From the early days of my pastoral ministry, I felt that there was a significant administrative element in it, a component linked to my earlier qualification of Diploma of Public Administration. That early perception developed into a full-scale exploration of the correlation between theology and management.
A major step forward was my doctoral work at Leeds University, a revised version of which was published in 1968 as Ministry and Management. That book, more than 20 years later, received the following tribute:
The work of Peter Rudge is central to this field [ecclesiastical administration] for several reasons. First, Rudge is unusual in his dual qualification as both social scientist and theologian. In addition to this, and perhaps because of it, he makes the clearest attempt of all the writers [in this field] to discuss the practicalities of organization theory under the headings of systematic theology.
The quotation is taken from an article by Clare Watkins of Cambridge University entitled “Organizing the People of God: Social-Science Theories of Organization in Ecclesiology” in The Journal of Theological Studies 1991, Volume 52, Issue D, on page 701 within the pages 690 to 711 of the article. The quotation is used by kind permission of the Oxford University Press.
There are several other references in this article to my book, including one in which my contribution is ranked alongside that of Bonhoeffer in this field.
A full list of all my writings on the subject of theology and management and how they may be accessed is provided below.
1964
Thesis at St Augustine’s College, Canterbury: A New Approach to the Study of Ecclesiastical Administration -- original on my shelves and now on CD
1966
Thesis at Leeds University: The Story of Ecclesiastical Administration -- original on my shelves and a copy in the archives at the University
1967
“What is Managerial Theology?” -- an article in two parts: in my files and in Adelaide Church Guardian (unknown date between 1967 and 1970)
1968
Ministry and Management, published by Tavistock
1971
l’Eglise a l’heure du Management, a French translation of the 1968 book, published by Mame Fayard
1972
“Styles of Administration in Churches in their Theological Presuppositions” in The Social Sciences and the Churches, edited by C.L.Mitton and published by T. & T. Clark
1972
On Managing the Church in the World, an unpublished manuscript based on lectures given at the Canterbury Ecumenical Summer School (CANTESS) in 1971; original on my shelves and now on CD
1974
“The Sociology of Conflict and Ecclesiastical Life” in The Church as an Institution, edited by Gregory Baum and Andrew Greeley and published by Concilium
1976
Outcomes of six years management consulting in churches under CORAT:
- Management in the Church, published by McGraw-Hill
- some 80 management consulting reports lodged at St Mark’s National
Theological Centre, Canberra, and subject to restricted access
1990
Order and Disorder in Organisations, published by CORAT in Australia (an explanation of the development of the 1968 book and the extension of its insights into the social sciences and further management issues)
1999
The Transfiguration of Human Knowledge, published by CORAT in Australia (the bridging such as between theology and management in the 1968 book now established between theology and all major areas of scholarship)
2003
“Setting the Agenda for Leadership” in Creative Church Leadership, edited by John Nelson and published by Canterbury Press
2004
"The Making of Deacons ... into Managers", an essay on CD in my files
2004
Administrator Archbishops, an extract from the 1966 Leeds thesis about Archbishops of Canterbury. On CD in my files
2006
Reviewing the Times for the Canberra Times, now published. It incorporates 80 reviews written between 1967 and 1982 on a wide range of topics, together with current commentary and autobiographical notes; it includes one section on management. See "The Canberra Times" page for information about the subject matter of the reviews.
All my published works except the French translation of the 1968 book are in the archives of the National Library in Canberra; and in my will I have arranged for the books and documents on my shelves to be deposited at St Mark’s National Theological Centre in Canberra.
