Free Essay: Reformational View of Vocation

The word vocation may take a different meaning depending on the view of the various philosophers. However, based on the reformation view, Luther describes vocation as a specific call where people are bound to show love to their neighbors. We show love to our neighbors through various ways including responding to their need and more importantly it is achieved by fulfilling the duties and responsibilities in our daily activities (work). The Reformation view of vocation, therefore, influences how people perceive their work. It is worth noting that this view majorly links our daily work or vocations to the biblical scriptures. Therefore, the paper focuses on exploring the meaning of vocation as defined by the reformation worldview.

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Today, the reformation view creates a great impact on how Christians view work and in turn influences the people's view of vocation. Based on the course readings, it is evident that Martin Luther and John Calvin played significant roles in the Reformation view that influences how Christians view work today. Before the introduction of the reformation word view, the medieval church's view of work influenced the Christians' perception of vocation and work. According to the medieval church's view, Christians believed that work has a minimal value about God's Scriptures. It is turn led to the emergence of monastic spirituality that rendered vocation as the calling to the world of isolation away from worldly activities. It is through this belief that led to the rise of priesthood and celibacy. In this case, the medieval church's view considered the daily human activity and occupations in life including marriage as a burden to spirituality.

Martin Luther's Reformation View of Vocation

Through Marin Luther's efforts, the world began to regain the biblical view of work through the development of the Reformation perspective. According to the Reformation view, everything in life including the daily occupations that people encounter in life are considered as a calling from God. Unlike the medieval church view that strongly supports priesthood and celibacy, the reformation view advises against priesthood. This is because people think that linking their lives to religious order and practices is a measure of their faith to God. However, this is not the case since the Reformation view connotes that all the daily activities including the household chores are a calling from God and only personal faith can be used to measure a person's faith but not their vocation.

Based on Luther's definition of vocation, we show love to our neighbors through the domestic and civic activities including our employment duties and responsibilities. It, therefore, means that the type of work that we do is a calling from God regardless of its connection to religious aspects. Therefore, Gods calling is not only confined to religious orders such as priesthood and religious ministering but through our daily activities and normal work regardless of the task therein. Furthermore, Luther stresses that people truly serve God through the day to day associations.

John Calvin Reformation View of Vocation

In collaboration with Luther's perspective, years later John Calvin developed a more dynamic view that encouraged a greater influence on how people view the word vocation. In the attempt to coin the Reformation view, Calvin developed a framework about public life that stressed that every believer has a particular vocational calling to serve God in every dimension of their human existence. This created a new direction that shaped the perception and understanding of ordinary work in the contemporary world. While both scholars coin the reformational view of vocation, Luther view is more static while Calvin developed a more dynamic framework. Calvin's framework encourages people to evaluate their potential and possibilities to shift from one occupation to another. Calvin stresses that people were created by God to express their purpose in the world by serving in various types of work. In this case, no other sacrifice pleases God as a situation where a person focuses on doing their best in their called occupations in such a way that contributes positively not only to their life but to other people as well. Calvin further encourages Christians to be salt of the world through their presence in the various callings and occupations in the world.

The Biblical Scripture Supporting the Reformation View of Vocation

The readings present the biblical-theological framework that helps in understating Gods mission in connection to the different vocations that people assume. The biblical narrative that focuses on elaborating about vocations takes four contour movement including creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. The creation mandate is linked to the scriptures where God created Adam and Eve and gave them the order to have dominion over the earth and all other creation in the world. Through Adam and Eve, God ordered human beings to work and cultivate the earth. It through this theological framework that the meaning of work is brought in a new horizon. In this case, it means that through our vocations, we serve the order given by God, who is our King and therefore our daily work is a calling from God.

Fall relates to the situation where Adam and Even failed to conform to the orders given by God. This aspect is present in our daily lives showing that through our vocations we can declare ourselves as God's enemies. Sins run the world, and they damage our calling by God. For example, at work, people tend to focus more on material gain and recognition instead of concentrating on showing love to our neighbors as God requires from our calling.

Redemption refers to the movement that God shows in his master plan to redeem the fallen sinners. God uses Jesus Christ to demonstrate the value and integrity of work as part of human calling. It is manifested through Jesus's life where he is born from Joseph, a carpenter. Through the scriptures, it is also clear that Jesus learned about carpentry to emphasize the connection between God and our normal occupations. Finally, restoration shows that Gods love for his people does not end in redemption. Through the scriptures, God promises a new world to his people. Therefore, through our vocations, we should show love to our neighbors as God loves us so that we may be ushered to restoration in the future life that God has promised.

Conclusion

From the discussion above, it is evident that the reformational view of vacation has created a new direction in the meaning of our daily work as opposed to the medieval church's view. Through the effort of Luther and Calvin, Christians can understand that work is sacred and is considered as a calling from God. It is also important to understand that no particular vocation is more religious under the Reformation view, but we serve God equally through our daily activities.