Faith and Work . . . for Others

“Everyone is beginning to recognize the faith and work connection.” This is what I began to think around 2007. But what I have learned in the last decade or so about the faith and work conversation is that an increased mention of the topic does not mean widespread attention to and embrace of the efforts of those who have written books, curated conferences, created podcasts, etc. As I was once told by Bob Doll in phone conversation, it is “the tip of the iceberg.” Recently I learned something even more sobering: the embrace of some aspects of the faith and work movement may truly reveal more attention to the connection of vocation and work, but not always with the best effects. This was conveyed in a prominent observation in a recent article:

“Those who are religious or spiritual often want to connect their faith to their work through a sense of calling. But there can be unexpected downsides for those who do so. People who say they feel “called” report better work and life satisfaction, but they may also be less likely to address workplace problems or unfair treatment when it arises.”[1]

Here are some of the important statements from this recent study:

“For example, people who feel that God intended them to be in their current workplace or industry might be more disposed to stay in their current role regardless of unfair treatment or working conditions that take advantage of them, such as being underpaid or overworked. Specifically, in previous work we found that people who do feel called to their work report higher job satisfaction – even when they are experiencing discrimination – than people who do not feel called to their work.”

“Experiencing work as a calling can be a double-edged sword. Because those who feel called to their work have a high level of commitment to their jobs, they tend to be more likely to tolerate, endure or ignore work situations that are unreasonable, inequitable or even discriminatory.”

“Our research also shows that when workers see their job as a spiritual calling, it can blind them to the difficulties others experience at work. They may be less able to empathize with those who feel stuck in their job because of money concerns, are unhappy or unfulfilled in their work, or are struggling to find a job.”

They conclude:

“Based on these findings, we suggest that leaders in organizations can help cultivate a sense of calling in workers by helping them identify their particular gifts and interests and facilitate their development along these pathways. At the same time, they can and should encourage feedback that can lead to a healthier workplace for everyone.”[2]

Subsequent conversation with Denise Daniels (one co-author of the study) further revealed that the strong tendency was that those with a sense of calling connected to work mainly thought of it in terms of their personal lives. In addition, she also revealed that some who had initially said there was no sense of call to their work began to have a sense of vocation when asked about the potential impact of their work and not merely about matters of personal satisfaction.[3]

The findings of this study suggest there has been some success with making a connection between faith and work. There can be a sense of calling connected to work and greater confidence and commitment to work. Amid this there are the perhaps unexpected observations about tolerance of difficult workplaces and sometimes blindness to difficulties. There is the further observation that those with a sense of calling may lack of empathy for or awareness of those who have difficulties (including forms of discrimination) or significant dissonance with their work. These unexpected (at least for me) findings raise important questions about how Christians are learning to make the connection between faith and work. When considering the theological dimensions, these are some important questions:

• Which Christian beliefs have helped people make the connection between faith and work?
• How do Christian beliefs blend with other existing beliefs about work?
• What theological deficiencies may have led to views of faith and work that are mainly a matter of individual/personal affirmation of one’s work?
• What theological remedies are necessary for faith and work to not only validate the goodness of one’s work but also encourage realistic assessment of one’s workplace as well as awareness of problems (and potential solutions) for self and others at places of work?

An initial response to this article could be to wonder “how did the wires get crossed?” but it is more accurate to ask, “what needs to happen to make better connections between faith and work?” Beyond this lies the further question: What can be a way of describing a theological path that leads to not merely connecting faith and work but also to a lived expression of this connection that facilitates wise discernment of working conditions and the pursuit of good for others in the workplace? Here, I will consider how these questions can be answered by considering the doctrine of creation as the primary theological lens.

From the Start . . .

Perhaps the first thing to note regarding creation is that it is important to expand the emphasis on the doctrine beyond the understandable emphasis on questions of origins. While we should not set aside such questions, it is important to emphasize that the doctrine of creation is not primarily a reaction to a post-Darwinian world. The perpetual work of theology entails engagement with the questions that arise across the trajectory of history, yet in some circles it can seem as if the doctrine of creation has been captured and contained within a domain that mainly operates as a conversation about the “how” and “when” or creation. This is important but not the only conversation that ought to occur around the doctrine of creation. When we are considering matters of faith and work, the questions of the beginning of existence lead us to answers about “where” and “what” we are (we are on this planet and we are creatures made by God), but the typical discourse does not move on to consider how we are to think about the “so what” (what do we do as creatures here on this planet and why does that matter?). To begin answering these questions of faith and work, we need to begin by considering what God tells in Genesis 1:26, 28. This will take us into what is familiar: the creation or cultural mandate.

In Genesis 1:26 and 28 we read,

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

Here we read of humans created in God’s image, but there is more than merely stating a fact about a distinctive characteristic of those who are the culmination of God’s acts in creating the world. We read that they are given a purpose and task. In verse 26, prior to the creation of humans, God reveals this task to be a form of work. This work is to rule (or in some translations, “have dominion”) over everything that has been created. In verse 28, this work also includes the tasks of filling the earth with other humans (reproduction) and “subduing” the earth.

The language of “subdue” and “rule” has made some, perhaps many, a bit nervous because of the specter of domination and destruction of the earth. This perspective regards the tasks given to human from a post-fall perspective with the assumption that language of rule implies selfish, consumptive use of the earth that leaves negative consequences in its wake. How should we regard this language that places humans over the created order? One way to help us get this correct is by remembering that this task, this work given to humans, comes from God. If this work is given by God, then there is also accountability implied; this work of ruling takes place in the larger context of the rule of God over the world He has made. This work is stewardship, a large responsibility given to humans for which they are accountable to God. It is important to add here that the fear of a negative sense of rule is not the only way this text can be misread. There are some Christians who read these verses with enthusiasm and interpret the words to mean that God is giving humans a green light for “domination.” This positive engagement is potentially more dangerous than the views that respond negatively to the language of rule. The idea that domination of the creation is in view here also fails to recognize our responsibility before God (almost like a child who is so excited to get what they want that they quickly misuse and tear up a gift given to them). Language of domination contains the hazard of rule that is enthusiastic but neither benevolent nor respectful of the created order. Stewardship language helps us to regard this task as one of great importance requiring wisdom and tremendous care.

This task and purpose for humans is vast in scope. This is good reason to regard this as what some (including me) have called the first Great Commission. While “Great Commission” language is often associated with the mission of the church found in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8, those texts are not the first place where a responsibility is given by God with the entire world in view. In these Genesis texts, we see from the beginning a great task given to human beings. Humans are commissioned by God with the task of stewarding (ruling well) over the created order. It is a commission and it is a big (great) one.

What does this mean for our understanding of work? First, it is clear that there is work given to humans as part of our purpose in God’s created order. Second, the scope of the task strongly implies that there are many “jobs” to be done in executing this task, in pursuing the fulfilment of human purpose. Third, in spite of what may surmise from a surface level reading of the text, the jobs are not all reduced to the domains of agriculture and animal husbandry. One way to think about this is by considering the various types of jobs that emerge as humans populate the creation, interact with each, discern how to manage their life together, and “work with and in” the created order. Jobs emerge as people consider where to live, what to build, services to provide, ways to manage trade, etc. The world of work emerges and grows as humans continue to steward life in God’s created order.

At the end of Genesis 1, we read that God calls his work of creation “very good.” As I write this in an era where there is a culture of superlatives, it is important to clarify that “very good” does not mean “God looked upon his creation and thought it was slightly better than mediocre.” The text means that “good” is modified by “very” and indicates that it is better than good, it is excellent. God’s pronouncement is the equivalent of whatever superlative we use when we are searching for a word to convey the highest level of excellence. This pronouncement does not only refer to God’s assessment of what was made but it also includes the function and purpose of the created order, which includes humans who are put to work as stewards with great responsibility before God.

. . . And Chapter Two

We can continue to get a sense of God’s affirmation for work in Genesis 2. This chapter provides a window into the stewardship of God’s world. In verse 15 we read,

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

While Genesis 1 tells us of the creation of humans and the first Great Commission, here we read of God putting the first human in a context of work. God places him in the garden as more than a mere observer or consumer; the man is put in the garden and given the responsibility for working in it and managing it. The fact that we do not see God providing an instruction manual suggests that there is a responsibility for discovery, discernment, experimentation, imagination, and the use of abilities that God has provided within Adam as he is put to work in the garden. The man has responsibility and opportunity as the manager of the garden.

In verses 19 and 20 we read,

“Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.”

In these verses we see that while there was no instruction manual, God is active in providing the specific task for Adam to give names to birds and animals. Though not stated, there is the implication that the naming would extend beyond this to vegetation in the garden (apart from the tree God identifies as forbidden for consumption).

While this activity takes place at the very beginning in a unique setting, it conveys the truth that God wants humans to be active in their work and management of the created order. The context for work is provided and while there is some direct activity by God there is a wide berth for this great stewardship responsibility. Work is more than just doing something; the stage is set for creative activity that imaginatively works with and in the world provided by God.

At this point, the important truth for faith and work is that our life of work comes from God. God does not frown upon the idea of work itself; it is part of God’s intent for His creation.

What Happens to Work after Genesis 3?

Genesis 1 and 2 provide us with an affirmation and optimistic view of work. But the Bible continues into Genesis 3, where the story goes awry. How do we navigate Genesis 3, especially when many in our churches may see this as the introduction to futility? Indeed, some might see this chapter as a negation of what occurred in Genesis 1-2, yielding a view of work as tremendous toil, an anvil upon our heads as we make our way through life.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve yield to the temptation of the serpent, enamored of the prospect of consuming forbidden fruit that will lead to a future greater than that offered by God. Upon eating, shame arises, hiding happens, and blame shifting occurs upon facing God. God then announces a curse. Here is where a great challenge seems to have arisen for many Christians in their understanding of what occurs in creation after the fall: there is the conclusion that a creation under the curse is completely at odds with God and that we are now in a world where little good can emerge from our work. This conclusion is a result of failing to take into account what remains after the announcement of the curse. With the curse addressed to Eve there is distress that will accompany childbirth, but reproduction will continue. In the case of Adam, while it is true that his relationship to the ground has changed (work now includes painful labor) and that unwanted thorns and thistles will now appear as part of the result of labor, work itself goes on and there is fruitfulness that comes from work. The difference is that now there is great complication that becomes part of a life in God’s creation. Work now occurs in an abnormal world; the new “normal” is a world where our work will press on and against us as we put forth effort in our stewardship of God’s creation. This new heavily complicated reality is difficult but it is not futile. The goodness of work is not destroyed; it is now “good though fallen.”

A further misunderstanding that can occur is the idea that God has given up on creation after the Fall and that redemption is a rescue “from” or escape from the world. There are many Christians whose view of creation post-fall is of a “world” that includes work that only will yield results “that will all burn in the end.” Below we will see that this view misunderstands how redemption shows God’s commitment to the creation rather than hostility.

One doctrine that is important for helping us understand God’s ongoing commitment to the world post fall is what some traditions call “common grace.” Abraham Kuyper’s definition in the Stone Lectures at Princeton Seminary is helpful:

“…[Calvinism] has not only honored man for the sake of his likeness to the Divine image, but also the world as a Divine creation, and has at once placed to the front the great principle that there is a particular grace which works Salvation, and also a common grace by which God, maintaining the life of the world, relaxes the curse which rests upon it, arrests its process of corruption, and thus allows the untrammeled development of our life in which to glorify Himself as Creator. Thus, domestic life regained its independence, trade and commerce realized their strength in liberty, art and science were set free from every ecclesiastical bond and restored to their own inspirations, and man began to understand the subjection of all nature with its hidden forces and treasures to himself as a holy duty, imposed upon him by the original ordinances of Paradise: “Have dominion over them.” Henceforth the curse should no longer rest upon the world itself, but upon that which is sinful in it, and instead of monastic flight from the world the duty is now emphasized of serving God in the world, in every position in life.”[4]

Kuyper follows his definition by expressing the important truth that the first Great Commission has not been abandoned by God after the Fall. In our post-Fall but common-graced reality those who work and their work environment can be places of great flourishing and great dysfunction, and even the best workplaces will have reminders that we live in a world where all is not as it should be. This is not reason for despair but genuine realism. There is truly complication but it is equally true that the possibility for fruitful work remains.

Common grace indicates God’s ongoing commitment to the creation, and we can see in Psalm 8 language of amazement that God has given humans the stewardship opportunity that includes work. We can also see God’s ongoing commitment in Genesis 9:12-17 where God makes a covenant to sustain the created order. The large point here is that God’s ongoing commitment to the creation means that our work life continues to be important to God even after the tragedy of Genesis 3.

When we look at the results of the study above and consider the effects of the Fall, the abnormal “new normal” of post-Fall creation leads to the kinds of social dissonance that makes it typical for people to enjoy the benefits of work for themselves while ignoring or being apathetic about the difficulties faced by others. There is a further question to consider here for Christians who positively respond to faith and work teaching of some kind while also thinking of redemption as rescue from creation: does the “escape from the world” gospel contribute to an affirmation of work but also the inattention to the challenges of others (and possibly the tendency to put up with poor working conditions themselves)?

The Incarnation’s Role

As we consider creation, it is important to reflect on the significance of the incarnation. We can first observe that while it is true that our first parents are sent out of the garden, even in announcement of the curse we read the protoevangelium that tells us the Fall is not the final word. There will be a child born who will crush evil and bring victory. Eventually in salvation history we see that this child is Jesus, God incarnate. This incarnation echoes Genesis 1:31 and helps us to see that God has not abandoned his creation nor has he abandoned our work lives.

The following texts are among those that convey the clear identification of Jesus Christ with humans, the crown of creation:

Luke 1:30-31 – “But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.’”

John 1:14 –  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…”

1 John 1:1 – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.”

Jesus is born, God takes on flesh, and the eternal Son of God has been touched by the hands of others. He is a genuine human being. Humans are the pinnacle of God’s creation, and the Savior of the world completely identifies with the climax of God’s creative acts in Genesis. This truth is not merely great for securing reconciliation with God; it makes clear that in redemption God is reclaiming creation rather than providing a means of escape from a hopelessly evil world.

We also can see that the work of Christ is not only for providing forgiveness and a path to heaven in Colossians 1:15-20:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Reconciliation is mentioned, but it includes far more than peace between God and humans. We see that the work of Christ includes the purpose of the created order; Christ is involved in creation and his salvific work will bring about the shalom of creation.

It is also important to point out that Christ’s resurrection in a body that could be touched (John 20:17, 27) and we see that he eats with others (John 21:12-14). The body of the risen Christ has continuity with his body from conception to crucifixion.

The implication of this for faith and work through the lens of creation can be clear to see at this point: Redemption includes identification with creation, which implies that the purpose of work in God’s creation has not been abandoned. Rather, our work properly understood (whether it is cleaning bathrooms or providing leadership in the C-suite corner office) is honored by God and has the potential to be an expression of our stewardship of creation. This connection of creation and incarnation is far more than a basis for happiness with one’s job. It surely entails a pursuit of work that includes attention to others. One way to think of this is by connecting creation and incarnation to sanctification.

Stewardship and Sanctification.

Our path forward has to be more than confessional orthodoxy. The stewardship of creation requires a pursuit of sanctification. Sanctification is more than a matter of our internal change; it entails a stewardship of creation in the world of work that seeks the good of others. This includes the cultivation of attention to others even as we gain attention of the goodness of our work.

1 Corinthians 1:2 is a helpful text for understanding how sanctification is both a matter of who we are as well as what we should pursue in our life’s trajectory. The verse reads

“To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:”

The Corinthians are identified as people who are sanctified but also to aspire toward being holy people. They (and all Christians) are set apart to (and belong to) God because of their salvation through Christ and they also have a perpetual aspiration to increasingly reflect the truth of their holy identity in the practice of life. Given the reputation of the Corinthian church, it may be surprising that Paul begins the letter by calling them “holy ones” (or “saints”) rather than just emphasizing how far this dysfunctional church has to go to catch of whiff of genuine of holiness. Yet this helps us to see how sanctification is both a reminder of our true identity as well as the goal of our path of growth.

What does this mean for participation in work with a sense of calling in light of the concerns above? It can mean this: Christians are holy people in pursuit of practical holiness, characterized by efforts to grow in discernment about conditions for flourishing for self and others. This discernment is not only a matter of a sharper focus about the ways work can be understood through the lens of calling, but also the pursuit of a disposition of awareness about the conditions of flourishing. Holy people who understand work as calling can be people whose sense of calling does more than affirm the goodness of work. This sense of calling can include the growing recognition of what it means to inhabit the workplace as a person growing in Christlikeness; this is Christlikeness that is more than gratitude for work or patience with imperfect environments. This process of holiness moves further, cultivating a view of flourishing where one regards work as part of the terrain of common grace. This brings a stewardship-type lens on the workplace, regardless of one’s ability to be an agent of change. At the least it can help facilitate a view on the workplace where one considers the possibilities for flourishing and also has sensitivity about the ways workplaces can be places with difficult conditions. When aware of the latter, the response may at least include consideration of changing jobs or (if one has agency) advocating for a better workplace. In the case of advocacy for others, the important point here is that I am suggesting that a “sensitivity to sanctification” could be one part of the way Christians with a sense of calling might become those who feel drawn to the workplace but also consider how the workplace can be good for others as well. In sum, holy people in pursuit of greater personal holiness can understand work as calling, a calling to work as vocation and a calling to seek flourishing for self and others.

Conclusion

What is the theological remedy when work as a calling seems limited to affirmation of one’s job? I have proposed we can help provide a way toward a deeper faith and work connection by a more robust doctrine of creation, supplemented by recognition of and response to the incarnation along with a pursuit of sanctification where what we “work out” is not only our personal passion in the workplace but also the pursuit of possibilities of better experiences of work for others.

[1] Elaine Howard Ecklund, Brenton Kalinowski and Denise Daniels, “thinking about work as a calling can be meaningful, but there can be unexpected downsides as well,” The Conversaion, January 24, 2024. https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-work-as-a-calling-can-be-meaningful-but-there-can-be-unexpected-downsides-as-well-216970

[2] The Conversaion, January 24, 2024. https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-work-as-a-calling-can-be-meaningful-but-there-can-be-unexpected-downsides-as-well-216970

[3] Personal conversation with Dr. Denise Daniels, March 11, 2024.

[4] Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1931), 30.