By David Gill, reprinted from our archives; originally published by Workplace 313.
J. Daryl Charles is an affiliate sholar of the John Jay Institute and the author of twenty books, including the superb Wisdom and Work: Theological Reflections on Human Labor from Ecclesiastes (2021). In Our Secular Vocation, Charles draws again on Ecclesiastes but ranges far wider in scripture and history to provide one of the best and deepest theologies of work available. It almost stands alone for this depth and breadth.
The first three chapters of Our Secular Vocation explore the biblical and theological blind spots of the church when it comes to work, the mission of the church in the world, “faith and works,” stewardship, and the doctrine of vocation. He rebuilds a solid foundation in scripture from Creation onward. He takes Jacques Ellul, Stanley Hauerwas, and the Anabaptist tradition to task for mis-direction on these topics, along with other- and inner-worldly pietism and asceticism, and end-times escapism. He makes good points though I need to point out that Ellul, Hauerwas, Anabaptists, and Pentecostals are all well-represented in today’s robust renewals of faith at work. But that is a subject for another time!
It is to Martin Luther (chapter 4) that Charles calls primary attention. Despite Luther’s popular reputation in some quarters, he did not counsel “quietism” in worldly affairs such as work and politics, but rather a robust rediscovery of our secular vocations in God’s ministries of baking, building, and all other lines of work. Charles’s expertise in Luther is by itself worth the price of the book. In chapter 5 Charles reviews the amazing message of Ecclesiastes on work. It is not all “vanity” and emptiness, but deeply meaningful service of God. Charles closes with chapters on vocation/calling and guidance/discernment.
This brief review cannot do adequate justice to the richness of Charles’s book. Every pastor, faith at work leader, seminary professor, and thoughtful workplace disciple should read this book.
The Green Room 