonalities and diversities between religious and other organizations. It provides a framework for differing clusters of theories and review of some major research contributions of ecclesial and congregational organizations within each theoretical perspective or cluster. Lastly, the chapter addresses how and in which direction further research of church organizations might be developed, pointing at institutional pluralism, hybrid organizations and institutional work as prospective avenues for further exploration.

Utviklingstrekk i organisering og ledelse i Den norske kirke

This chapter provides an account of central aspects in the modern development of organization and leadership in the Church of Norway. By narrating the growth of organizational, managerial and professional dimensions embedded within the church, it analyzes three specific trends. Democratization refers to the emergence of councils on various ecclesial levels and the influence of lay persons supplementing pastoral authority. Corporatization denotes increased attention to organizational features including leadership and clarification of its mandate. Professionalization links to specialization of work and the growth of congregational staffs, including administrative and managerial positions. Our review of central processes shows that the trends are parallel, although some are stronger than others in specific epochs. These trends emphasize increased interaction and cooperation.

Lederskapets kirkelighet. En integrert modell for verdibevisst kirkelig ledelse

The chapter argues that in order to develop an understanding of the specific nature of church management and leadership, there is a need for reconceptualizing the relationship of these terms. Through an elaboration of research on managerial work and institutional leadership work, and empirically grounded research on the mundane work of leaders, the chapter describes an integrated model of church management and leadership. The model bridges and integrates functional managerial leadership role models and institutional leadership. What distinguishes a church management and leadership model, compared to general models, lies partly in a relational instead of a competitive relation to community as context and partly in the values and faith it conveys. Thus, one important managerial leadership role is that of mediator between organization and community context; another is the role of institutional leadership relating to purpose, values and identity.

Roller, identitet og ledelse i praksis

Roles denote external expectations towards a social position, while identity refers to self-understanding. This chapter links these concepts with a research tradition emphasising a practice approach to leadership. We provide empirical material from several studies, spanning twenty years, of leaders in the Church of Norway. We ask: What are the role patterns of different church leaders, and how have these role patterns developed? We find that ecclesial roles grow in terms of managerial content and organizational basis. Moreover, they are becoming more alike. Hybridization of roles and identities can lead to tensions between professional and managerial preferences, which is a promising avenue for future research.

Kirkevergens lederrolle

A central and specific aspect of the Church of Norway is its legally grounded democratic structure of autonomous local congregations. This local congregational organization complements the traditional synodal and/or episcopal structures of other churches. The institution of the church warden, dating back to medieval times, has been transformed into a general managerial position on behalf of the joint parish councils in each municipality. The chapter traces the roots of this position and reviews two decades of research on church wardens’ conception of managerial leadership roles. This review show that church wardens have a clear managerial identity and balance differing demands on managerial work. They are also key agents in communicating and interacting with their local communities and municipal authorities, securing legitimacy and resources.

Ledelse – generelle og kirkelige perspektiver

The chapter introduces the field of management and leadership theory in general, outlining how the central terms and perspectives have evolved. At the same time, this chapter gives special emphasis to theories underlining management and leadership as work and practice, exploring and understanding the main divides of the field. The second part of the chapter summarizes and points to specific aspects in which church management and leadership overlap and differ from general management. The last section underlines the importance of how management is organizationally mandated, embedded in several institutionalized frames such as democracy, legal frameworks and the internal authority of oversight by the bishop. The chapter concludes by rounding out a wholistic understanding of the responsibility and aspects of management and leadership.

Demokrati i kirke og menighet

This chapter discusses democracy in the context of the church means and its consequences for governance and leadership. The chapter looks at historical and current assessments of the understanding of church democracy and relates this discussion to current democracy theory. The chapter assesses justifications used for ecclesiastical democracy and considers responsibility, authority, governance and leadership. The concept of “democratic culture” and the potential for development of governing bodies and leadership to realize the (church’s) political intentions are also discussed.

Personalkonflikter i kirkens arbeidsmiljø som en ledelsesutfordring

The perception that conflicts are unavoidable and natural derives from paradoxical developments in modern work life, with increasing cooperation, democratization, and individual specialization. This chapter asks: How have workplace conflicts been conceptualized and managed within the Church of Norway in the period 1980–2020? We identify three connected concepts key to conflicts: prevention, understanding, and management. These have been adopted from the general literature and applied in the church context. We analyse how conflicts relate to structural and cultural features within the church. From being implicit and largely left to the involved parties, we describe and discuss implications of how conflicts have become a managerial responsibility, in accordance with the Work Environment Law.

Kirken som organisme og organisasjon. Ekklesiologiske og organisasjonsteoretiske perspektiver på kirken som felleskap

Due to the complexity of its functions, the church can be understood in various disciplines which offer different perspectives, concepts and metaphors. This chapter explores how theology and organizational sociology conceptualize the church as a collective. We aim at establishing a dialogue on the collective notion of the church as a religious organization using the concepts organism and organization as applied in the theological discipline of ecclesiology and utilizing insights from organization theory. Both hold that the church is a gathering of people coming together for religious purposes. Starting with a shared understanding of the collective, we present relevant insights from both domains. We analyze selected contributions in each tradition that enable an ongoing dialogue between them. The chapter argues that cross-disciplinary perspectives are beneficial to developing church organization.

Introduksjon til kirkelig organisering og ledelse. Et verdibasert og praksisorientert perspektiv

This chapter introduces the subject matter of this book – church organizing and leadership – and key concepts. The book’s point of departure is recent reforms in the Church of Norway as well as broader cultural and societal changes. This chapter answers the question: How can organization and leadership in the Church of Norway be understood as values-based and practice-oriented? We provide a conceptual framework that serves as the epistemic anchoring of this anthology. First, an institutional values-based approach (Selznick, 1957) takes into account the values and identity of the church as a religious organization. Second, a practice-oriented approach (Mintzberg, 2009), grounded in empirical studies, emphasizes how practices are performed and understood by individual leaders and collectives. These main perspectives facilitate our contextual interest in the Church of Norway focusing on the congregational level embedded in various other levels and interactions between various actors, including leaders, clergy and lay people. We position the individual chapters within the conceptual framework of the book before summarizing its key contributions.