Throughout the course of
these blogs, we have learned a bit about how to manage a crisis and what it
takes to become a critical thinker. However, we have seemed to omit the role of
religion in both categories. Religion, here in this blog, is fundamentally paramount
– at first it doesn’t make sense to use fundamentally
paramount in that combination directly together - whereas one means highest
and the other lowest. However, I am here to tell you that in regards to crisis
management, religion, and critical thinking the phrase is exceptionally appropriate.
Managing a crisis can
really benefit from concepts such as religion. Psychologically crises can put a
large amount of stress on the human mind, especially if the situation is
serious. Religion provides a buffer against the effects of stressful life
events. Religion also brings out altruistic qualities in an individual which is
very helpful when you are trying to understand the public, who are on the receiving
end of a crisis. Thinking critically advises you to ignore social constructs,
claiming that preexisting notions and beliefs hinder the critical thought
process. Being able to think critically is said to be an asset skill to a
crisis manager. Because both are true, Religion, and subsequently Christianity,
is fundamentally paramount in importance. Meaning, that in order to be a crisis
manager, you must be a critical thinker, of course, but you also can
potentially be an asset if you are religious. But, how can you utilize both at
once?
One of the answers to
this can come from how you choose to approach the situation. Crisis managers
are a part of a whole. Meaning that each individual needs to approach the
crisis through different perspectives and then apply their thought processes to
the situation as a unit. When one individual can assume the religious role and
another can assume the total critical thinker role. Think of it as a form of
playing the devil’s advocate. In this way, the group produces a greater amount
of necessary synergy while determining which methodology, or combination of, they
will decide to go with in their group decision making processes. Each one of
these, then, the crisis management role, the religious, and the critical
thinker are all necessary in combination to create group synergy.
Another answer makes us understand
that we can think critical thinking and then apply our religious constructs
later on, either to see if the two align, if one can benefit from the addition
of the other, or if critical thinking alone can solve the situation. Whatever
answer you can come up with will result in the same conclusion: It is possible
to simultaneously be a critical thinker, a crisis manager, and religious. Many
believe that in order to be a critical thinker, you cannot be religious,
however, a critical thinker needs to adopt all possible perspectives in their
decision making process. What luck do you have to have one extra perspective
behind those eyes?
