History as a Source of Rhetorical Strategics in a Change Process: Case of Buddhist Temple

Abstract

Contemporary Buddhist temples face a significant strategic dilemma. They must change to secure financial resources, yet the changes inevitably involve modifying their sacred traditions. This study investigates how a Master Monk—an organizational leader of the temple—addresses this dilemma. To deeply immerse myself into the context, I engaged in four months of fieldwork in a Korean temple where the dilemma was salient. In the data analysis, my focus moved from the changes to a set of historical narratives the Master Monk used to facilitate the changes. A systematic analysis of the narratives shows that the leader interpreted history in his own ways and strategically narrated it to reduce internal resistance to change. The findings join conversations about the role of history in a change context.