Dear Colleagues,
Again I think the issue is the contxt. Spirituality and Religion are after all the unique basic ingredients of our perspective on the study and practice of management. Hence it is of value to have some basic presentations on the nature and range of such practices, perhaps particularly those which are less commonly known.
Consider stating the context along the lines of:
Varieties of Contemporary Practices of Religion and Spirituality: An Occasional Series
In this context, though still perhaps controversial, I think it we would have much less difficulty about publishing such an article.
Re the public discussion of such issues on the MSR list: as we continue to figure out who we are, I think this is a useful and appropriate discussion trying to bound our work. It has also been notable for the absence of personal criticism of others who might disagree.
Lee Robbins
Golden Gate University
School of Business
-----Original Message-----
>From: "Mentzer, Marc" <
mentzer@COMMERCE.USASK.CA>
>Sent: Apr 17, 2007 2:30 PM
>To:
MSR@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
>Subject: Re: Questions about the Winter MSR newsletter
>
>Mathew Sheep's concerns are important on a couple of levels: Was the
>article appropriate for the newsletter, and more fundamentally, what is
>the purpose of the MSR group?
>
>
>
>For those who have not had an opportunity to read it, here is a passage
>that conveys the flavour of the article: "Mata Amritanandamayi, or the
>Divine Mother as she is popularly known, is the biggest and most unique
>blessing that has been conferred upon humankind in recent history....
>[later in the article] Amma is a living master. The mere presence of
>such a Mahatma is beneficial to the universe."
>
>
>
>Because my own research has been in both organization theory and the
>sociology of religion, I was excited when MSR was created. I envisioned
>it as a group dedicated to the study of organizational phenomena where
>religion is a variable.
>
>
>
>However, as the group has evolved, it seems to be more of a group for
>*doing* religion than for *studying* religion. In other words, members'
>religious beliefs have become more central to the functioning of MSR
>than I had ever expected. The article in question is appropriate if MSR
>is a forum for worship, but utterly inappropriate if this is a forum for
>research.
>
>
>
>Marc Mentzer
>
>College of Commerce
>
>University of Saskatchewan
>
>Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
>
>
>
>
>