About the project

The main purpose of this Ph.D. project is to examine in more detail how to lead and organize volunteering in the congregations (Church of Norway and The Norwegian Church Abroad), and how volunteers can be drivers of innovation.

Why is this interesting and relevant? Innovation is in the past a buzzword that many different fields of research are interested in. There are several books and articles today that analyze the phenomenon of innovation. This has led to the knowledge of innovation being rich, but also fragmented and confusing. At the same time, innovation is important as all organizations should always use their resources well and be creative in the face of new challenges.

The Church has always renewed itself, as the Reformation slogan states, ecclesia semper reformanda est. At the same time, the church is largely institutionalized, and much renewal in the church is not called innovation. It has received other labels and has come in the form of measures, experiments, reforms, and reorganization. Little has been written about the concept of innovation from the field of ecclesiastical practice.

Recent innovation research talks about Co-Creation and Co-Production within an organization. This is something that has been raised to a small extent in the church. For example, can volunteers to a greater extent be drivers of change and innovation in the church? Here I think there is a potential in the Church of Norway, where volunteering is about 1000 man-years spread over over 100,000 volunteers (2.5% of the members).

I have a background both as a Senior Pastor in the Church of Norway and in the Church of Norway abroad (Sjømannskirken). I want to investigate how two congregations in Norway and two congregations abroad have connected innovation and volunteering.

The project is a qualitative study, and the problem is seen in the light of perspectives from both organization and management, and I want to say something about structure and agencies.

I would argue that this research is relevant to both voluntary organizations, companies and the public sector that are concerned with good collaboration and that are in the process of change (innovation processes).

Background

Educated cand. Theol., Pastor clinical education (PKU), as well as master in value-based management. Work experience as a priest and sailor priest.

Research groups and research schools

LIVAP. - Leadership and Institutional Values-work in Practice, RVS. – The Scientist School: Religion, Values and Society.