SERVANT LEADERSHIP THROUGH A RELIGIOUS LENS: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF ISLAMIC, CHRISTIAN, JEWISH, AND BUDDHIST TEACHINGS

Abstract

Servant leadership is commonly presented in contemporary leadership literature as a modern ethical and people-centered leadership approach. However, its deeper philosophical and moral foundations remain underexplored. This review article critically examines servant leadership through a comparative religious lens, drawing on the teachings and ethical traditions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism. Using a qualitative, systematic review of theological texts and peer-reviewed scholarly literature, the study synthesizes how service-oriented leadership principles are embedded across these religious traditions despite their doctrinal differences. The analysis reveals a strong convergence around core leadership values, including humility, compassion, justice, moral accountability, and stewardship, which closely align with the foundational dimensions of servant leadership articulated by Greenleaf. Christianity emphasizes self-sacrificial service and humility through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ; Islam conceptualizes leadership as a divinely entrusted responsibility grounded in justice, compassion, and stewardship (khilāfah); Judaism frames leadership as ethical accountability and social repair (tikkun olam); and Buddhism advances leadership as compassionate action aimed at alleviating suffering through mindfulness and interdependence. The findings demonstrate that servant leadership is not merely a contemporary managerial construct but a historically rooted, ethically grounded leadership model with cross-cultural and cross-religious legitimacy. By integrating religious ethical frameworks into servant leadership theory, this study extends its conceptual foundations and underscores its relevance for ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible leadership in modern organizational contexts.