Clarifying the Concept of Spiritual Capital

The notion of "spiritual capital" has been the subject of growing interest in recent years; however, the concept remains poorly defined. Based on a review of the academic literature and on interviews and focus groups conducted with leaders and volunteers of over fifteen NGOs and community groups in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, this paper proposes a preliminary conceptual framework for understanding, generating and applying spiritual capital. We discuss the problematic aspects of the concept and its potential for offering a critical, engaged perspective on the social relations of capital and identifying the means for transforming them through the application of spiritual motivations and values. We define spiritual capital as "the individual and collective capacities generated through qffirming and nurturing the intrinsic spiritual !Jalue rif every human being". In contrast to some other definitions and theorizations of spiritual capital, this conceptual framework stresses (1) that spiritual capital is an autonomous form of value which is not merely a subset of social, cultural or religious capital; (2) that spiritual capital is based on the afflrmation of intrinsic value and, as such, offers a critical perspective on instrumental concepts of capital and its conversion; (3) that spiritual capital generates and transforms social and material relations. Spiritual capital is generated through the afflrmation and nurturing of the intrinsic, infinite spiritual value of each human being. When this afflrmation and nurturing are built into the organizational culture of a third sector organization, it enhances individual and group capacity to pursue intrinsic goals and serve the common good.