Work shapes identity, community, and meaning—but how should faith show up in professional life? Sociologist Elaine Ecklund discusses religion in the workplace, drawing on research conducted with co-author Denise Daniels.
“I think our faith compels us to hope for and enact flourishing for everyone.”
In this episode with Evan Rosa, Ecklund reflects on vocation, gender, authenticity, and principled pluralism in modern workplaces. Together they discuss workplace identity, gender discrimination, calling across occupations, boundaries around work, religion’s public role, and pluralism in professional life.
Episode Highlights
“I think our faith compels us to hope for and enact flourishing for everyone.”
“People use their religion to bring justice to their workplaces.”
“They don’t want to pretend they’re someone different.”
“There are ways in which our faith traditions can put needed boundaries around our work.”
“I am being fully who I am and I am oriented toward the other.”
About Elaine Ecklund
Elaine Howard Ecklund is a sociologist of religion and professor at Rice University, where she directs the Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. Her research focuses on religion in public life, science and faith, and workplace culture. She is the author or co-author of numerous books, including Religion in a Changing Workplace and Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work (with Denise Daniels). Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and featured in major media outlets.
Helpful Links And Resources
Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work https://www.ivpress.com/working-for-better
Religion in a Changing Workplace https://academic.oup.com/book/58194
Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance https://boniuk.rice.edu/
Elaine Ecklund website https://elaineecklund.com
Show Notes
- Religion and workplace life
- Sociology of belief research background
- Studying scientists and religion
- Expanding research beyond science workplaces
- Collaboration with Denise Daniels
- Academic and practical faith-at-work books
- Defining work as paid labor
- Honoring caregiving and volunteer labor
- “People don’t want to pretend they’re someone different.”
- Bringing whole selves to work
- Calling across occupational sectors
- Workplace autonomy and meaning
- “People use their religion to bring justice to their workplaces.”
- Faith creating boundaries around work
- Gender dynamics in workplaces
- Story of hiding motherhood in academia
- Fragmentation and identity performance
- “There are ways in which our faith traditions can put needed boundaries around our work.”
- Church gender expectations
- Billy Graham rule implications
- Work skills serving congregations
- Living in pluralistic society
- Principled pluralism explained
- “I am being fully who I am and I am oriented toward the other.”
- Embrace, dignity, and learning from difference
#FaithAndWork #ElaineEcklund #PrincipledPluralism #ReligionAndWorkplace #Vocation #GenderAndWork #HumanFlourishing
Production Notes
- This podcast featured Elaine Ecklund
- Edited and Produced by Evan Rosa
- Hosted by Evan Rosa
- Production Assistance by Noah Senthil
- A Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/about
- Support For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give
For the Life of the World / Yale Center for Faith & Culture 
