Original Research
Hearing God’s call one more time: Retrieving calling in theology of work
Submitted: 22 January 2024 | Published: 08 April 2024
About the author(s)
David Kristanto, Department of Theology, Harvest International Theological Seminary, Tangerang, IndonesiaHengki B. Tompo, Department of Church Music, Harvest International Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Frans H.M. Silalahi, Department of Theology, Harvest International Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Linda A. Ersada, Department of Theology, Harvest International Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Tony Salurante, Department of Theology, Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Moses Wibowo, Department of Theology, Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Dyulius T. Bilo, Department of Christian Education, Arastamar Evangelical Theological Seminary, Tangerang, Indonesia
Abstract
Calling is a very important concept in Christianity. In the medieval era, calling was restricted to ecclesiastical work alone, a devotion to the life of contemplation. Ordinary work or physical labour was not considered qualified to be a calling. Martin Luther was the one who taught that the ordinary work of the ordinary people was also God’s calling and equally spiritual as the ecclesiastical work. However, Miroslav Volf, a Croatian theologian, criticised Luther that his view of calling was too static and irrelevant to the modern context where people often choose to quit a job because of its negative effects and some people have to do multiple jobs in order to make ends meet. While recognising the validity of Volf’s critique, this article seeks to demonstrate that even in the modern context, calling is still a very important theological concept to reflect upon work. Luther’s vocational view of work could be retrieved in discussing the theology of work by putting it in dialogue with Calvin, Kuyper, and other theologians.
Contribution: This article seeks to show that the concept of calling is indispensable in constructing a sound theology of work for the modern context. By understanding work as calling, Christian workers are enabled to see how they are participating in God’s redemptive work through their jobs.
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goal
Metrics
Total abstract views: 634Total article views: 785