ARI Working Paper Series

In recent decades, there have been many research-based frameworks emphasizing sociological, psychological, behavioural and other theories of leadership.  However, there has been relatively little research on leadership and succession in religious organisations.  Similarly, while historians have written about the struggle for power within Christianity and Islam, much less is known about the Chinese religion and temple management.  The research questions of this paper are concerned with leadership and succession; namely, the nature of the religious leadership such as appointment, tenure, and demise and the relationship between administrative procedures and religious practice.  The paper concludes with a reflection on the varied nature of Chinese religious leadership and the challenges it faces in a globalized world.