The Calvin University School of Business advanced its promotion of excellence in scholarship on Christianity in business with the presentation of the inaugural Award for Scholarship on Christianity in Business.
Richard Jonsen, senior lecturer at Rowan University, was recently recognized as the 2022 award winner for his Christian Business Review article The Purpose of Business in an Acquisitive Society.
"Thought leadership connects the business academy with the community of business practice. It is an important way that faculty keep their teaching and service relevant to the present and future of business,” said Calvin University Business Professor Jason Stansbury. “It is also an important way that we can contribute to the edification of the community of practice, and specifically to this award, the Christian community of practice."
Funded by the Calvin Center for Innovation in Business, the award recognizes a paper published in a peer-reviewed academic journal through the normal process of double-blind peer review during the prior calendar year. Candidate papers must address Christian religious phenomena or incorporate Christian theological claims in ways that are central to their purposes.
After a thorough review of relevant business journals, Calvin University School of Business faculty submitted nominations for the award.
Papers were reviewed against four criteria by a committee formed by the School of Business:
- Rigorous — The paper makes appropriate use of relevant sources and methods, in the course of a rationally compelling development of its theses.
- Beautiful — The paper is winsome and evocative in its presentation, whether through the lucidity of its prose, or the aptness of its illustrations.
- Interesting — The paper is novel in its approach and conclusions, not only providing the reader with new insight, but also prompting the reader to consider additional implications beyond those suggested in the manuscript.
- Useful — The paper is meaningful in its implications, for both scholars and businesspeople who seek to glorify God in their workplace endeavors.
“Richard Jonsen’s paper is a faith-informed review and extension of the work of R.H. Tawney in 1920, which argued for business to serve the common good rather than simply serving shareholders in the pursuit of personal wealth,” said committee member Bob Eames. “His work examines Tawney’s work and that of more contemporary scholars and applies it to our current post-pandemic circumstances and explores three examples of businesses serving the common good.”
Contact business@calvin.edu for more information about the award.