Faith-based social entrepreneurship: Towards an integrative framework

Abstract

The study of social entrepreneurship increasingly takes into consideration the multi-faceted context that generates and shapes it. Inspired and guided by the specific context of religion, faith-based organisations throughout history have been at the forefront of non-profit activities to address social challenges. This paper is motivated by the empirical observation that the activities and practices of faith-based organisations are changing in response to the contemporary context of social and environmental problems. It interrogates the prevailing discourse in the field in order to contribute toward an understanding of the complex phenomenon of faith-based social entrepreneurship. Identifying two distinct standpoints - “marketplace mission” and “integral mission” - the paper moves toward a conceptual framework that positions these two aspects with respect to social entrepreneurship. Faith-based social entrepreneurship is argued to be a synthesis that combines elements of commercial entrepreneurship, social action, and religious mission.