An Evangelical Group’s Experience of Australian Secular Workplaces
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.27033Keywords:
evangelicalism, workplace experience, qualitative descriptionAbstract
This study employed the Qualitative Description methodology to investigate how a sub-group of Australian evangelicals associated with the City Bible Forum navigate their secular workplaces utilizing an anonymous online survey, discussion groups, and interviews. Compared to broader Christian samples, participants demonstrated greater faith–work integration. They were more likely to perceive colleagues as bearing God’s image and to display greater work diligence than other Australian Christians. However, they placed less emphasis on workplace creativity and deriving personal worth from their work. Their theological outlook centred on serving the Lord, ethical conduct, caring for colleagues, and witnessing. Yet, references to the creational mandate and sensing God’s presence in work were infrequent. These evangelicals found their workplaces both strengthening and challenging due to LGBTQIA+ initiatives in their organizations. Although faith-based persecution or micro-aggressions were rare, the study affirmed Paul Bramadat’s (2000) bridging and fortressing strategies. Christian Smith’s (2002) and Michael Lindsay and Bradley Smith’s (2010) work further interpreted the
qualitative description.
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