OasisatFlinders–Re-inventingChaplaincyinthePublicDomain

GeoffBoyceOasisCoordinatingChaplain

FlindersUniversityofSouthAustralia

December,2016

geoff.boyce@flinders.edu.auor

geoff@geoffboyce.com

2

OasisatFlinders–Re-inventingChaplaincyinthePublicDomain

Thispaperisarevisionofapresentationdeliveredattheconference,Chaplaincy–Development,DialogueandDiversity:TellingOurStory2-3December2016,UniversityofOtago,Dunedin,NewZealand.

Itcanbeaccessedateither:travellingchaplain.com/resourcesorgeoffboyce.com/papers

ExecutiveSummary

Oasis is an innovative project in a public educational institution, undertaking aparadigmaticshiftintheprovisionofreligiousandspiritualsupport.

Followinganincubationoftenyears,markedbysectarianreligiousconflict,OasiswaslaunchedattheFlindersUniversityofSouthAustraliain2008toembracereligiousandcultural diversity, directing itself beyond pastoral care to the individual per se, tohumanflourishinginthecontextofinclusivehumancommunities.

Itsvalues,directionandpracticedrawprimaryinspirationfromreligioussources.

The ongoing evolution of Oasis is fed from the diversity of university life: expertknowledge of the Academe, diverse insights and passions contributed by thecontinuousflowofstudents,andtheskillsandexperiencesofthevolunteerOasisTeamandtheirexternalnetworks.

In 2013, the achievements of Oasis were recognised by the University, embracing it within its administrative structures and appointing staff. In 2016 a purpose-built Oasis centre was created, providing new opportunities to achieve its vision. Thepraxisofdrawinginspirationfromthebestinreligioustraditions,whilepromotinginclusionandengagementforwellbeinghascreatedaninnovativemodelofspiritualsupportatasystemslevel,adaptabletomanycommunitiesororganizations.

Thispaperpresentsasummaryofsomeofthemajordiscoveriesthathavecontributedto the re-invention of chaplaincy through the evolution of Oasis at Flinders, as it istoday.

3

OasisatFlinders–Re-inventingChaplaincyinthePublicDomain

1.Whyre-inventchaplaincy?

1.Chaplaincy

a.ChurchforthedisplacedWhenIfirstbeganchaplaincyatFlindersUniversityin1997,chaplaincywasmodeledonanextensionofthelocalparishchurch–thechaplain-priestcommissionedandpaidby the church to administer the sacraments and pastorally support thosegeographicallydisplacedandunabletoattendtheservicesof the localparishchurch,whether in the armed services, in hospitals, prisons and so on. Chaplaincy wasimagined as a mini-church for displaced people. The architecture of chapels ininstitutionsreflectsthisimagination.

b.RecruitmentFor some Christian denominations, chaplaincy seemed to have been less aboutsacramentsandpastoralsupportandmoreaboutrecruitingconvertsorproppingupChristianhegemony,particularlyinthefaceofnumericaldeclineinchurchattendance.The rise of para-church evangelical groups grew out of a frustration, not just withLiberal theology, but also with the settled, hegemonic culture of the establishedchurches that were the traditional providers of chaplains. For them, traditionalchaplains becameobjects of suspicion opposed to their crusade. Atworst theywereheretics!

c.PastoralCareInmore recent times Chaplaincy has been drawn into themedicalmindset, offeringspiritualhealingtospiritually,sociallyorphysicallysickorwoundedpeople.‘Pastoralcare’hasbecomethemainroleofmostchaplains.Thismodelisparticularlysuitedtohospitalsandagedcareinstitutions.Itisunderstandablehowavocationalpathwayhasbeenestablishedforchaplainsundertakingamixofpastoralcareandadministrationofsacraments (or conducting services of worship) in such institutions. One-to-one

Iamabouttodoanewthing;nowitspringsforth,doyounotperceiveit?

Isaiah43:19a(NRSV)

Theonlythingweknowaboutthefutureisthatitwillbedifferent.Tryingtopredictthefutureisliketryingtodrivedownacountryroadatnightwithnolightswhilelookingoutthebackwindow.Thebestwaytopredictthefutureistocreateit.

PeterDrucker

Inourculture,wewalkintothefuturelookingbackwards.RayMinniecon,

AustralianAboriginalPastor

4

pastoralcareatthebedsidesitswellwithWesternindividualism;anditismoreeasilyunderstoodbythepublicandby‘secular’administratorsasthereligiousequivalentofpsychological counseling. It also fits well with the ‘church displacement’ model,allowing individual religious communities to exercise their own discipline overindividuallyappointedchaplains,clonedfromthereligiousinstitution.Oasishasbeenevolvingfromasicknesstoawellnessmodel,reflectingsimilarmovesinpsychologyinmorerecenttimes,fromindividualtherapytosystems-basedresiliencemodels.

2.Institutionalneedsandmanagement

a.‘TheStudentExperience’From theuniversity’spoint of view,pastoral care ismoreuseful to its institutionalmission thansacramentsandworship, the ‘churchaway fromchurch’displacementmodel. Chaplaincy as pastoral care allows the churches to contribute to what isgenerally called ‘the student experience’, an emphasis intended to encourage on-campus attendance, offsetting the burgeoning of on-line, off-campus delivery ofcourses. While religious communities are paying the wages, it’s a price the publicinstitutionsaregenerallypreparedtoaccept,thoughopposedtoproselytizing.

b.InternationalizationandIslam

Inthe90’s,internationalizationofuniversitiesincreased;thereligiousrequirementsofMuslimsfordailyprayerandforcongregationalprayeronFridaysbecameachallengefor university administrations. Generally, universities were prepared to fund thecreationofprayerrooms,butnotMuslimchaplains–plant,butnotpeople–inkeepingwiththeacceptedpracticeofprovidingofficespaceandcommunicationsforchaplainsprovidedbyexternalreligiouscommunities.IntheUK,theyeventuallyfoundthattheprovision of prayer roomsby themselves, a gesture following 9/11 and the ‘LondonBombings’, gave Muslim hardliners homes for further radicalization. Provision ofspace, though important, is not sufficient in itself to promote a posiitve ‘studentexperience’.

c.CapacityforDecisionMakingDependent on income from international students, universities were not able tocontinue to ignore religious and spiritual life. But what tools do ‘secular’administratorshave,todealwithreligiousobservanceoncampus,particularlyiftheyrose through the ranks during the 80’s and 90’swhenmost academics thought thatreligioncouldbeignored,asifintherealmoffairystories?AndifthereligiousneedsofMuslim students were given priority on the basis of recruiting students from theMiddleEastandAsia,whataboutHindus,BuddhistsandNeo-pagans?Howcouldallberealistically accommodated as the institution’s inclusion policies demanded? Wheredidchaplaincyfit?Andwhatkindofchaplaincy?

d.CulturalClashFurther,anewthreattothesustainabilityofchaplaincybegantoemerge:thecooptionof management systems by public institutions intended to cut waste and increaseefficiency, wedding older ‘time and motion’ efficiency practices with economic-rationalist consumerism, placing statistical ‘evidence’, time and the dollar as criteriafor most everything. ‘Disruption’ by restructure, justifying staff cuts, is alsocontributing to changing the culture of universities, placing them at odds with thevalues of chaplaincy. Radical cultural change toward the consumerist, commodifiedcorporateseemstohavebecometheneworganizationalnorm.

5

e.Re-inventingChaplaincyIcontendthateventhegoodofthe‘pastoralcare’paradigmisareductionofwhattheauthor and patron saint of chaplaincy, St Martin of Tours1, stood for. By revisitingaspectsofhisvision,startingpointsmayemergetoconsiderhowchaplaincymaybeginto be re-invented to engagemore positively and effectivelywith our present social,spiritualandpoliticalrealities.

3.Context.

a.ViolenceAnotherreasonforre-inventingchaplaincyisperhapsmoreobvious.WalterBrueggemannassertedin1993that:…the large, experienced reality faced daily by those with whom we minister is thecollapse of the white, male, Western world of colonialism. While that world willcontinue to make its claim for a very long time, its unchallenged authority andcredibilityareoveranddonewith…asoursystemsofmanagementandcontrolbreakdown, the collapsemakes us at least anxious and perhaps greedy, and in the end itleadstoajustificationofmanykindsofbrutality…thereisalotofpoliticalmileageinrhetoricthatpretendstheoldsystemworks,butitisadeception.2

Brueggemann is writing to a church audiencewith the broad brush of a theologianinformedby contemporaryphilosophyand the social sciences.Anxiety,managementharshness, self-interest and inter-personal abuse are indeed among us! So too is areactionaryundercurrent of anger. Thesedynamics are not limited to the church, towhomBrueggemann iswriting, - oruniversities, for thatmatter!Whether the subtleviolence of silence, fearful or underhanded; of exclusion to other voices ormanipulative ‘consultation’ to justify the predeterminations of the few; or simplyunashamed coercion - our institutions are struggling to adapt to post-colonialenlightenment, to findsystemsthatvalueandenact thebestofwhatweknowabouthumanflourishing.Can chaplaincy turn a blind eye to humanly damaging systems, and settle for acomplicitrole,focusedmerelyonamelioratingeffects,whileputtingtherootcausesofhumansufferinginthetoohardbasket?

b.PluralismBrueggeman concedes a Christian chaplaincy that trades on status and assumptionsfrom past chaplaincy traditions is likely to continue to be welcome in our publicinstitutions, tocareforandcomfort life’swounded.But ifachaplaincy isre-inventedthatalsochallengestherootcausesofwoundedness,inequityandde-humanisation,it

1SeeGeoffBoyce,AnImprobableFeast–thesurprisingdynamicofhospitalityattheheartofmultifaithchaplaincy.p69-76,referencingtheCatholicOnlineEncyclopedia:http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=81(viewedJanuary11,2010)Unfortunately,thiswebpageseemstohavebeenrecentlysanitised,airbrushingouttheeye-witnessstoriesofhisdiscipleSulpiciusSeverusthatrecordMartin’sradicalhospitality,poverty,humility,advocacyandinclusion.AspectsofthishistorymayalsobefoundinGeoffBoyce,ModelsofChaplaincy:Traditional,ProfessionalSurrogate,Multifaith.JournaloftheTertiaryCampusMinistryAssociationVol.2No.220052Brueggemann,Walter,Textsundernegotiation:theBibleandpostmodernimagination.(AugsburgFortress.1993)p.10,11.

6

mustalsotakeintoaccountotheraspectsofitssocialcontext–inparticular,thatthereligiousbaseforthepracticeofa‘pastoralcare’chaplaincyisitselfcontested.• AreChristianstheonlyoneswhocancomfortandcare?• Given recent revelations of sexual abuse by clergy, can the Christian church betrustedtoprovideasafeenvironmentofcare?• Andcanachaplaincy,definedwithinaChristianhegemony,bejustifiedinthepublicdomain, if the institution values religious diversity and inclusion, as now itmust tosurvivepoliticallyandeconomically?Surelyinournewpluralistcontext,anunderstandingofthesecularasnotprivilegingany one brand of religion in the public domain3spells an end to the traditionalunderstandingofchaplaincyasaspecificallyChristianvocation?

c.InclusionThe logic that follows an increasing recognition of pluralism is leading to a wideracceptanceofhumaninclusion.Somerecentexamplesinclude:• ThisrecentdirectivefromtheAirBnBorganization,demandingitsmembersto:

…committotreateveryone—regardlessofrace,religion,nationalorigin,ethnicity,disability,sex,genderidentity,sexualorientationorage—withrespect,andwithoutjudgementorbias.

• The soon to be opened, newRoyalAdelaideHospital has stated openly that theirchaplaincyservicemustbe‘visiblymultifaith’.• The same murmurings for wider religious representation than Christian can be

heardinourpublicschoolsandinpost-disasterministry.

d.InclusiveConversationsChristian institutions (or Islamic or Buddhist…,for that matter) may convenientlybypassthesechallengestoretaintheirowncultures.But,ifchaplaincyistobeavaluedvocationinthepublicarena,radicalconversations,notjustwiththoseweknowwillbesupportive, but also with those who are opposed, will be needed.Wide communitydiscussions are required to explore how a genuinely non-discriminative chaplaincymaybepracticed.Educationforchaplaincyneedstobeonthetableinsuchchallengingconversations, hopefully beyond the Christian pastoral care paradigm, to includepersons of other faiths or of noparticular religious adherence, as both teachers andlearners.Awareofitsownmarginalizationwithintheuniversityinthepast,OasisatFlindershasbeen exploring many of these issues as a reflexive, self-managing community ofpracticeinitspublicuniversitysetting.

3SeeSection4.InvitationintothePublicSphere

7

2.OasisatFlinders

1.FoundationsItisbeyondthescopeofthispapertodetailtheoriginsofchaplaincy.ButsufficetosaythatitgrewoutoftheextraordinarylifeofStMartinofTours,characterizedby:• A transformative vision, following his compassionate action to shelter a beggar,perishinginthecold• Unconditional,sacrificialhospitalitytothestranger• Rejectionofacceptedstructuresofexclusion,suchasprejudiceofcityovercountry,powerfuloverthepowerless,richoverpoor4• Fierceadvocacyforthoseunjustlytreatedbycapriciouspower–particularlythosewhosevoiceshadbeensilenced• Thecreationofinclusivecommunitiesofprayerandspiritualsupport• Radicalhumilityandself-effacementStMartin’slifeleftalegacytounderstandtheheartofchaplaincy:• thatchaplaincyisnot‘work’,butavocation,alife-styleofcompassion• thathospitality is adisciplineddenialof self-interest in service to theother–anyother• that chaplaincy is passionate for the achievement of social justice, particularly onbehalfofthepowerlessorvoiceless• that sensitivity, through a life of disciplined, prayerful/thoughtful/reflectivelisteningandcommunion,underpinsactionDesmondTutucomestomymindasalivingChristianexemplarofthisspirit.Thoseofotherfaithsmaywellbeabletonametheirown‘saints’wholive,orhavelived,similarvalues.

2.BeliefandPractice

a.AnInclusiveCommunityofPracticeOasis at Flinders has evolved with those foundations in mind, as an inclusivecommunityofpractice - asdistinct froma community intenton conserving religiousbeliefsassuch.Thatis,theOasisteamappliesagreedreligiousvaluesofcare,hospitality,socialjusticeandcommunity-building,commontotheworldreligions,asitsprimaryconcern,ratherthanthetransmissionofreligiousknowledgeandritualsdesignedtomaintainspecificreligiouspiety.In contrast, a community seeking to conserve religious beliefs likely maintains themindset of ‘mini-church’, ‘mini-mosque’, ‘mini-temple’ and so on. Such a communitymay recognize diversity - and attempt inclusion of diversity through a multifaithapproach.5

4ButnotethatStMartinwasalsoapersonofhistime–post-Constantinian,fourthcentury.Hewasstronglyopposedtopaganism-theprimitive,earthy,agriculturalsetofnaturalbeliefsandpractices.5https://geoffboyce.com/2008/04/28/diversity-and-pluralism/,

8

b.ATheologicalFrameFrom a theological point of view, how one responds to religious pluralism mightdependonhowonemightanswerthequestion:

Ismy‘God’the‘God’ofall?

c.Multifaith-DiversityIf the answer is ‘NO’, MULTIFAITH could be one way of coping withreligiousdiversityinthepublicdomain.

Fig.1Multifaith–multiplefaithrepresentation(differentcolours,differentreligions)MultifaithacknowledgesDIVERSITYandtherightofeachgrouptoexistandmaintaintheiridentity.Inamulti-faithapproach,acceptingtherealityofdiversity,chaplainsandreligiouscommunitiesareexpectedtorecognise,respect,andtolerateeachother.6ButMultifaithcanholdnoexpectationthatanygroupwillformrelationshipswithanyother.Indeed,like‘mixedmarriages’suchrelationshipsmightmorelikelybediscouraged.Liketouristsinahotel,eachlocatedintheirownroomsonthesamefloor,meetingeachotherinthecorridorisunlikely.Butifthatembarrassingmomentofmeetingattheliftweretoeventuate,politesmileswillusuallybeemployed!Multifaithcankeeprelationshipsatasafe,butpolite,distance.

3.FlindersMultifaithChaplaincyMulti-faithwas the paradigm attempted at the beginning of the Oasis journey, from1997to2001-theestablishmentofFlindersMultifaithChaplaincy.Flinderswasoneofthe first Australian universities to take this journey. Recognizing religious diversityamong students on the campus led the Christian chaplains to invite appropriaterepresentativesofotherworldreligionstobecomeco-chaplains.Theyhopedamulti-religiouschaplaincywouldbemorerepresentativeoftheemergingstudentpopulation.

6Onecritiqueofthisschematicmodelisthatthedifferentcolouredcirclesreinforceamisunderstandingthatthereisuniformitywithinanyreligiousgrouping.Inthepast,conformitymayhavebeeneasiertoassume;butinternationalization,migrationandtheInternetseemtobecreatingmultiplediversitieswithinandoutsidetraditionalreligiousboundaries.Themultifaithmodelisfarmorecomplexthanpresentedinthispaper!

9

MultifaithChaplainsatFlinderswiththeChancellor,2004

Pagan,Catholic,Lutheran,Uniting,Jewish,theChancellor,Sikh,Unitingvolunteer

(MissingfromthephotoaretheBuddhist,MuslimandHinduchaplains.)Invitationbythedominant(Christian)religiontobecomeequalpartnersinacommontaskwas the first step.Theminority faiths appreciated thegesture and respondedpositively.Representatives were invited to a weekly lunch. There was no particular agenda, justallowing the conversation to take its own path. In fact, religion was rarely the focus ofdiscussion.Wesoonfoundthattrustandfriendshipdevelopedamongusasacommunityofcolleagues.WecreatedaCharterforMultifaithMinistry7,areflectionofourexperiencesofworking together. One of the guidelines was to defer to each other, directing religiousquestionstotheappropriatefaithrepresentative;anddefendingtherightofeachtospeakfortheirownfaith,ontheirown.Andeachofushadtobesensitivetothediversitywithineachofourownreligions.

4.FromMultifaithtoInterfaith

a.RadicalCooperationBelief differences were gradually put to one side in favour of inter-personalrelationships,unless religiousdifference impingedonaproposedcooperativeaction.Thisgraduallyledtoradicalcooperationandasharedleadership-asteadytransition,fostered by growing inter-personal understanding and valuing of each other’scontributions. Multifaith grew to become inter-faith, finding each of us tentativelysaying ‘YES’ inanswer to the theologicalquestion, Ismy‘God’the‘God’ofall?That is,crudelyspeaking,wewereeachworkingforthesame‘Boss’!

7Theinitialwork,supportingourmultifaithinitiative,wasdonebyFlindersProfessorialFellow,NormanHabel,andexpandedbythechaplaincyasaresultoftheirexperiences.SeeGeoffBoyce,AnImprobableFeast–thesurprisingdynamicofhospitalityattheheartofmultifaithchaplaincy.p41-46

10

b.DifferentTogetherI think we came to recognize that the reason for our differences and our differentperceptionswasbecauseeachofushaddifferentreligious‘roots’,differentlifeexperiencesanddifferentcultures(‘waysofdoingthings’).Inotherwords,weweretheoneswiththedifferences,not‘God’!Andif‘God’isthe‘God’ofall,andthat‘all’isdiverse,thismightmeanwecouldprovideachaplaincytogethertoserveallthatdiversity.Andif‘God’isthe‘God’ofall,mightwenotfind‘God’inthepublic(ascomparedtothemerely‘religious’)domain?Suchaninterfaithchaplaincywouldlikelyhave:• Commonvision• Commonvalues• Radicalcooperation

In the beginning, aswebegan to attempt to create an egalitarianmultifaithministrywesoon encountered practical issues. Some of us were employed by churches, othersvolunteers;someofuswerefulltimeandotherscouldofferonlyafewhoursforthemealand a presence at events organized by the group. I quickly discovered that minorityreligionshavefarlessresources!

c.IndividualIntegrityinthePluralProcessButwe contributed aswewere able to a common vision of service. Onewith computerskills created awebsite, another encouragedvarious traditionsofmeditation, and soon.Weworkedwithourstrengths.Ourvariousreligioustraditionswereonlyoneaspectofourcommunion, as by trust, friendship, care for each other and a common vision, we eachcontributed what we could. We had become a self-managing community of practice, inservicetothewholeuniversity,notjusttoourown.Theweeklymealtogetherbecamethetimewhenweconnectedandsharedwitheachother.

Fig.2AnInterfaithTeam

d.AnExampleAn example of this teamwork occurred when the Hindu chaplain, Dr Carl Belle,commented at lunch that a GovernmentMinister hadmade insinuations in the localpressaboutapossibleterroristcellinthelocalmosque.CarlhadbeenintheAustralianDiplomatic Service, so he had a nose for political maneuvering! He was also anexcellentjournalistandhadbeeneditoroftheAustralianmagazine,HinduismToday.Talking with Muslim students we knew attended the mosque, and through thenetworksofourMuslimchaplain,wesuspected,whateverthefactsbehindthisfront-page news, a political gamewas being played.We decidedwe needed to assure theMuslim students of our support and that of the university to counter thisscaremongering.WedecidedCarlshouldwriteacommuniquéonourbehalf,andIas

11

spokesperson for the Chaplaincy, would seek permission from the President of theMuslimStudentAssociation toread it,onbehalfofusall, at theconclusionofFridayPrayer, flankedbymyMuslim colleague. In addition, Iwould visit the ImamandhisCouncilatthemosque,tobearrangedbystudentsoftheMuslimStudentsAssociation,andIwouldinviteleadersofChristianchurchesinthevicinitytoaccompanyme.This act of goodwillwas extremely heartening to theMuslim community at Flindersandthemosque-atrustandgoodwillthatextendstothisday.

f.ExpandingFaithAfter a few years I think we barely noticed that we had changed the way weunderstoodchaplaincy,thoughwestillofferedpastoralcaretoindividualstudentsandstaff. We had moved on from the sectarian solo priest model and had become aninclusivecommunityofcolleaguesinlearningandpractice,actingasateam,drawingonourstrengths.We found that the fear that each of us would lose our own religious identities wasunfounded. In an interfaith team (Fig.2) we each keep our religious identity (ourcolour), but extendourunderstandingof others in relationshipwith them–not at amultifaithdistance.Interfaithwasanexpansionofourworlds,notareduction!

g.FindingtheMetaphorWebegantolookforanewmetaphortodescribeoursituation.Aftermuchsearching,achanceconversationwithapaststudentofFlindersgaveuswhatwewerelookingfor.She described the Religious Centre at the inauguration of the university, beforereligious divisions began to surface, as an Oasis! There it was - a metaphor foropenness, a safe, convivial place for spiritual refreshment where stories of lifeexperiences,wisdomandsurvivalinlife’s‘desert’couldbeshared!ThemetaphorofOasisandtherecoveryofthemesfromwithinthestoryofthelifeofStMartin of Tours led us to recognize thatwhatwewere experiencing of one anotherfromthebeginningwashospitality.Wehaddiscoveredaguidingthemefor interfaithchaplaincy.Diversereligionsandculturescouldstillcelebratetheiridentities(diversityrecognizedandhonored),butthechaplainshadbeguntoactashostsandenablersofrelationships between and beyond such differences – responding cooperatively topluralism.Hospitality became the vehicle for inclusion and promotion ofwell being,overtaking ‘pastoral care’ as the paradigm for working together. ‘Pastoral care’ stillhappened,butwithinamuchbroader,inclusive,socialcontext.

3.Hospitality

1.NouwenNouwen’s conception of hospitality was found to be a key to unlock the door on afundamental question: how are we all going to live together, in spite of all ourdifferences?Ournewspaperswere,andstillare,fullofnotgettingon!Nouwenprovideda languagetodescribethe journeywehadbeenonwithOasisandopenednewinsightsanddevelopmentalchallengesforus.

12

Hospitality…meansprimarilythecreationofafreespacewherethestrangercanenterandbecomeafriendinsteadofanenemy.Hospitalityisnottochangepeople,buttoofferthemspacewherechangecantakeplace.Itisnottobringmenandwomenovertoourside,buttoofferfreedomnotdisturbedbydividinglines.It isnottoleadourneighbourintoacornerwheretherearenoalternativesleft,buttoopenawidespectrumofoptionsfor choice and commitment. It is not an educated intimidationwith good books, goodstoriesandgoodworks,buttheliberationoffearfulheartssothatwordscanfindrootsandbearamplefruit.ItisnotamethodofmakingourGodandourwayintothecriteriaofhappiness,buttheopportunitytootherstofindtheirGodandtheirway.Theparadoxof hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness, but a friendly emptiness wherestrangerscanenteranddiscoverthemselvesascreatedfree;freetosingtheirownsongs,speak theirown languages,dance theirowndances; freealso to leaveand follow theirownvocations.Hospitality isnotasubtle invitationtoadopta lifestyleof thehost,butthegiftofachancefortheguesttofindtheirown.8

2.InterfaithListeningItisnoteasyforthoseofuswithstrongreligiouscommitmenttoputtheparticularityofourownbeliefsystemtooneside,tocreatespacefortheothertoexploretheirownspiritualjourney.Oneofthehardestun-learningsforme,socounter-intuitivetomyingrainedreligiousconsciousness,hasbeentoresist‘telling’;tolistenwithoutjudgement;toresistlookingforanopportunitytojumpinwithmyownopinion,whichImayhavebeentoyingwithin my mind while ostensibly listening. Managing simultaneous internal multipleconversations, including listening to God, while listening and discerning underlyingmeanings and motivations of the other, takes some serious learning! This kind oflisteningisquiteexhausting!Ittakesgreatdisciplinetolistentounderstandtheother.Whatappearstooutsidersas‘doingnothing’isactuallyquitedemanding!Ithasalsobeenhardtocreatespacefor listening;wetendnottothinkwearedoinganythingunlesswearerunningprogramsoreventsandcanshowhowsuccessfulwearebythenumberswhoattend.Theproblemisthatprogramsandeventstakeupthespaceweneed to listen. Instead,Oasisdiscovered that it isenough tohostprogramsand events run by others, focusing instead on creating the cultural environment forsuch events. In that way, we maintain the free space to listen. And in listening,empoweringothers‘tosingtheirownsongs…anddancetheirowndances’!

3.HospitalityElements–‘PastoralCare’Toclarifyandspelloutaspectsofhospitablepractice,bothwitheachotherontheteamandwiththosewithwhomweengage,theOasisteamcameupwithitsowntheoreticalmodel.Itstartedspontaneouslyatourusuallunchtogether,withtheobservationthat,atthattime,ourmainfunctionintheuniversityseemedtobeas‘listeningposts’.Anditgrewonthewhiteboardandfromreflectiononourexperiences,fromthere.

8HenriNouwen.ReachingOut:TheThreeMovementsintheSpiritualLife.(1975Doubleday.NewYork)p68

13

Inthehospitalityprocess,creatingspacetoentereachother’sworlds,wearetheoneswho often need to make contact and initiate a conversation with unthreateningquestions. It is standard practice to personally welcome everyone who comes intoOasis,creatingsafespace,andperhapslater,whennew-comersaremorecomfortableand familiar with their surroundings, to look for occasions to open ‘listening’conversations of friendship; and in that spirit, support the person, drawing on theintentofthetheoreticalmodelasappropriate,clockwisearoundthecircle.Oftentheseconversationstakeplacearoundfood,orthefreeteaandcoffeewedeliberatelyofferasasymbolofOasishospitality.Thismodelalsoappliestotheteamitselfinthewayweshowhospitalitytoeachother.

4.AppreciativeEnquiryIn this regard, the idea of ‘appreciative enquiry’ has become a useful adjunct to thelistening process. The idea comes from the field of management, where it meansidentifyingandbuildingonbusinessstrengths,ratherthanfocusingonidentifyingandfixing weaknesses. It reflects themovement from a focus on sickness to a focus onwellness,aspreviouslyalludedtointhispaper.ForOasisitmeansinquiringaboutwhatwehaveincommonasfellowhumanbeings,ratherthanfocusingondifferences.Itshiftsusfromthe‘fix-it’mentality.It’s ‘canyouhelpmeunderstand…?’,ratherthan,‘whatdoyoubelieve…?’,asthoughlookingforanargument. It’s ‘howare you…?’ rather than ‘what’s yourproblem?’ as though I’mOKand you’re not! It’s not about me, but about finding out and appreciating (valuing)‘you’!ItsitsnicelywiththeNouwenunderstandingofcreatingspacefortheotherthatunderpinsthesupportprovidedbyOasis.

14

4.InvitationintothePublicSphere9

1.RestructuringFollowing the Global Financial Crisis, many religious organisations restructured tocopewithlowerbudgets.Inthesecondhalfof2012,Oasislostfourofitschaplains,andlookedlikecollapsing.Atthesametime,University fundingwasboostedwiththere-introductionofstudentservicefees.TheUniversitysteppedintoembraceOasiswithinitsadministrativestructuresandfundedtwofull-timepositions:anOasisCoordinatingChaplain tocoordinate thevolunteersandanOasisAdministrativeOfficer tomanagethecentre.AnditprovidedamodestrunningbudgettoallowOasistoofferhospitality,for team building, professional skills development and re-imbursement of out-of-pocketexpensesbyvolunteers.Given the scope of service to the whole university in a way it had never beforeencountered,whatchangeswouldnowneedtobeundertakenbyOasis,ifany,nowitwas part of ‘the system’? As the University’s new Oasis Coordinating Chaplain,exploringthiswasmyprimarytaskfrom2013to2015.To provide inclusive religious and spiritual support to thewhole university campus,thechaplainshadalreadyrespondedpositivelybycreatingamultifaithchaplaincy.Butwhataboutthemajorityofstudentsandstaffwithoutreligiousaffiliation?HowmightOasisalsoplayapartintheirspiritualsupport?

a.InclusionManystudentsandstaffhavenegativeperceptionsofreligionorarenotaffiliatedwithany religious community; though international students tend tobring their faithandculturewiththem.Oneofourresponseswastobegintouse‘inclusivelanguage’-toexpressthepurposeofOasis in simpler andmoreuniversal language, avoiding religious terminology - tosignalthatOasisisforeveryone,religiouslycommittedornot.Thismeantamuchbroaderunderstandingoftheplaceofspiritualityandreligion:• everyonehasaspirituallifeandweaffirmitsvalue• religionisaconstructthatismeanttofosterhealthyhumanspirituality

9Anoteontheterm‘secular’Inthispaper,theterms‘secular’and‘publicdomain/publicsphere’areusedinterchangeably.Theunderstandingof‘secular’employedbyOasisisthatthesecularisnotopposedtoreligion,butreferstoaneven-handednessingovernance:thatnopreferencebegiveninthepublicsphereonthebasisofreligion.Inaninclusivesociety,‘secular’cannotbeequatedwith‘godless’,forthatwouldexcludeamajorportionofsociety.Howelsetounderstand‘secular’whenthefoundersofSouthAustraliadrewafirmlinebetweenchurchandstate,atthetimewhenAdelaideboastedtwentyfivechurchesinthesquaremile,andthecolonial‘dissenters’werealsoseekinganewreligiouslifeawayfromreligiousrepressionintheircountriesoforigin?SeeDouglasPikeParadiseofDissent:SouthAustralia1829-1857.MelbourneUniversityPress.SecondEdition1967Oasisdelegatessectarianreligiouspracticetoappropriatelocalreligiouscommunities,anduniversityreligiousgroupsaredirectedtotheuniversity’sprovisionforclubsandsocieties.Ideally,allactivitywithinOasisisinclusiveandnon-ideological.SeeGeoffBoyce,FreedomtoBelieve–CelebratingaHumanRight,WorldReligionDay,2007https://geoffboyceblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/worldreligionday21january2007.pdf

15

• faith,beliefandreligiouspracticeareinextricablyboundwithculture

b.TheWholePersonByrelativizingreligionwemovedtowardaministryofsupportforthewholepersonintheirculturallife,notjustaperson’sreligion,butinclusiveofreligion.Itwaswhatwehadbeenmovingtowardin2008withthedevelopmentandpubliclaunchofaCharterforFaithFriendlyCommunities.10It also led us toward win-win collaborations with other parts of the university,particularlyInternationalStudentSupport.

c.TeamSecondly,westartedusingtheterminologyof‘team’,ratherthan‘chaplains’.TheOasisTeam began to be comprised of volunteers with or without religious affiliation, butwhowere committed to theOasis vision andpractice.Guidelines from ‘VolunteeringAustralia’becameimportantforestablishingframeworksformanagementoftheteamandfordefiningtherightsandresponsibilitiesofthevolunteerswithrespectoftheiruniversityhost.Inotherwords,now in thepublic sphere, asOasisCoordinatingChaplain, Ibegan tolook to the public sphere to articulate what we were about, without fundamentallychanging our vision and purpose, looking through the rear-view mirror to ourcollectiveinspirationalreligiousmentors,andforme,themirrorofthelifeofStMartin,inparticular.

2.CreatingaHospitablePhysicalSpace

a.GettingeducatedIn 2014 my program of transitioning from the religious to the public sphere wasinterruptedbytheannouncementthattheuniversitywasgoingtodemolishtheUnionBuildingwherewewere housed, tomakeway for a new student Hub, inwhichwewould be given space. Rather than an interruption, I welcomed this diversion,broadeningmypath, exploring hospitality in public spaces. I hadbeen looking at allaspects of multifaith since the first global conference of chaplains took place at theUniversityofBritishColumbia in2000,affordingconversationswithawiderangeofchaplains from across the world, and of different faiths. I visited a duel church-synagogue-public space in Ann Arbor, in Michigan, where they had architecturallyfoundways for thedifferent faiths tomaintain their religious integrity in a commonspace.Myneighbours,KevinTaylorandKateCullity,principalsof the internationallyawardedlandscapearchitectsTCL,revelledindiscussingtheseissuesofspiritualityinpublic spaces with me. I had also been long inspired by social entrepreneurship,documenting a visit toAndrewMawson’sBromley-By-Bow community centre in theeastendofLondonin1995.Iwasimpressedbythewayhehadcreatedmultiplespacesto formacentre for the local, sociallydisadvantagedcommunity. IhadbecomegoodfriendswithJussiMurtovuori,headofchaplaincyinFinland,who,whileChaplaintotheArts in Helsinki had helped create a remarkable wooden egg-like structure formeditation in one corner of the Helsinki town square. It has become the fifthmost

10TheimpetusforthiscameoutoftheinsightofDavidMillerinhis‘FaithatWork’projectatYale–thatfaithatworkcontributestothefinancialbottomline.ThisinsightwasimportanttotheFordMotorCorporationintheUSA,whoencouragedtheformationoftheFordInterfaithNetwork,promotedfortheiremployees.Seewww.geoffboyce.com/faithfriendly

16

visitedtouristdestinationinFinland.SoIwasexcitedabouttheopportunityofstartingwitharelativelyblankcanvastocreateapurpose-builtcentreforhospitality,opentoeveryone,atFlinders!

b.Apurpose-builtcentreofhospitalityInlate2014itwasdecidednottoplaceOasisinthenewHub.TheoldStaffClub,whichhadbecomeaFunctionCentre,wasoffered.Thiswouldputusawayfromthehub-huboftheHub! Butwethoughtitmightbeanadvantagetobeawayfromthebandsandthebustle.ByMay2015thearchitects’concept,respondingtoourvisionandvalues,hadtakenshape.

The main entrance would be down stairs (or via adjacent lift), a secondary backentrancefromanoutsidebarbecuearea(greenarrows).Guestswouldbegreetedinthereceptionarea(R),opentothelounge(L)andworkingarea(W), (withawallofwhiteboard), andalsoopen in theotherdirection toa largekitchen/eatingspace(K),modelingahomekitchen.EasyaccesstotheQuietSpaceformeditation(Q)andastaffoffice(O),linkedvisiblytothe Administrator’s reception desk. The Administrator (blue dot) can observe everyarea, and takes prime leadership in welcoming all who pass through, particularlyMuslimstudentsattendingtheprayerrooms(P),totheright.ForFridayPrayer,Muslimstudentshaveeasyaccess to themulti-functionCommonRoom(CR)afterwashing inthePrayerRooms.

3.AlongviewofachievementsAstheuniversityconsideredtakingOasisintoitsinstitutionalstructures,Isuspectthedecisivefactorshadtodowithkeepingthereligiouspeaceoncampusandcreatingapositivemarketingpoint forattractingmore fee-paying international students. But I

17

thinktheUniversitygotmorethanitexpected:wehaddonealotofworkinthequesttore-inventaneffectivechaplaincyforthepublicdomain.

a.Pre-emptingRadicalisationIn disempowering the dominant Christian evangelical hegemony in the ReligiousCentre,strategiesthatpre-emptradicalizationandfundamentalismsthatleadtoopenconflictwereconceivedandenacted.

b.FindingtheUniversalKeyThe ancient practice of hospitality, embedded in many cultures, and informed byNouwen’sworkonhospitalityascreatingspace,wasadopted.

c.‘Secular’makingspaceforeveryoneThe traditional understanding of the meaning of secular, not as ‘godless’ but asegalitarian, inclusive of religious spiritualities, favouring none over others, wasrecovered.

d.FindingaCommonLanguageAn inclusive, faith friendly environment for all, regardless of faith and beliefparticularity,wascreatedandreligiousconcepts translated into inclusive(commonlyheld)language.

e.PeoplenotProgramsInprovidingspiritualsupportforall,hospitality,anditsoutworking,wasfoundtobeefficacious, releasing the Oasis team to value people in their diversity, rather thanfocusingonrunningprograms.

f.IntegrityandwholenessJustastheindividualintegrityofthemembersoftheOasisteamwasrespected,soalsothe students; by removing restrictive boundaries in a common space, whetherundergraduateorpost-graduate, scienceorhumanities, faithor ‘no-faith’, cookingorconversing, singing or drawing, meditating or reading, relaxing or studying, Oasismodelledconnectivityandwholeness.

g.FosteringculturallycompetentglobalcitizensInclusioninallrespectsbroughtpeopleofdifferencetogethertolearnhowtotalkwitheachotherandtorespectandenjoyeachother,indifferenceandsimilarity,dissolvingprejudicialboundariestofindsurprisingcommonground,inspiringnewhorizonsforcollaborationforpeace,withaglobalpurview.

h.informalnotformalOasisdrewalinebetweentheformallearningoftheAcademyandtheno-less-importantinformallearningthatcomesfromsocialcontactandappreciativelistening.

i.the‘hidden’curriculumWefoundourselvesuncoveringtheinformal ‘hiddencurriculum’(complementingtheformal academic curriculum), providing safe spaces for reflection and themaking ofneuralconnections,complementingthelearningprocessinasafeenvironment.

j.wellnessnotsicknessWerealizedthatOasisisaboutwellness,ratherthansickness.Oasisshouldbeseenascomplementingothersupportservicesbuthavingadifferentrationale.

18

k.generousityandthesharingeconomyThe custom of students sharing foodwith each other prompted Oasis to encouragesharing as ameans ofmutual support – surplus fruit and vegetables and unwanteditems placed on a ‘Give andTake’ table in the kitchen (sharing) area. Provision of amodestbudgetbytheUniversitytosupporthospitalityandthelifeoftheOasisTeamunderwroteOasis’commitmenttoinclusionandwellbeing,

5.OrganisationandManagement

1.Lookingforamodelthatnurtures‘soul’

a.TransitionIn the transition from solo chaplain responsible to an employing religious body to acoordinatingchaplainworkingwithavolunteerteamasamemberofuniversitystaff,attentionnowneededtobepaidtoorganisationandmanagement,congruentwiththevaluesandpracticesofchaplaincyandpoliciesoftheuniversity.Two university-appointed, full-time, paid staff, had been inserted into what hadpreviouslybeenaflat,‘leaderless’,self-managingstructure.As the new Oasis Coordinating Chaplain, I began to look for ways to retain thecollegialitywehadpreviouslyenjoyed.Isoughtvariousmentorstosupportmeduringthisquesttounderstandrelevantaspectsofcorporateorganizationandmanagement-notrequirementsofmypreviousemploymentasasolochaplain.

b.FirstBestFitTheuniversityagreedthata‘commandandcontrol’approachwouldbeinappropriateforOasis. Iwaskeentoavoidbecomingagatekeeper; toavoidmembersof the teamfeelingtheyalwayshadtoseekmypermission. Iwantedtoempowerthemtoacceptresponsibilityfortheircommitment,togetonwiththeirowncontributionstobringingourcommonvision to fruition–aswehaddone in thepast. So Ibegan to introduceLean-Agilemanagementpractices.11My son, working in software development in London, and his ‘webby’ friends, hadintroduced me to Lean-Agile management, common among software developmentcompanies.It is away of organizing that avoids hierarchy and authoritarianism andencouragesautonomouscreativityandresponsibility,characteristicsIwantedtofosterintheOasisvolunteerteamandinkeepingwiththewayOasishadevolved.So if the ‘Owner’ is the University, what is the product the owner expects of theenterprise?Andasthe‘ScrumManager’,howdoImanagethescrumofvolunteerstopulltogethertodeliveranexceptionalresult,workingthroughshortiterationstowardtheoverallgoal?

Oneof thebiggest challengeswascommunication.Whereas individuals incomputer-basedAgilecommunitiescanbecontinuallyon-linewitheachother,mostofourteam,

11https://travellingchaplain.com/2015/02/08/agile-lean-and-the-scrum/https://travellingchaplain.com/2015/02/09/comments-on-agile-scrum-and-lean/OthersarealsoattemptingtotransferAgilemanagementtotheirspheres:http://indaily.com.au/news/business/2015/06/23/the-vanguard-lawyer-adopts-agile-approach/

19

being primarily older, face-to-face, people-persons,were restricted to the occasionalemailandweeklymeeting.Thismade‘scrumming’difficult.SowhenIrecentlycameacrossanemergingorganicmanagementmodelthatseemedto better espouse our values and history, I was intrigued! Could it be possible toorganizeforwellnessandleavehierarchyandcoercionbehind?

2.Self-managingOrganisations:FredericLaloux

a.RationaleFrederic Laloux researched organizational models across the world and, in 2014,proposed a paradigmatic framework for understanding their characteristics.12Theprefaceofhisbook ‘ReinventingOrganisations’givesa tasteof theconclusionsofhisresearch:Thewaywemanage organizations seems increasingly out of date. Survey after surveyshowsthatamajorityofemployeesfeeldisengagedfromtheircompanies.Theepidemicof organizational disillusionment goes way beyond Corporate America – teachers,doctors,andnursesareleavingtheirprofessionsinrecordnumbersbecausethewaywerunschoolsandhospitalskillstheirvocation.Governmentagenciesandnonprofitshaveanoblepurpose,butworkingfortheseentitiesoftenfeelssoullessandlifelessjustthesame.Alltheseorganizationssufferfrompowergamesplayedatthetopandpowerlessnessatlower levels, from infighting and bureaucracy, from endlessmeetings and a seeminglynever-endingsuccessionofchangeandcost-cuttingprograms.Deep inside, we long for soulful workplaces, for authenticity, community, passion, andpurpose.Thesolution,accordingtomanyprogressivescholars,lieswithmoreenlightenedmanagement.Butrealityshowsthat this isnotenough. Inmostcases, thesystembeatstheindividual-whenmanagersorleadersgothroughaninnertransformation,theyendup leaving theirorganizationsbecause theyno longer feel likeputtingupwithaplacethatisinhospitabletothedeeperlongingsoftheirsoul.We need more enlightened leaders, but we need something more: enlightenedorganizationalstructuresandpractices.Butisthereevensuchathing?Canweconceiveofenlightenedorganizations?Inthisgroundbreakingbook,theauthorshowsthateverytimehumanityhasshiftedtoanewstageofconsciousnessinthepast,ithasinventedawholenewwaytostructureandrunorganizations, each timebringing extraordinary breakthroughs in collaboration.Anewshiftinconsciousnessiscurrentlyunderway.Couldithelpusinventaradicallymoresoulfulandpurposefulwaytorunourbusinessesandnonprofits,schoolsandhospitals?Thepioneeringorganizationsresearchedforthisbookhavealready“crackedthecode.”Their founders have fundamentally questioned every aspect of management and havecome up with entirely new organizationalmethods. Even though they operate in verydifferent industriesandgeographiesanddidnotknowof eachother’s experiments, thestructuresandpracticestheyhavedevelopedareremarkablysimilar.It’shardnottogetexcited about this finding: a new organizational model seems to be emerging, and itpromisesasoulfulrevolutionintheworkplace…13

12FredericLaloux,ReinventingOrganizations.1stedition.NelsonParker(2014)13FromthePreface,FredericLaloux,ReinventingOrganisations–anillustratedinvitationtojointheconversationonnext-stageorganizations.NelsonParker2016AbriefintroductiontoLaloux’sparadigmaticorganizationaltheorycanbefoundat:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Jc5aAJu9gAbriefintroductiontohis‘Teal’modelisathttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxGGkrtKZaAFurtherexplanationisdocumentedat:https://agilewarrior.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/reinventing-organizations-frederic-laloux/

20

b.Theparadigms.

(1).TheWolf

At the base of the organizational paradigms he identifies, Laloux places command-authoritarianismasthemostprimitive.This paradigm is drivenby fear – people falling in behind a strong champion-leaderwhoisseentobeabletoexertpowerandprotectionontheirbehalf.Additional examples also typifying this organizational paradigm might includeCommunist regimes led by dictators like Mao Tse-tung and Stalin, and NationalistregimesledbyfigureslikeHitler.

(2)TheArmy

Out of the chaos of systems characterized by individuals exercising organizationalpower by fear (‘The Wolf’), Laloux identifies the emergence of a second paradigm,systems typified by army-like structures. This organizational structure might berepresentedbytheRomanperiod,whenstability, lawandtheinfrastructureofroadsandviaductswereachieved,andcontrolmaintainedbyalarge,well-disciplinedarmy.

MyinitialtakeonLaloux’schemaanditsconnectionwithspiritualityisat:https://travellingchaplain.com/2016/08/11/valuing-spirituality-in-organisations/anditsconnectionwithSocialWorkbestpracticeat:https://travellingchaplain.com/2016/10/09/oasis-as-a-self-managing-community/

21

(3)TheMachine

The image of the factory represents the third paradigm, which emerged during theIndustrialAge.Eventhoughweseemanufacturingonthewaneinadvancedindustrialcountries, the consciousness of this paradigm is probably still the most influentialtoday,Many institutionsandcorporates continue tobe influencedby theefficienciestypifiedbyHenryFord’sproductionline.Recentresearchshowsthat70%ofworkersare disengaged from their work14and feel like ‘cogs in a machine’, their personalaspirations subjugated to corporate goals for profit by accountability structuresenforcingimposedobjectives.You may have noticed that hierarchical traditional churches with bishops andarchbishops,andmanyoftoday’spublicuniversitieswithexecutiveelites,fallintotheArmy/ChristendomandIndustrialepochs.

(4)OpenSource

14Forexample,according to Gallup Daily tracking, 32% of employees in the U.S. are engaged -- meaning they are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace. Worldwide, only 13% of employees working for an organization are engaged. http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/188033/worldwide-employee-engagement-crisis.aspxviewedDecember13,2016

22

The paradigm that attractedmy attention in developing an organisationalmodel forthe new Oasis was the Lean/Agile paradigm of the Internet, Communication andServiceAge.Myson,workingas‘HeadofTech’foralargeUKart-printcompany,introducedmetothesemanagement ideas. He had toldme hewould neverwork in a hierarchical orcontrollingworkplace;thatcreativitycannotsurviveinsuchaculture.Overthelast20-30yearsthisnewGenXandYwayofthinkinghaspermeatedtheseyoungergenerationswholiveonthewebandthesmartphone.ThiswastheclosestorganizationalmodelIcouldfindtomanagethenewOasis,eventhough it conflicted with the existing ‘industrial’ model of the university. However,Laloux’swork,thoughpreliminary,promisesanapproachthatseemstometobeevenmorealignedtothespiritualvaluesofOasis.

(5)OrganicWholeness(‘Teal’)

Thismodelvalues theaspirationsofOasisbeingalignrd itself to thegoalsof religion forwholeness.Wholenessisunderminedbysystemsthatsplitthehumanperson,asifreligionisonebit,andhealthanother,orthatScienceandtheArtsare‘twocultures’;itchallengesthe way Faculties and Schools of the university see themselves as separate from oneanother. Itdealswith thedown-sideof ‘bosses’byauthorizing self-managing teams; it isorganic, motivated by broader and higher purposes and processes that allow theorganization to evolve, rather than be ‘managed’ from above. This paradigm takes intoaccountthewayOasishasevolvedoverthelasttwentyyears.Those of us conditioned to theHierarchical-Industrialmodel find it difficult to imaginehow any enterprise of significant size and complexity could be effective without‘managers’.YetLalouxhasfoundsome!IwasparticularlyimpressedtohearaboutBuurtzorgNederland15,foundedin2006byJosdeBlokandasmallteamofprofessionalnurseswhoweredissatisfiedwiththedeliveryofhealth care by traditional home-care organizations in the Netherlands. Together theydecided to create a new model of patient-centered care focused on facilitating andmaintaining independence and autonomy for the individual for as long as possible. Inpractice thismeant starting visitswith a cup of tea, changing a light bulb orwhateverneededtobedone,aswellasattendingtotraditionalhealth-careneeds.Whatstartedasa teamof4nurses in2006,hasgrowntonearly8,000nurses in2014,withteamsintheNetherlands,Sweden,Japanandnow,theUnitedStates.A2010Ernst&15http://www.buurtzorgusa.org/about-us/retrievedJanuary6,2017.

23

Youngreportdocumentedsavingsofroughly40percenttotheDutchhealthcaresystem,anda2012KPMGcasestudyfound:

“Essentially,theprogramempowersnurses…todeliverallthecarethatpatientsneed.Andwhile thishasmeanthighercostsperhour, the resulthasbeen fewerhoursintotal.Indeed,bychangingthemodelofcare,Buurtzorghasaccomplisheda50percentreductioninhoursofcare,improvedqualityofcareandraisedworksatisfactionfortheiremployees.”

c.LalouxandMaslow

AdiagrammaticrepresentationofLaloux’sParadigmaticOrganisationalTheory

Maslow’sHierarchyofBasicNeeds

Put side-by-side, Laloux’sparadigms (left) form a kind ofhierarchy, reminding me ofMaslow’sHierarchyofBasicNeeds.Organisational sophistication andcomplexityincrease,risingfromthebase to the apex; in Laloux, fromthebruteforceofdictatorialpowerto the higher purposes of self-managing teams, parallelingMaslow, from physical and safetyneeds to needs for self-actualisationandtranscendence.For Maslow, higher needs aresubservienttomorebasicones.ForLaloux, the lower, more dominantparadigm has the power toassimilate a higher emergingparadigm back into its well-establishedorganizationalsystem.For example, the creative freedomrequired for the imagination toreign freely among softwaredevelopers and their commitmentto an ethic of transparency andglobal free flow of knowledge,inherent in the Green paradigm,maybedrawnbackintotheOrangesector.Sotheobjectofmany‘start-ups’ todaymay not be somuch to‘delightcustomers’butforprofit.

24

d.Laloux,OasisandtheUniversityOasis has had the freedom to intuitively move toward the ‘Green’ – ‘agile/lean’structurethatemergedwithintheworldoftheInternet,whilesituatedinaninstitutionenculturated within the orange and yellow paradigms. The university structure hasgiven Oasis the stability and innovative environment to explore how religious andspiritualsupportmaybere-imagined.The emerging ‘teal’ framework provides Oasis with a means of organization that ismore likely to avoidnegativeorganizational consequences to thehumanpersonandcommunity,namelytheviolenceofexclusion,coercionandbullying,whichrunrifeinthered,yellowandorangeparadigms.‘Teal’maybemoreconducivetothoseaspiringto personal, inter-personal and global peace and goodwill. Laloux shows that thisaspiration should not be dismissed as utopian. He has discovered significant anddiverseorganisationsthathavebeenachievingitintheworkplace.OneinsightthatemergesfromLalouxisthatregulationandeducationareinsufficientcorrectivesof themselves to institutionaldamage; radical changeneeds tohappenattheorganizationalleveliftransformationforhumanflourishingistobeeffected.Over-regulation, compulsory short courses and threats based on what might have beensigned up for in enterprise agreements don’t appear to assist such transformations.They are coercive tools created fromwithin the yellow-orange mindset, unlikely toencourageworker engagement, and probablymore likely to foster cynical, resignedresentment.Laloux’s insights contribute to those of us on the quest for the promotion of humanflourishing. He exposes the inherent flaws of various systems of organization andintroduces us to successful ones that have had the imagination and courage to gobeyondthereigningparadigms.Thisprovidesan importantcorrective to thecurrentdysfunctionalmilieuinwhichindividualsareaskedtodomorewithless,andsocietyseems to be structured around blaming the individual for faltering under the load;while CEO’s at the top expect and get massive payouts to move them on frominstitutionalfailureandmassivehumandamage.

3.EarlySignsMovingintoourpurpose-builtfacilityinFebruary2016,someencouragingtrendshavebeenemerging.

a.CulturalConnectionsA small group of Chinese students hadhad a conversationduring the January breakabout what might have helped them better transition to study in Australia. Theyconcludedthatiftheycouldhavehadone-to-onetimewithalocalpersonorfamily,itwould have helped enormously, both with confronting colloquial language andunderstandingthenuancesoflocalculturalcustoms.The group shared their ideas with the International Student Support team whobrought Oasis into the conversation. Together, we encouraged them to form auniversity club, supported by the Student Association. They called it ‘CulturalConnections’.Oasiswasofferedasaplacewheretheycouldmeet.DuringtheyearoneoftheOasisteamworkedwiththemtoconnectthemwithRotary,wellknownfortheirsupportofinternationalstudents.

25

About80attended the lastbarbecueevening inOasis; roughlyhalfwere communityvolunteers.Lionsclubisnowintheprocessofgettinginvolved.Overtheyear,CulturalConnectionshasrecruited35volunteersand80studentshavebenefittedfrommakingconnections.It’sadropintheocean,butanoutstandingstart!CulturalConnectionsishopingtoextenditsoperationin2017.Oasiswillcontinuetooffer a home for mentoring and personal support and its significant network ofconnectionstothecentral,student-led,facilitatingcommittee.

b.SocialWorkPlacementsAboutfiveyearsagoIhadaconversationwithamemberofSocialWorkstaff.MastersofSocialWorkstudentsmustdoplacementsof500hoursincommunitysocialwelfareagenciestograduate.Thememberofstaffwasworriedabouttheculturaldifficultiesofinternationalstudentsonplacement.Wekepttheconversationopenovereighteenmonthsandeventuallyhecameupwiththeideaofdevelopingaparallelplacementoption-agroupofstudentsplacedinOasisandsupervisedbyamemberoftheSocialWorkstaff.In2016SocialWorkwasoverwhelmedbyabiginfluxofinternationalstudents.Oasisagreedto take fivestudentseachsemester for theirplacements -preferablyamixofdifferentreligiousandculturalbackgrounds.ThesestudentsundertookprojectssuggestedbytheirSocialWorksupervisor,butalsocameupwiththeirownforOasisandtheuniversity.SomehelpedOasiswitharegularmorningteaforinternationalwomenstudents,andallgrewinconfidencetomeetandgreetstudentscomingintoOasis.MembersoftheOasisTeamalsoprovidedmentoringandsupport.The group got involved in helping Health, Counselling and Disability Services withpromotionsduringRUOKDayandMentalHealthWeek.Co-situated in Oasis, it was only natural that the SocialWork groupwould also getinvolvedsupportingCulturalConnectionsactivities.One highlight for me during 2016 was the coming together of the first and secondsemestergroupsduringthemid-semesterbreaktobecome‘ConferenceConnectors’ata Flinders School of Education International Conference for Well Being and thePrevention of Violence. The organisers had asked Oasis to create a culture ofhospitalityandinclusionattheheartoftheconference.TheSocialWorkstudentsactedas agents of hospitality and inclusion, helping with registrations, translating forinternational delegates with little command of English, and doing whatever tasksneededtobedone.Oneofthestudentsorganizedastudentphotographicexhibitionfortheconferenceonthetheme,‘PlacesofHappiness’.Thisexperiencewasahugesuccessfor all concerned. It represented a landmark attempt to tangibly and openly placespiritualityattheheartofanacademicconference.

26

c.TheGardeningCollectiveIn2016anenthusiasticpermaculturegardener,whohadhadhisowngardenbusiness,connectedwithOasis.Hehadadreamtoteachpermacultureonalargepieceofvacantlandonthecampus.Thegardenwouldproducefreshfruitandvegetablestosupplythefoodoutletsoftheuniversity.OasisbecameacongenialhomeforhiscommitteemeetingsandoneoftheOasisTeamjoinedthecommitteetoconnectandoffersupport.His entrepreneurial skills were obvious. Soon he had banded all the gardening andconservationgroupsoncampustogether.ItinspiredtheDirectoroftheArtMuseumtobegintocreatea‘wellbeinggarden’justoutsidetheGallery,supportingtheSchoolofBiology,wantingtoestablisha‘teachinggarden’.Ithoughtthiswasagreatexampleofenthusiasm and ‘can do’, rippling out and crossing boundaries to raise spiritual lifearoundtheuniversity–agreatexampleofsocialentrepreneurship,again,springingupfromstudentswithpositiveideas.PermacultureiscongruentwiththevaluesofOasis.Itisawayofgardeningthatvalueswholeness and well being. It is therapeutic and encourages healthy living throughnutritiousfreshfood.

d.SpaceforDreamsI mention these three examples of student initiative from the last six months tounderline another significant aspect of hospitality. It is the creating of space for thenurturingofdreams.Creating space for imagination, for cultural respect, for creativity, for dialogicallearning,forcollaborativeenjoyment,forinnerpeace,forhelpingothers,tomeetandmake friends and relax. These arewhat students tell us they value in the culture ofhospitalityandinclusionestablishedandmaintainedatOasis.

6.Resultsofashortstudentsurvey(November14-25,2016)

0

50

NoofResponses

Daily Weekly Monthly SpecialEventsOnly

HowoftendoyouvisitOasis?

27

SelectedComments• Ican’tbehappier,goodplacetomeetfriendsandshareyourfaithandstudies• It’spartofmymotivationtocometoUni• Weallcanparticipate• Oasisistheplace–fuelupandgobacktoyourstudy• Muchcleantoilets• Bestlocationoncampusbuildingwhichhasgreatlookandbackyard,whichisrelaxingandenergisingme• Aplaceofpeaceandlearning• Aplacewhichhelpstoopenmymind• IfitwerenotforoasisUnilifewouldbeabitboring• Oasiscanbemysecondstudyspace,kitchenorevenhomebecauseIcomeherealmosteveryday• EveryFridaysaleofIndonesianFood• Agreatplacetorelaxourselvesfrompressureofschoolstudies• Mychildrenalsolovetostayhere-likeathome• A safe place for confidential chats is important to sharing cross-cultural into action. Very importanttalkingaboutthesystemworks

78%

22%0%0%0%

Onascaleof1-5,howimportantisOasistoyou?

VeryImportant

Important

MediumImportance

LowImportance

NotImportant

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

WhyisOasisImportanttoYou?

28

• Oasis is really a cosy place that makes me feel comfortable. besides meeting friends, break, relax,sometimes• Oasisisareallygoodplaceformetobemyself.Thestaffherearesofriendly&nicethatIfeeltheyaremyrelatives.• Thestaffarereallyfriendly.WhenIsadorfacedifficulties,theyalwaysreadytohelpme.WithoutthemImightcannotsurvivehere• IhavestartedusingtheCentrethissemester.IcometoprayerwhenIhaveclassesordoingassignmentsintheweekends• Oasisisasymbolofpeaceandfriendship

Inaneducationalinstitution,setinapluralisticsociety,theseresultsandcommentsreflectthenewfaceof‘meetingthereligiousandspiritualneeds’ofitsstudents:anever-evolvingOasis, overtaking what was previously thought of as pastoral care to religious groups,maintaining thespiritofchaplaincy’s founder,whileresponding to thenewchallengesofreligiousandculturalpluralism.

29

7.Afterthoughts

1.Situation–theUniversityTypically, Universities are organized around three themes - research, teaching andcommunityservice.University‘supportservices’providesupportforthesethreeinter-relatedendeavors.

2.Motivation–theWorldThemotivationbehind theevolutionofOasiscouldwellhavebeenarticulated in thequestionthatmotivatedmefromthebeginningofmychaplaincyatFlinders:howareweallgoingtolivetogether, inspiteofallourdifferences?– amuchbroaderquestionthan,howarewetogoaboutprovidingreligiousandspiritualsupportforstudents?-butonethatembracestheother.From1997to2007,by invitationandhospitality, religiouschaplains, responsible forreligiousandspiritualsupporttotheuniversity, transitionedfromseparatesectarianentities, to multifaith (diversity), to interfaith (pluralism). This also represented amovefromsoloministrytoacommunityofcooperative,supportivepractice.

3.TheInstitutionalDifficultyofWholenessandtheAmorphousWhiletheuniversityplacedOasiswithinStudentServices,ithasevolvedbeyondtheseandotherboundaries.Itisaheadofitstime,inherentlycrossingbordersinitsquesttomodelandpromotewholeness–aprimeaspectofspiritualhealth.

a.Research?The progressive, pioneering commitment to experimentation and innovation,attendingtoexistingscholarshipandopendialogue,impliesthatOasisisacommunityofcross-disciplinaryresearchthroughpraxis. HowOasismaymoreformallyconnectwiththeresearchcommunityatFlindersisyettobeexplored.

b.Teaching?As for teaching, Oasis drew a line in the sand between the ‘formal’ teaching of theAcademyand‘informal’learninginthewarpandwoofofsocialcontact–thoughOasishasrespondedfromtimetotimetoinvitationstoprovideseminarsonvarioustopicswithintheAcademy.AsignificantnumberoftheOasisTeamhavebeenteachers,whounderstand the importance of motivational transformation in a person’s life,unleashingenergyforformallearning.

c.CommunityEngagement?Communityengagementhasalwaysbeen implicitbecauseof theway chaplaincyhasbeenorganised inuniversities from thebeginning - chaplains appointedby religiouscommunitiesarealsocontributorstothoseappointingcommunities.Oasisreliesonitsnetworksinthewidercommunitytomaintainitsvolunteerteam.The cutting edge nature of the Oasis project, while challenging to many religiouscommunities, has always been accepted by them as a valid pursuit, even ifcontroversial, because of the role of universities in innovation and culturaltransformation.The situationofOasis in auniversityhas enabled it tohavea globalpurview and to speak confidently into the world, particularly engaging with publicagenciesgrapplingwithnewcontextsrequiringreligiousandculturalinclusion.

30

4.TowardavitalfutureThejourneyofOasismightbedescribedasmovingawayfromthein-houseconcernsofreligiousmaintenance,the‘churchawayfromthechurch’,totheformationofculturallycompetentglobalcitizens(‘culture’alsoembracingspiritualityandbelief).Byofferingrelationalhospitablespace,Oasisinterfereswithfundamentalismsbyfosteringradical‘shalom’–rightrelationshipsandwholeness,fortheindividual,societyandtheworld.The key to the paradigm shift Oasis represents has been the adoption of Nouwen’sconcept of hospitality as its central concern, and secondly, the creation of anorganizational structure that provides freedom for responsible self-management,evolutionarypurposeandwholeness.

8.Recommendations

9.Appendix–Fromthewebsite:‘WhatisOasis?’(www.flinders.edu.au/oasis)

LESS• Solo• Mono-• Multi-• Sickness• Counseling• ReligiousPrivilege• DefensiveSilos• Directive• Private–Closed• Jobstatus• Bureaucratic• Competition• ProfitMotivated

MORE• Community• Multi-• Inter-(connected)• Wellness• Hospitality• SecularInclusion• Wholeness• ResponsibleSelf-managing• Public–Transparent• WiderPurpose• Creative-Reflexive• Compassion• Generosity