Does spiritual leadership have a role to play in religious life?
by Simon Taylor
The concept of spiritual leadership claims to be consistent with the nature of religious life, as it embodies the spiritual, moral, and ethical role models that society expects from religious (Plante,1996). However, only some religious have spiritual leadership (Hyatt, 2012). Spiritual leadership is essential in fostering a sense of community, unity, and growth within religious groups.
One’s leadership philosophy shapes leadership practices, which need to consider ethics and spirituality (Taylor, 2013). If you are in a leadership role, you are expected to offer true spiritual care to the individuals you are responsible for leading (Li et al., 2023).
The concept of spiritual leadership, proposed by Fry in 2006, consists of three key components: vision, altruistic love and faith/hope. According to Meesri et al. (2023), these three variables are the characteristics of leaders who have faith in virtue and ethics and can serve as role models for others by bringing love and altruism and encouraging people to focus on their worth and value to others. Fry claims that the spiritual model enhances practices focusing on morality, strength and a deep commitment to people.
Vision
Fry believes that having a clear vision of the future encourages people’s hope and faith, resulting in members being motivated, interested, and engaged in the organisation’s vision. Rosa and Ancok (2020) suggest that a clear vision positively affects emotional connection and the feeling of belonging to the group.
Altruistic Love
Altruistic love is a characteristic believed to be part of the nature of religious. Fry defines altruistic love as one that puts others first and wants to see the happiness and success of others without expecting anything in return. This type of love is often associated with acts of kindness, charity, and service to others, and it can foster lasting connections and a sense of unity and interconnectedness within communities and society as a whole. In religious and spiritual traditions, altruistic love is often considered a fundamental virtue and guiding principle for ethical behaviour. It is seen as a way to embody the values of compassion, empathy, and selflessness and to cultivate a more harmonious and caring world for all members.
Hope/ Faith
Hope and faith are natural characteristics of a religious because they choose to develop a relationship with God and carry out missions to help other members with dedication and faith. Fry states that hope is the desire to fulfil, and faith is the confirmation of hope. Spiritual leadership hope/faith is expressed in patience, diligence, adherence to one’s sense of purpose, and achieving the expected outcomes. Faith and hope motivate individuals to act according to their religious beliefs, serve others, and contribute to the well-being of their community.
Spiritual leadership is a new and abstract concept, and research indicates the benefits of training in spiritual leadership lead to positive cognitive and attitude outcomes. (Meesri et al. 2023)
God works in and through us. Everything we do is an extension of God’s presence and power in our lives. “Spiritual leadership is about leading out from the intimate work of God in your life.” (Spiritual Leadership: Defined, Chuck Olson)
