To mark the occasion of Martin Luther King Day, we are reposting this article from our archives. It was originally part one of two; read part two here. The post originally ran on Feb. 6, 2018. “The American ideal of racial progress is measured by how fast I become white.” James Baldwin As a white person I’ve never been very cognizant…
A few weeks ago I wrote about being a white guy in the faith and work movement, which is also predominantly white. After reviewing the many layers of white leaders, participants, authors, directors, and founders in the movement, I suggested that the faith and work message is in dire need of some more input. Because our movement is demographically narrow,…
“The American ideal of racial progress is measured by how fast I become white.” James Baldwin As a white person I’ve never been very cognizant of my complexion—I’ve always just blended in; in my white family, my white neighborhoods, my white college, my white workplaces, and my white churches. It’s never been a matter of reflection because it’s all seemed…
The Oikonomia Network hosted their second annual Karam Forum last weekend in Los Angeles. The forum is an opportunity for theological educators at seminaries throughout the U.S. and beyond (there were also a few folks from Australia in attendance) to learn and reflect on themes of faith, work and economics – and really, at a big picture level, about God’s…
It may be possible for each manager to think too much of his own potential glory hereafter; it is hardly possible for him to think too often or too deeply about that of his employee. The load, or weight, or burden of my employee’s glory should be laid daily on my back. (paraphrase of an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’…
Managers are like small gods—they have the power to create or destroy worlds. —– I propose that the Christian faith and work community needs a theology of management to go with its theology of work. One of my dear friends has been nearly oppressed at work for several years. One day he was visibly frustrated by some workplace circumstance, and…
For all of the national conversations about a universal income, unemployment rates, the threat of automation, politicians’ promises for more jobs, etc., the daily experiences of individuals and their jobs can get lost. That’s one reason why Studs Terkel’s 40+ year-old interviews with American workers still resonate today. Terkel published his iconic book in 1974. It was called Working: People Talk…
Young millennials want to keep their options open. They might avoid decisions as a result or feel relief when someone else makes a decision for them—then they don’t have to carry the responsibility for the risk of discovering later that the decision was the wrong one. This relates closely to the “fear of missing out” often described when talking about…
The Green Room 