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Organizing belief: Interfaith social change organizations in the religious-environmental movement

Religion and Organization Theory

ISBN: 978-1-78190-692-7, eISBN: 978-1-78190-693-4

Publication date: 16 April 2014

Abstract

A growing religious-environmental movement is working to reconcile environmental thought and practice with the mission and ministry of religious organizations. We examine two leading interfaith social change organizations and identify key strategies they routinely employ to create shared meaning and alignment between environmentalism and faith. They reframe stewardship in religious organizations by (1) highlighting and interpreting environmental themes in sacred texts and scriptures, (2) celebrating and fostering mutual awareness of environmental action by faith-based organizations, and (3) providing resources and creating linkages between clergy and lay leaders across religious congregations. By emphasizing moral and spiritual rationales for the adoption of resource-saving products and behaviors at both the congregational and household level, these networked organizations help shift the perception of global climate change from an insurmountable problem to one that is being addressed in cooperation with similar others. Our investigation reveals organizational actors deeply engaged in growing moral calls for political action to address climate change and underscores the need for more socially realistic models of technology adoption and behavior change.

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Acknowledgements

Acknowledgments

We wish to gratefully acknowledge Michael Lounsbury and Ian Fletcher for their valuable comments and suggestions and Michelle Sims for research assistance. We thank the faith and lay leaders who shared their experiences and reflections with us during interviews. Kristin Heinemeier and Jim Cramer provided helpful ideas during our fieldwork. This article benefitted from feedback we received at the Garrison Institute during Climate, Mind and Behavior symposia organized by Karen Ehrhardt-Martinez.

Citation

Biscotti, D. and Biggart, N.W. (2014), "Organizing belief: Interfaith social change organizations in the religious-environmental movement", Religion and Organization Theory (Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Vol. 41), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 413-439. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0733-558X20140000041019

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited