Ecclesial Identification beyond Late Modern Individualism?

Karl Inge Tangen, PhD (2009) in Theology, MF The Norwegian School of Theology, is an associate professor at HLT The Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology.

"This book is a rich, multi-layered approach towards understanding late modern quests for meaning and religious self-identification. [...] Because this study presents not only a wealth of empirical data and useful theories but also in-depth discussions of methodology, it is a good example of the interaction between theology and the social science."Stefan Paas, Journal of Empirical Theology 25 (2012), 263-264.

• 1 Introducing the quest: Why and how to read this study Why this study? – a prologue Research questions and research strategy The organisation of the study – and how to read it 2 Theory: Consulting the wise The function and use of theory in this study Pentecostal and Free Church perspectives – the first horizon The late modern person – psychological and sociological views Robert Bellah’s typology of late modern languages Zygmunt Bauman on consumerism and ethics in liquid modernity Personal agency and the socio-cultural context – Margaret Archer Dan P. McAdams’ model of personality: traits, concerns and narratives Sherwood Lingenfelter’s typology of social games and structures Models of transformational leadership in organisational psychology Burns’ and Bass’ models of morally transforming leadershipCongregational studies Dean Kelley’s hypothesis – ‘Strictness’ makes conservative churches grow Sociological studies of late modern congregations Theologically motivated church growth research Shane Clifton’s study of the Australian Assemblies of God Academic articles on the Hillsong church A final note on terminology – a ‘late modern’ or ‘post-modern' world?2.5 Summary: Key concepts 3 Contexts – churches, cities and nationsPinsekirken in Copenhagen Denmark as religious contextThe history of Pinsekirken Historical roots and theological traditionLeadership and organisational structure Important practicesThe church’s ‘Commitment script’ The church as an organic community of Spirit-filled disciples Hillsong in London Britain as religious context A comparative note on religious demography The history of HillsongTheological tradition Organisational Structure Important practices Commitment script: To be empowered to flourish within the churchLevels of commitment to the church Heroic images and family metaphors Comparative summary 4. Persons – Stories from Copenhagen Introduction to the chapter The story of Peter Peter’s story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsNew commitments and virtues Vocabulary, images, and horizon narratives Modes of identification and participation The process of identification and transformation Personal integration and life plot: The Spirit empowered explorer The Story of Ruth Ruth’s story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsNew commitments Vocabulary, images, and horizon narratives Modes of identification and participation Process of identification and participation Personal integration and life plot: A homecoming in process The story of Pastor Marcus Marcus’ story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsVocabulary, images and horizon narrativesModes of identification and participation The process of identification and transformation Personal integration: Life plot : A leader called to serve Other voices from Copenhagen 5. Persons – Stories from London Introduction to the chapter The story of Brittany Brittany’s story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsNew commitments and virtues Vocabulary, images and horizon narratives Modes of identification and participation Processes of identification and transformation Personal integration and life plot: Coming home to a journey of discoveryThe story of Earnest Earnest’s story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsNew commitments and virtues Vocabulary, images and horizon narratives Modes of identification and participationProcess of identification and participation Personal integration and plot: Becoming a church builder The story of Pastor Dustin Dustin’s story – analysis Identification themes – and reasonsNew commitments Vocabulary, images and horizon narratives Modes of identificationPersonal integration and life plot. The passionate church builderOther voices from London 6 Organisational foci – Why do people identify? Theo-dramatic and existential identification themes Theme 1: A Theo-dramatic vision, clear missions and inspiring imagoesTheme 2: Practical Bible based teaching Themes describing practice performance identification Theme 3: Professionalism and updated aesthetics Theme 4: Dynamic practices, and organisational growth Themes describing relational quality identificationTheme 5: A community and friendships with family qualities Theme 6: Connecting to caring growth models and trustworthy pathfinders Spirituality themes Theme 7: Experiencing God as caring Father and dynamic presence Belonging to God – then to the churchSummary 7 Organisational foci and individual integration The purpose of this chapter Theme 8: Personal integration – finding a ‘home’ to centre oneself A sense of home revisited – deliberative centring Narrative resources: Images and ‘imagoes’ for personal ‘emplotment’ Life -strategic resources: Models for personal organisation Ritual resources: Integration rituals Stories of homecoming – home as a metaphor of centring Centring and the duality of belonging and freedom Inner freedom as a personal capability and relational quality Spirituality and a sense of inner freedom and well being Theme 9: Redemption as personal growth Redemptive subplots: deliverance, healing and spiritual empowerment Journeys of discovery, and personal and spiritual empowermentGod’s love and self-identity – a new sense of self-acceptance Growth stories: Incorporating and overcoming tensions Performance enablement and psychological flow A comparison with McAdams’ research on redemptive stories Redemption in the context of late modernity Theme 10: The possibility of self-transcendent contributions Personal integration identification defined Towards a model of integrative themes Towards an overarching model of organisational identification The five meta-categories and ontological dimensions The practical dimension The socio-relational dimension and virtues The personal-reflective dimension The ideational and existential dimension The spirituality dimension The relatedness of the five categories – mutual interpenetration? A focus on organisational foci over individual relevance The significance of socio-relational qualities and spirituality Conclusion 8 Are transformational commitments formed? Dimension 1: Commitment to the church’s narrative Bellah on sects – and the nature of transformational commitment Individualistic or ecclesial models of life? Free Church languages – a theological critique of Bellah’s typology Dimension 2: Spirituality and commitments to God Grace – from a transactional to transformational relationship with God? Spirituality as a generic element of transformational commitment Dimension 3: Self-transcendent commitments to others and the other Family values, relational virtues, and commitment to significant others Friendliness and hospitality towards the stranger Friendship beyond transaction – sharing a public good The genesis of caring and serving love - a theoretical elaboration Social relationships: Transformational, transactional, and functional Dimension 4: Commitment to the social welfare of the context Social responsibility and service in the world A neo-Protestant work ethic? Civic virtues – do they emerge? The ethical Janus face of the performance dynamics Transactional and transformational processes – synergies and tensions Transactional and transformational processes: Personal sacrifices as a recurring theme Callings and the idea of ‘dying to self’ Summing up – holistic sets of transformational commitments 9 Towards a typology of ecclesial life strategies Organisational structures and organisational transformation Late modernity and the difficulties of maintaining a ‘pure’ church The centred Free Church – a combination of hierarchy and egalitarianism The centred Free Church: An orthodox or traditional castle? Hillsong as a partly trans-local church The shadow side of the centred set – the possibility of spiritual shopping Flexible commitment structures and flexi-orthodoxy The process of commitment and modes of identification Pre-stage and context: Initiating concerns and preferences Initiating personal concerns – crises and callings Stage one: Encounter, friendly interaction and inner conversation Margaret Archer’s typology of life strategies and modes of the inner conversation Stage two: Commitment: conversion, rededication, or intensification Stage three: Consequences – transformations Towards a typology of transformational ecclesial life strategies From tourists to ecclesial pilgrims – a continuum of life strategies The ecclesial communalist The Theo-dramatic entrepreneur The Spirit-led servant The truth seeker The meta-thinking life artist The typology and other comparative findings The two churches and the national contexts Gender Possible difference between ‘Traditionalists’ and New Converts Conclusion 10 Summary and conclusions Identification Transformational commitments and life strategies 11 Rethinking transformational leadership and participation Reflections on the moral quandary of transformational leadership Structure revisited – a perspective on power Reflective space as condition for authentic transformational commitment Towards a system dynamic model of ecclesial leadership Existential dramatic and Theo-dramatic leadership Practice dynamic leadership – ‘organizing for effective and aesthetic execution’ Hosting transformation - indirect and direct relational leadership Beyond secular leadership theory – integrating spirituality Leadership as integrative action – reflection in the Spirit Questions about leadership and structure Theological leadership as critical and Theo-dramatic contextualisation The model, existing leadership theory, and further studies A final word on further application Appendix A: Epistomological issues: Theology, critical realism and thesocial sciences Hermeneutics within a critical realist epistemology A participative hermeneutics Appendix B: Methods and material The primary method: Semi-structured interviews Supplementary methods: Micro-ethnography A note on qualitative research as process Methods of data analyses A note on participant observation and double hermeneutics Ethical issues Validity and reliability A note on internal and external generalisability Validity and ethnographic storytelling Bibliography and references Index of secondary sources and references