Working for Better: A Webinar

“While others are fighting or ignoring or separating, we can be people who truly engage because we understand what it means to be created in the image of God.”

How can we explore the connection between faith and work more deeply in our lives? Listen in on professors Denise Daniels and Elaine Howard Ecklund as they share their work in an online webinar.

What does it mean to explore the connection between faith and work more deeply in our lives? In this episode, we hear from sociology professor Elaine Howard Ecklund and management professor Denise Daniels as they share some of the research they describe in their new book Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work. This conversation took place in a webinar hosted by several organizations including InterVarsity’s Women Scholars and Professionals, InterVarsity’s MBA Ministry, VOCA Center, and Faith & Work Movement. Our director, Karen Guzmán, hosts the “fireside chat” portion of the presentation, and then we wrap up with a bit of Q&A. You’ll enjoy this rich discussion even if you weren’t able to attend the webinar. In addition, we’re pleased to let you know that InterVarsity Press is offering a discount on Working for Better for listeners of this podcast. Just use the code IVPWSAP25 for 25% off and free shipping when you purchase the book at ivpress.com. You can find a link to the book and the discount code in the show notes. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from the conversation where the authors dig deeply into an insightful graph from their book, which you’ll also be able to see in our show notes.

So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.

— Ann Boyd

Elaine Howard Ecklund is the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, professor of sociology, and director of the Boniuk Institute at Rice University. She is best known for her sociological work on the intersection of science and religion and has also published research on religious discrimination, religion and immigration, religion and race, and religion in the workplace. She is the author of numerous books and research articles, including Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think.

Denise Daniels is Hudson T. Harrison Professor of Entrepreneurship at Wheaton College. She is a management scholar with deep theological engagement in her teaching, publications, and consulting work, which focuses on leadership development and vocation in the marketplace. She co-authored the book Working in the Presence of God: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Work.

You can listen on iTunes or at The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

If you'd like to support the work of InterVarsity's Women Scholars and Professionals, including future podcasts such as this episode, you can do so at givetoiv.org/wsap. Thank you for listening!

Further resources for this interview:

• Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels

• Elaine’s website

• Denise’s page at Wheaton College

• InterVarsity’s MBA Ministry

• VOCA Center

• Faith & Work Movement

• The image below is referred to in the final section of the podcast:

Taken from Working for Better by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels. Copyright (c) 2025 by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels Barwell. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA. www.ivpress.com