Influences of an Evangelical Christian Worldview on Women’s Leadership Development

Abstract

The Problem

A recent Pew Research Center report noted that 70.6% of U.S. American adults self-identify as Christian; 25.4% identify themselves as Protestant Evangelical. Historically, the worldview of evangelicals has reflected what Gallagher described as a “hierarchically ordered universe.” The implications of this worldview on both individuals and organizational cultures add complexities as women navigate the labyrinth of leadership. Such complexities, related to the implied superiority of maleness, call for a review of research related to the leadership experiences of evangelical women, with implications for professional development programs.

The Solution

Recent research has focused attention on leadership identity development; for women, this process involves addressing “the often fragile process of coming to see oneself, and to be seen by others, as a leader.” Understanding the worldview of evangelicals can be important if the aspirations and abilities of high-potential women are to be fully tapped. Based on previous grounded theory research as reported by Dahlvig and Longman, this article provides a review of the relevant literature, including a model and conceptual framework for leadership development that recognizes the influence of an evangelical worldview on organizational culture and women’s leadership aspirations and experiences of women.

The Stakeholders

As a multidisciplinary field, Human Resource Development benefits from exploring emerging leadership development theories, especially theories that take into consideration context, culture, and worldview. This research can be instructive to HRD professionals and others who may benefit from understanding how worldview shapes individuals’ lived experiences.