Integral human development requires adapting to the context

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 18: JANUARY 18, 2022]

Mark 2:23-28. The Sabbath was made for man

Integral human development requires adapting to the context

The recent gospels feature the Pharisees questioning why Jesus seems to not follow old traditions and laws to the letter. Jesus responds by giving analogies or encouraging a deeper reflection – apprehending the spirit of the law, not just the letters of the law.

The way we approach education and the sciences seem to be biased towards finding “laws” and deducing implications from these laws. Laboratory experiments and controlled trials are heralded as the best forms of research to find consistent patterns. This may be the case in the natural sciences, but this is not practical in theology, social sciences, and management.

Our society, culture, organizations, and spirituality are always contextually laden. Thus, we owe it to our natural curiosity, our pure desire to know, and our pursuit of well-being and integral human development to engage in a form of holistic insighting.