As I’ve been reading more and more about vocation and calling, I have struggled with applying the “big ideas” of Genesis 1 and 2 to my job and to the jobs of those in similar industries (e.g., the food industry). I’m thankful for this article. I hope CT continues to bring into the fold points of view from all walks of life.
Matt Welborn Oklahoma City, OK
Brilliant article on faith and work from @CTmagazine. Make sure you get to the end where it gives constructive suggestions to you no
matter what your circumstances.
@PhilipJBenjamin
Very glad to see @JeffHaanen’s cover story in @CTmagazine on working people, but hoping there will be a follow-up that more directly addresses urgent issues of worker justice. Evangelicals helped to found the labor movement and should stand in strong support of it today.
The decision of Roe v. Wade in 1973 did not open the doors to abortion but merely eliminated the illegality of the procedure. Abortion had been around long before the decision was handed down and will continue after the expected demise of the ruling. The role of the church should not be to support once again the criminality of the act but to create an atmosphere of grace and redemption for those faced with such a burden or decision. It falls upon the church to provide realistic options available to all who are faced with unwanted pregnancies, including emotional and financial support, forgiveness, and hope, not threats of incarceration. Allowing our responsibility as Christians to be governed by our Constitution is both lazy and unscriptural. To hide behind legislation will not further the work of the kingdom but cause greater animosity and division.
Steven Eldridge Cupertino, CA
Roe isn’t the issue; morality is. Christians today live in a secular society and cannot depend on the norms of that society to conform to God’s intended order. Instead of making moral arguments against Roe, we need to spend time and effort teaching the value of life in the kingdom of God.
Refreshing, biblically expounded, and informative. I have struggled with dualism in the evangelical church where I worship. But this article puts my environmental action into the context of God’s plan, better than I’ve heard from proponents of “eco-churches.”
David Neate Ballarat, Australia
When I return to the farm that has been in our family for generations, the trees are what I am drawn to. The old trees have seen so much of our family’s history, and we grieve when one finally falls. It took Matthew Sleeth’s words to help me realize how much space trees take up in Scripture. It also took a while to read the article as I had to go back and forth between it and the Bible sitting next to me. I was blessed by the article and realized just how much I depend on trees to settle and calm me.
I too have pondered the alleged negative connotations of being a Jesus follower who is a “tree-hugger.” Thank you for exploring trees in Scripture and giving us permission to embrace both our Creator and the splendor of this aspect of creation. The photos and artwork accompanying Sleeth’s thoughtful treatise effectively underscored his words. Thank you for once again prodding us to think outside the box.
I think that @D_L_Mayfield’s unique sense of vocation/calling toward her neighbors makes her an ideal person to write about Fred Rogers’s life and work. This is a great piece.
@shaunmjex
“The Dangerous Mr. Rogers” was a rather alarming title for the review of the new book on Fred Rogers, but I’m glad that it wasn’t an attempt to besmirch his character or reveal some dirt in his past. With the present political/cultural climate today we need a lot more Mr. Rogers! Thank you for the review.
Jonathan Tjarks’s article rang true because he integrated biblical truth with science, history, human nature, and his own personal journey. I’ve seen his sports coverage here in Dallas but am touched by his honesty and heart to share his story in a different venue.
Stephen Chock Dallas, TX
Awesome testimony, man. Love the line about how our knowledge of science progresses; I think that’s a wise perspective that few evangelicals seem willing to embrace. Keep up the faith and the great basketball work!
@squalltimore
#WorkingClassGospel
Excerpts from a Christianity Today Twitter chat about the need for a theology of work that is inclusive of the working class.
CT: Growing up, what did your parents and society teach you about the value (or lack thereof) of working-class jobs?
My parents and my working-class neighborhood taught me the importance of core values, gratitude, and what it means to live in “community.” The sense of hard work and “togetherness” are so deeply embedded in the working class.
Article continues below
@KimberlyCredit
CT: Did the church’s message about the working class reinforce or challenge what you heard from family and society?
The church was comprised of working-class people. So the gospel spoke to loving your family, living well, be good stewards, and handling the troubles of the times and seeing the working hand of God.
@Jhoodmartin
CT: What types of blind spots do churches often have when engaging people in the working class?
There is a tendency in our national discourse when we hear the term “working class” to have our minds automatically go only to the white working class. In having this discussion, we should remember how heavily non-white the US working class is, nowhere more so than in the church.
@evanbear20
In the context of theological education, working-class voices are often missing from the texts and perspectives assigned. The intersection of race, gender, and class is often erased.
@pshepp0593
CT: Beyond preaching and teaching, how can the church best support the working class practically?
Put working class folks in positions of authority. From what I’ve seen, college-educated business folks have a monopoly on committees and leadership groups.
@JacobGarrett
CT: What types of blind spots do professionals often have when engaging people in the working class?
There’s a lack of empathy when the working class are told that they can “get out” like others before them with “hard work.” The working class are some of THE hardest workers I know.
@rsession
CT: What does a robust theology of faith and work look like?
A robust theology highlights the fundamental goodness of all kinds of work as an expression of service to God and others.
@vbacote
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