One of the categories on the book challenge I’ve been doing this year (Read With Me) is Christian Essay. Since the theme for this month is vocation, I decided to read an online essay I came across about the doctrine of vocation, written by Gene Edward Veith. Dr. Veith, an author, scholar, and Professor of Literature Emeritus at Patrick Henry College is well-known for his work on this topic. The essay is part of the Concise Theology Series.
If you’re unfamiliar with the doctrine, Dr. Veith’s essay is an excellent place to start. He supplies a definition, and an explanation of how the reformers viewed vocation in contrast to the Catholic understanding. He goes on to list the three areas in which our vocation is lived out — in the household, the church and the state. The purpose of every vocation is to love and serve our neighbors as ourselves. He concludes by discussing Luther’s concept of vocation as a “mask of God.” Although we see only human faces performing ordinary tasks that bless us — in reality, God is hidden in each one, working through them to provide for our needs.
At the end of the essay, you will find a long list of the Biblical foundations, works of the Reformers, and more modern authors on the topic of vocation.
If you would like to read the essay for yourself, it can be accessed at:
The Doctrine of Vocation
For more about vocation see:
Lutheran Ladies Connection 
You must be logged in to post a comment.