Bridging Worlds

Overview

This paper explores the intersection of religion and entrepreneurship, framing it as a form of meaningful heterodoxy. Rather than treating religious entrepreneurship as a niche category, the paper argues that the combination of sacred and commercial logics represents a productive source of theoretical insight for entrepreneurship research broadly.

Contribution to the Research Program

This work connects to the lab's broader philosophical interests — particularly the Daodejing and Qoheleth projects — by taking seriously the role of meaning, purpose, and non-economic motivation in entrepreneurial action. It demonstrates that the lab's intellectual scope extends beyond AI and computation to encompass fundamental questions about what drives human venturing.

Key Insights

• The intersection of religion and entrepreneurship is theoretically generative, not merely descriptive
• Heterodox combinations of logics (sacred and commercial) can produce novel forms of value creation
• Religious entrepreneurship challenges core assumptions about rationality and self-interest in entrepreneurship theory