Customer Reviews

Appreciative Inquiry in the Catholic Church

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This book is a great little primer on the appreciative inquiry approach to organizational change from the perspective of religious organizations. It's a quick introduction and practical guide for those at all levels of the church and contains a number of case studies, practical suggestions and references to scripture. The back of the book is full of AI interview questions that apply to a variety of contexts, which I have already used as a resource in my work with nonprofit organizations. It's a great book to recommend to leaders in the church who have busy schedules!

This work, from the author of The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry, comprises two main parts: one offers a concise correlation between AI and the principles of the Catholic Church; the other is a set of stories of how AI has been implemented to enhance church-related organizations, from parish pastoral councils to campus ministries and religious orders. Arguably, the brief treatise on the alignment of AI with Catholic principles and practices could well apply to most religions whose members espouse the innate dignity of humanity; but, as a Catholic who also sits on a parish pastoral council, I appreciate that the direct connection between AI and the church will likely contribute to shaping our council's outlook and process in a positive way. The remaining exemplary stories of AI in the church offer evidence of the correlation, and suggest ways in which AI might be employed in the service of God's people. And, as an exponent of Organizational Psychology, it is interesting to note that the narratives evidence both the extraordinary effort that it requires to do AI well, and the extraordinary benefits that it imposes when so done.

What this short book does best is provide examples of how AI has been applied in religious and educational organizations to good effect. You are provided with a short summary of each project, the questions used (key to use of AI) and the results. The introductory sections provide a quick overview of AI and how it relates to Catholic and Biblical doctine, very handy if you are trying to sell the method to those whose first response is "we never did it that way before." The examples then provide proof that AI is practical and reality-based, the questions provide you with guides for use in your situation, and the resources at the end (bibliography and more questions by topic) expand your capabilities. Those seeking to apply AI in an organizational setting will obviously want and need more, but this book is unique in helping you convince the church or school that it is worth trying in the first instance.