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A new pope wears the ring of the fisherman, Conclave was among the best film nominees at the 2025 Oscars, and church attendance among young men in the UK is up - Roman Catholicism is back in the zeitgeist for the first time since the reformation.

Scrum is one of the most widely adopted agile frameworks in the world. But long before sprint planning or burndown charts, another global organisation had already mastered the art of ritual, servant leadership, and continuous improvement: the Catholic Church. With over 1.3 billion adherents and a 2,000-year history, the Church offers unexpected lessons for agile practitioners.

This post explores the structural and cultural parallels between the Catholic Church and Scrum; and what Scrum might learn from centuries of theological agility.

Rituals create rhythm and identity

The Catholic Church is well known for ritual - the bells and smells that permeate the church were a cause for Martin Luther to nail his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Scrum is equally well known as a structured Agile framework that places great importance on Sprint Ceremonies (planning, stand-ups, reviews, retrospectives). These ceremonies aren’t just process - they’re cadence creators as they give teams rhythm, reflection, and reset points.

The act of participating in ritual, religious or otherwise, creates a rhythm in the practice by providing structure, as well as fostering an identity with others by creating a community around a shared vision.

Ritual isn’t boring when done well, it’s deeply human - it’s what connects us to each other, and to a higher purpose. Agile ceremonies should inspire presence and intentionality. A well-run retrospective can function like a modern confession: a safe space to reflect, admit mistakes, and reorient toward the good.

Servant leadership is divine

The original servant leader was the servant king himself, Jesus. Even though the Church is hierarchical in structure, all Popes (since Gregory I) are referred to, in the Latin, as Servus Servorum Dei - the servant of the servants of God. Priests are meant to serve their communities, not command them - bringing them closer to their purpose and guiding them in being better versions of themselves. Much in the same way that the Scrum Master is a servant leader of a scrum team - supporting the team and fostering growth.

Scrum Masters can borrow not just the posture, but the theological depth of servant leadership. It’s not soft management; it’s radical humility in pursuit of collective flourishing.

Uncertainty is the foundation of progress

Uncertainty is an inherent part of life. From the smallest decisions of our daily routines to the most significant life changing decisions, we are constantly navigating a sea of possibilities and unknowns. This uncertainty can be a source of anxiety but it can also be a catalyst for growth and transformation.

Faith, in its essence, is a response to uncertainty. It is the belief in something greater than ourselves. Faith is a gift, a grace that allows us to see beyond the visible and to trust the invisible. Faith does not eliminate uncertainty; rather, it transforms it into an opportunity for deeper connection and understanding.

Scrum, in its essence, is another response to uncertainty. Scrum operates in an iterative process, this process acknowledges uncertainty exists as a natural part of a project and doesn’t seek to eliminate it. Scrum embraces uncertainty, allowing teams to adapt and respond to changes as they arise.

Final thoughts

There are doubtless many more parallels we can draw between Catholicism (other religions and traditions do exist) and Scrum, but I think that I would be labouring a point.

The church’s greatest lesson for Scrum is this: process is a path to something greater than us. For the Church, it’s communion with the divine. For scrum teams, it’s delivering meaningful value to the world. Both require rhythm, humility, shared values, and a little faith - especially when the sprint is hard.