Last updated - March 1998

The Ridley Hall Foundation

The Ridley Hall Foundation is an initiative relating Christian faith to the world of business, which has been operating at Ridley Hall Theological College, Cambridge (England) since 1989. It is directed by Dr Richard Higginson, who combines this work with lecturing in Ethics to the Cambridge Theological Federation.

The Foundation is concerned with Faith in Business in a twofold way: affirming the role of business, as a legitimate, God-given part of human endeavour, and exploring the operation of Christian faith in business. Its vision is one of participating in God's mission in the business world, through understanding a fast-changing business environment, discerning God's purpose for business, and applying Christian values in complex working situations. It seeks to equip Christians to be authentic disciples in a secular commercial context.

The Foundation runs a programme of two-day residential seminars for groups of managers. Recent topics include Key Issues in Human Resource Management, Ethics in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Faith in Accountancy, The Ethics of Marketing, Changing Patterns of Work, and Transforming Leadership. The seminars have an excellent line-up of experienced speakers. Most participants in the seminars are Christians but people of other beliefs and perspectives are always welcome.

Events during 1997 included Christians in Consultancy and The Stakeholder Economy.

The programme for 1998 includes: VOCATION: CHRISTIAN CALLING IN THE SECULAR WORLD

Our quarterly journal, Faith in Business Quarterly , was launched in 1997 as a joint venture with ICF (the Industrial Christian Fellowship)

The work of the Foundation has led to a series of publications. Richard Higginson is the author of:  Called to Account: Adding Value in God's World (Eagle & Highland, 1993, ISBN 0 86347 074 2) A book about Christianity and Business which relates every major doctrine of the Christian faith to the business world in a down-to-earth, easily accessible way.      Transforming Leadership: A Christian Approach to Management (SPCK, 1996, ISBN 0 281 04830 4) Based on the 1994 London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity, this book explores the outworking of Christian discipleship in the ranks of middle and senior management. It covers such subjects as redeeming the world of work, the complementary arts of management and leadership, leading with integrity, managing the dynamics of change, and learning from failure as well as success. Apocalypse! The Business Ethics Game A computerised game which confronts participants with a series of moral dilemmas, encouraging them to think about the ethical dimension of business. Richard Higginson is happy to play the game with interested groups. Mind the Gap! Why do so many local churches take little or no interest in the work that their congregations do? In Mind the Gap, Richard Higginson shows how churches can build bridges between the workplace and the ‘worship place’. This 40-page, A4-size workbook uses a lively mix of background information, group-based activity and Bible study sessions to show how any church can recognise, encourage and resource its members in their Monday-to-Friday ministry. And ‘ministry’ includes everybody eager to obey Christ’s call to salt-and-light service in the nitty-gritty of daily life: bakers, bankers, bricklayers and brain surgeons. Focusing on key Bibical concepts of creation, fall, reconciliation and future hope, Mind the Gap tackles the tough-but-true issues of a rapidly changing work scene. (CPAS, Athena Drive, Warwick, CV34 6NG, £7.50)   Further publications are in the process of preparation.

Richard Higginson and others associated with the Foundation are pleased to undertake speaking engagements on a wide range of topics relating faith to work, in the UK and further afield.

For further details contact: Dr. Richard Higginson, Ridley Hall, Cambridge, CB3 9HG, England Phone: +44/0-1223-741080; Fax: +44/0-1223-741081; Email: rah41@hermes.cam.ac.uk

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