It Might Have Been

“It Might Have Been”

            John Greenleaf Whittier writes: “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’.” Why are these words the saddest words? It is because the reader has only one life to live. It is best to live life with no regrets. Life is full of hard choices. Maybe, the reader didn’t have the opportunities to achieve his dreams. When one looks back at his life, he wants to be able to say that he accomplished what he came to the earth for. It would be sad to say at the end of one’s life that he could have had a better life, but he didn’t do what was necessary to accomplish this goal. What are some of the reasons people might not have achieved their goals? Maybe, unseen circumstances blocked it. If this was caused by circumstances beyond their control, are they really responsible for not achieving their goals. Other possible reasons might be a lack of financial backing, laziness, or other priorities.

            This is a topic that John has struggled with for a long time. When he was finishing up his master’s degree in history he thought about going on to earn a doctorate in history. Another decision was should he get married? He thought he couldn’t do both things at the time. John decided to get married and look for a job teaching school. He was offered a librarian job at a private school in Louisiana. He had originally applied for an opening for a fourth grade teacher. However, the principal called him on the phone and asked him if he would be willing to work in the library instead. The reason for this was that the librarian wanted to move back into the classroom. John told the principal that he would be happy to run the library for the school.

            The interesting thing about being offered the librarian position was that he had thought about going to school to become a librarian for several years. He had worked part-time as a student worker in the library while attending the university. The private school was also willing to help pay for his tuition. John has now been working in libraries for nineteen years. However, it has remained in his heart to pursue a doctorate in some discipline. Every few years John has a desire to take this idea from the shelf and look at it again. It is hard to understand why this desire has stayed with him all these years. Did God put it there?

            While John was pursuing undergraduate studies in history, he sensed God was calling him to be a Christian scholar. He didn’t hear any voices, but he was convinced that this is what God wanted him to do with his life. This conviction has never left John. After working in Public, School, and Academic libraries, John is convinced that his calling is to work in an academic library. Working in the academy allows him to pursue the calling of a Christian scholar. The good thing about being a librarian is that the requirement is a master’s degree in library science. So even though John does not have a doctorate, he can live out his calling at the college or university level.

            Some of the ways he tries to pursue this calling is through scholarly activities. Several years ago John began to publish book reviews for library journals. A few years ago he began to present papers at academic conferences. In addition, John has published some articles in academic journals. Last summer he started to write a blog to further his scholarly activities.

            John has been teaching history courses at the Baptist College of Florida for several years. He has taught survey courses in American History and Western Civilization. Over three years ago, he started teaching the survey courses of Western Civilization online. Recently, John has been assigned to teach most of the history courses in the history major online.

            A few years ago John presented a paper at the University of Mobile. At the conference were some professors of Faulkner University at Montgomery. John happened to sit together at meals with these professors and become familiar with them. He was interested to learn that Faulkner had a master’s degree in the Great Books and was trying to create a doctoral program in the Great Books. He was excited about this idea because of his love for the Great Books. John was a participant in a Great Books group for over five years. He still has an interest in the doctorate and so it seemed a good combination. He was quite excited about the prospect of this opportunity. It seemed like the perfect time. Maybe, it was time for John to pursue the doctorate. He knew that certain obstacles would be in the way. One of these was funds. How would he finance this new degree? He had already paid off all his student loans. Did John want to create new debts? What would the school think about his pursuing a doctorate? Probably, the biggest obstacle would be his family. What would his wife and kids think about this idea?

            It didn’t take long to find out the answers to these questions. John got the school’s approval to help finance it. John’s wife and kids did not like the idea, but they were willing to let him try it for one semester. So John registered for the class and was on his way. It was an excellent first course. He enjoyed it very much and did very well. The next semester would be the summer term. John tried to get the school to pay for it, but it was rejected. So he decided he would just start back the next semester. Next semester came around and it was denied. John was told that since the school was not requiring him to earn this degree that the school would not pay for it. He was told that he should forget the idea and save the money for his family. He found out about a scholarship with the Southern Baptist foundation, but it would only pay for half the degree. John’s wife was against the idea of him continuing in the program. Since they have special needs kids and their needs will grow as they get older, she thought John needed to drop the idea until the kids were grown.

            Another obstacle is his age. He is now fifty. It would take between 5-10 years to complete the program. John will be close to retirement by that time. Is it really worth the investment of time and money that he will need to spend on doing the task? John read in a book about a professor who spent all his time at school and pursuing scholarly activity and neglecting his family. Should John’s family pay the price for his secret dream? Of course, John could continue pursuing learning on his own and participating in scholarly activities. John decided to drop the pursuit for the time being. Did he do the right thing? Will John later regret it?

            John has received many benefits from his association with faculty at Faulkner University. First, he was asked to present a paper at their annual Faith and Learning conference. He has now presented papers at this annual conference three years in a row. Second, while taking a course with Dr. Robert Woods, he began a relationship that continues to this day. Third, through Dr. Wood’s encouragement, John began a blog. Fourth, he began a discipline of getting up at 5 a. m. to study while taking a course at Faulkner which he continues to follow. John’s association with Faulkner University and some of its professors has been a blessed one.

            This essay began with a quote from John Greenleaf Whittier: “For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’.” This writer does not know the circumstances of Whittier when he wrote this line. Was he disappointed with his life? Did he know of others who were disappointed with their life? It is true that life should be lived with no regrets. Sometimes, obstacles stand in the way of achieving life-long goals. Certain priorities might not allow for a person to fulfill his or her dream. For example, John has chosen not to pursue the Ph.D because it will hurt his relationship with his wife. He believes his relationship to his wife and children are more important than earning a doctorate at this time. Is he missing out on life? Definitely not! He has the opportunity to teach and work at the library in the college environment. He has opportunities to publish and present papers at conferences. John picked a dissertation topic while enrolled at Faulkner. The topic was Walker Percy. John continues to do research on Percy and present papers on Percy at academic conferences. Though John does not feel at peace to pursue the doctorate at this time, he does feel an inner peace to pursue his studies on Walker Percy. John does not moan a might have been. He, however, rejoices in the many opportunities God has given him to pursue his life-long mission—to be a Christian scholar.

           

Leading Lives that Matter

Leading Lives that Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be edited by Mark R. Schwehn and Dorothy C. Bass. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2006. ISBN: 9780802829313.

Leading Lives that Matter is an excellent anthology of readings on living lives of significance. It is a companion piece to William Placher's Callings: Twenty centuries of Christian Wisdom. Placher's book discusses vocation from a theological point of view. Leading Lives that Matter discusses the topic of vocation from a more popular, secular point of view. What the authors mean by secular view is that the readings are drawn more widely than just theological perspectives. The editors draw from a wide selection of authors and professions. Some of these authors are William James, Charles Taylor, Aristotle, Lee Hardy, Homer, Dorothy L. Sayers, Robert Frost, Wendell Berry, John Milton, Amy Tan, Willa Cather, John Steinbeck and others. The authors state, "This anthology is designed for people . . . who want to live lives that matter" (1).

In addition, the authors note, "This anthology seeks to make easily available to readers of all kinds some of the best thinking and writing that human beings have done over the centuries about the very questions that most trouble human beings when they wonder about how to live lives of substance and significance" (7). The authors believe that the reading of this book is like joining the great conversation that reaches back to the Bible and ancient times. It is to enter a conversation about the most important things of life. For example, how can one live a good life, a life full of meaning and purpose.

Leading Lives that Matter are organized around seven key questions:

1. "Are some lives more significant than others?"
2. "Must my job be the primary source of my identity?"
3. Is a balanced life possible and preferable to a life focused primarily on work?"
4. "Should I follow my talents as I decide what to do to earn a living?"
5. "To whom should I listen?"
6. "Can I control what I shall do and become?'
7. "How shall I tell the story of my life?"

Leading Lives that Matter asks important questions. For example, "Should I follow my talents as I decide what to do to earn a living?" It includes some of the greatest thinkers reflecting on that most important topic of how to live our life. The topics addressed in this anthology are topics that should occupy the thoughts of everyone. The reader will be richly rewarded in taking the time to read this book. It includes not only important topics but excellent writings from some of the greatest writers of Western Civilization.

Christian Librarianship Part 3

Donald G. Davis, Jr., and John Mark Tucker presents a theology of work in their essay, "The Master We Serve: The Call of the Christian Librarian to the Secular Workplace." The authors think that Christian Librarians have a calling and can serve God in the library. In addition, Davis and Tucker believe God ordained work since God put Adam to work before the Fall. They disagree with "the notion that work may be categorized into sacred or secular activities" (42). The authors believe we work for the Lord in our work. Colossians teaches that we must "put our whole heart" into our work (Col. 3:24). The authors believe we can be witnesses in our work. We can do this through mentoring, counseling, affirming, and interacting.

Davis and Tucker how different librarian tasks can show concern for others. The reference interview can help to meet a researcher's need. Catalogers can think of the searcher as they make subject headings. Collection development librarians "can acquire materials that portray a biblical perspective on a variety of topics and thus maintain a balance of worldviews in the marketplace of ideas and ideologies" (45). These librarians can make sure the collection is balanced providing information for all legitimate sides on an issue.

In chapter four of Christian Librarianship John B. Trotti discusses "The Theological Library: In Touch with the Witnesses." Trotti believes theological librarianship is a ministry.  He states, "I conceive of my work and that of my staff as a ministry as well as an aid in multiple future ministries" (49). In addition, the author writes that librarians help researchers connect with the witnesses of the past. Trotti notes, "We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses--past and present--speaking, dialoguing, sharing with those who would be witnesses today"(49). Some emphasize the the library as a warehouse of knowledge. The author sees the library as more personal. Instead, he sees the library as a ministry. It is more focused on the people. "Its collections are broad and deep; its policies serve people; and its staff are partners in the learning process" (48). In addition, Trotti thinks "service must continue to be the library's number one priority" (52).

In chapter five Stanford Terhune analyzes "The Impact of the Christian Faith on Library Service." He thinks it is "the purpose of the Christian librarian to help order and structure . . . truth and assist faculty and students as they struggle to discover and organize that truth into a Christian worldview" (58). He believes it is the Christian College's job "to educate its students, to equip them so that they can effectively function in the world in Chris's service" (58). The Christian library can support this goal through providing resources and services to the student. It can make the student "aware of the heritage of Christian thought, the Christian history within which the thought was developed, the current state of Christian thought and action in various fields of human activity, and the thought patterns of his culture" (59-60).

The Christian library is instrumental in providing the resources needed by the researcher. Terhune looks at five different areas of the collection: reference: The Reference Collection, The Christian Classics, Church History, The General Collection and Specialized Collections.

The library provide not only resources. In addition, they provide services. Terhune states, "Educating students and helping them use the library is a critical service if they are to realize the full value of the library's resources and use them to educate themselves, to seek God's truth, and comprehend how they can work for God's purposes in society" (62). The librarians are teachers and the library is a teaching library. The author thinks librarians need to focused on the needs of the users of the library. The librarians provide services through reference work. In this task they help meet the student's research needs. This requires that librarians "get intimately involved with students" (63). The librarian wants to be approachable and make the student feel at ease. Often they need to help the student to better frame their research question. The author states, "he should show love toward the student by listening carefully to what the student wants, asking questions to help the student define her topic and decide what kinds of resources she really needs." Often the student do not know what he is looking for or what is available in the library. The librarian should work with the student "as a partner in the search for knowledge rather than merely pointing in the direction of the resource" (63). In addition, the librarian can help the student evaluate her sources. Terhune asserts that the librarian can show the student how he "might critique the author's theories or arguments from a Christian point of view, or confirm the contribution that the author has made to knowledge" (64). The librarian can assist the student in integrating the Christian faith with his learning. The last point was teaching "christian library ethics to the student. For example, teaching the student how to properly cite sources and not to plagiarized.

Christian Librarianship Part 2

Christian Librarianship: Essays on the Integration of Faith and Profession, edited by Gregory A. Smith. McFarland, 2002.

In chapter two of this book, Smith discusses "The Cultural Mandate, the Pursuit of knowledge, and the Christian Librarian." Smith uses Genesis 1:26-28 to argue for the cultural mandate. The idea of the cultural mandate is that men and women have been given the responsibility to develop the creation. This would support cultural activities like the arts and sciences. Joseph McDonald observed, "The creation-mandate to unravel and develop what God has placed in this world implies that much is going to be discovered and that a great deal of information about things and relationships will be produced. Unrestricted and orderly access to information about creation is fundamental and utterly necessary if the creature is to move ahead in 'subduing' the creation. And library science, by comprehensively organizing, making accessible, and interpreting the 'written' human record, is pivotal in assuring this unrestricted and orderly access" (29). Smith in this chapter discusses the "implications" of the cultural mandate "for research, library science, and the Christian mind." He thinks the cultural mandate "legitimizes" the work of Christian librarians.

Smith discusses implications for four areas: "intellectual activity," "research," "Library Science," and the "Christian mind." The cultural mandate "calls us to manage creation's resources so as to bring glory to God and ultimate benefit to the human community" (30). We need knowledge of this world if we will do this effectively. This calls for studying all the branches of knowledge: the natural sciences, the social sciences, and  the humanities. Smith states, "The information thus generated must be disseminated, stored, and retrieved if cultural progress is to continue" (30). The need for these tasks requires librarians and libraries. Smith writes, "while not overtly commissioned by God, librarians accomplish his purposes to the extent that they support the research component of the cultural mandate" (30-31).

The second implication is research. Smith asserts that two "features" of research is part of the cultural mandate. The first is "that research is necessarily cumulative" (31). The second is that it is "expected to contribute to new knowledge" (31). The author notes that there is probably not any new knowledge that is completely original. Smith states, "it should offer something not directly or fully treated in any one source. It will be a new arrangement consisting of tested facts and fresh thought" (310). The "pursuit of learning" is a necessary part of the cultural mandate.

A third implication of the cultural mandate is for the field of library science. Smith discusses three major tasks of librarians: "intellectual freedom," "preservation," and "organization." Researchers need intellectual freedom to access previous knowledge. Scholars must have the opportunity to discuss ideas with other scholars. Smith states, "Yet human civilization knows of no way to promote the discovery of new knowledge other than to create a community where ideas can be freely proposed, discussed, challenged, tested, and modified, leading finally to their confirmation or rejection" (31). Librarians collect previous studies and make them available to scholars. Smith notes, "libraries collect books and other sources to document various positions on a given issue, affording researchers the opportunity to weigh the evidence and come to their own conclusion" (31). In addition to intellectual freedom, libraries must preserve resources for future use.  Smith notes, "It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that wherever ancient civilization reached a high degree of development, there were facilities dedicated to the preservation of legal documents, literary texts, and other written records" (31). The last task discusses is the organization of information. Without organizing the information, it is not accessible to the researcher.

The last implication concerns the life of the mind. The scriptures teaches that "the whole of our intellectual life is to be brought into submission to God" (35). The author notes that there is no divide between sacred and secular knowledge because God is the author of all truth. Smith makes three points about the life of the mind. First, the Christian mind acknowledges two sources of truth, natural and divine revelation. These two sources complement one another. Second, the Christian mind "operates under the influence of the Holy Spirit." The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit will guide the believer into all truth. Third, the Christian mind "takes account of the moral implications of truth" (36). In other words, truth is connected to morality. The intellectual virtues are connected to the intellectual truth. A Christian education is a moral education.

The Spiritual Dimension of the Librarian's Task

Roger R. Nicole, "The Spiritual Dimension of the Librarian's Task." The Christian Librarian (May/August 1982): 106-114.

"The Spiritual Dimension of the Librarian's Task was delivered as a series of addresses at the twenty-fifth annual conference of the Association of Christian Librarians at Nyack College, June 9-11, 1981."

These addresses by Roger R. Nicole looks at the tasks of the Christian librarian and how it relates to the Christian faith. He looks at three different roles of the Christian librarian: "service," "orderliness," and "curator." The author believes there is a spiritual dimension to each of these roles.

The first address discussed "The Librarian as a Model for Service" (106). The author's native country is Switzerland. In that country the emphasis was more on protecting the books. He found in the United States the emphasis was more on serving the patron. Nicole states, "librarians in this country are interested in serving patrons" (106). The author asserts that Christian Librarians "have the opportunity to model the kind of attitude and of service which behooves those who belong to Jesus Christ, for our Lord has called upon us to be taking the form of servants, and has Himself given us an example in a very moving manner. We have the example of Jesus washing the disciples' feet reported in the gospel of John. Jesus told the disciples that he gave them an example to follow. They were to wash each other's feet. In the gospel of Matthew Jesus reported on His mission: "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

Nicole notes that the word service is closely related to the word minister. The author notes, "The librarian has the opportunity to be a servant. The library is intended to primarily serve people. It is intended to provide for people the facilities that are necessary to explore truth, to mine the past, to accomplish tasks which are required in classes, to find information that may be needed in a variety of ways . . . " (107). Librarians through their service can exhibit the character of Christ. Service shows a spiritual dimension to librarianship.

The second address discussed "The Librarian as a Model of Orderliness" (108). The author declares that God is a God of order. The library also is "a place of order" (109). Nicole states, "If there is no orderliness the Library cannot be serviceable, it cannot provide the materials that are needed for the patrons. It cannot serve as it should serve" (109). The author spoke of different positions in the library that contribute to this orderliness. The first position mentioned is the cataloger. Nicole writes, "If a library is not properly cataloged the value and amount of usefulness of the books will be sharply reduced" (109). If the books are not put in some kind of order it would not be accessible. The author mentions how one library was organized based on its accession number and how difficult it was to find what he needed. Catalogers organized materials according to subject matter. This makes it helpful for the patron to find what they need.

Another person who contribute to this order is those who shelve books. Everyone knows that a book shelved in the wrong place is a lost book. Nicole states, "It is very important that the books should be arranged on the shelves in a way that follows the pattern that the cataloger has set up. so there are people who are involved in safeguarding the proper location of the books" (109). The shelving of books might not be a glamorous job but it is an important job. Doing it right provides a service to the patron.

Another important person is the circulation librarian. Nicole writes, "The circulation librarian models order at the level of loaning and borrowing books" (110). Usually this person is the face of the librarian. It is the first person the patron encounters in the library. It is important that there are accurate records that people are not charged for materials they have already returned. It is important that materials are returned in an orderly manner that they can be used by patrons who need them.

In addition, Nicole thinks that the "securing of the books you need" is part of this orderly process. Librarians perform an important role in making sure the collection stays up to date. The librarian needs to know what the library has and what it needs to serve its patrons. It needs to have a consistent, systematic plan for building the collection to meet the current and future needs of its patrons. A part of collection development is deaccessioning materials. Some librarians and many faculty have a problem in getting rid of materials. It is, however important to get rid of unnecessary items. Nicole states, "One quality that is necessary for order is the ability to discard what is useless or obsolete. If there is a lack of ability to discard, then inevitably a clutter develops" (111). In addition, the author notes, "To have order you need to perceive what is important, and to distinguish it from what is secondary or unessential" (111). Weeding the collection on a regular basis is essential if we are going to have a useful collection and having a useful collection provides a service to the patron. Nicole states, "God wants a library to be an ordered collection in which materials are available and can be used for the people who desire to explore the truth, to steep themselves in knowledge, and capture some of the rich insights which the Providence of God has permitted in the past" (111-112). Providing an orderly collection performs a spiritual service.

The third address described "The Librarian as a Curator of the Records of the Holy Spirit's Work Among God's People" (112). Nicole states, "A library is a collection of records which constitute a kind of collective memory" (112). A Theological library provides a record of God's work in the past. Individuals without a personal memory do not know who they are. The people of God without a collective memory of the work of  God do not know who they are. The individual's memory is selective. It does not remember everything that ever happened to her. The collective memory of God's work is also selective. Nicole notes, "We need selection in order to have something that is manageable, that can be organized and in which things can be retrieved" 112). As mentioned earlier, we do not need clutter but an orderly collection that is useful. Nicole states, "But the library constitutes a carefully sorted out corporate memory in which things that are significant and can be helpful to the present and the future are being gathered together and made available to people who need the information" (112). Since God is the author of all truth, the library will want to collect all materials that pertain to the search of truth. Even the early Christian libraries collected both Christian and non-Christian writings. Nicole notes how the librarian's task "is a stewardship of the work of the Holy Spirit" (112). Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. Nicole states, "we would be very foolhardy to disregard whatever the Holy Spirit has done in the midst of His people of 1900 years" (112). As stewards, we must be faithful to preserving the record of God's work among his people. We also need to preserve any materials that will help us understand this work. The library can provide "roots" for the modern believer: "It gives us an insight to what God has done and how the precious Word that He has given to us can be understood, and how it has been made operative in the past, and can be so in the present and the future" (113). The author thinks "this is a truly noble task which has true spiritual dimensions" (113).

Roger R. Nicole has argued persuasively that the tasks of Christian librarians have "spiritual dimensions." He has shown how service, orderliness, and preserving the records of the past are directly related to the Christian faith. All these tasks lead to serving the patron of the library. One can even see that the tasks performed by the Christian librarian can be seen as a ministry.

Christian Librarianship

Christian Librarianship: Essays on the Integration of Faith and Profession, edited by Gregory A. Smith. McFarland, 2002.

Gregory Smith has gathered together sixteen essays previously published that addresses the integration of Christian faith and librarianship. All the essays are written by Christian librarians working in academic and public libraries. Smith lists three purposes for this collection: "First, it should help Christians in the library profession to integrate their faith with their vocation. . . . Second, it is expected to provide a foundation for further discussion of library issues from a Christian perspective. . . Third, the book may serve as a window through which students and scholars of library science may observe Christian librarians, a little understood segment of the profession" (6). The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers the theory of Christian librarianship. The second part discusses the application of Christian librarianship.

The six essays in the first part of the book applies biblical principles and Christian theology to Christian librarianship. Smith in chapter one argues that the "Christian faith and librarianship can be integrated with mutual benefit" (11). He lists three reasons for this belief. First, "the propagation of the Christian faith benefits from effective librarianship" (11). The beginning of the Christian faith were both "propositional" and "missional." Smith states, "These two features of the Christian religion combine to produce in its adherents a high regard for education, literacy, and the preservation of information-bearing documents. Not surprisingly, Christians have contributed significantly to the development of libraries of all types" (12). Christians were known as "people of the book." One thinks of the monks who preserved both Christian and pagan literature.

Smith states, "The Christian interest in libraries began in the apostolic period" (12). Even the Apostle Paul at the end of his life requested Timothy to "Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come--and the books, especially the parchments" (2Tim. 4:13). Smith notes, "Archaeological and literary evidence shows that Christians began to form various libraries in the first few centuries of the Christian era" (12). These libraries included more than religious resources. Smith states, "There is good reason to believe that secular works, both classical and contemporary, were preserved in both individual and corporate libraries"(13). Lawrence McCrank asserts, "Saint Augustine's . . . famous decision in De doctrina christiana that Christians should take from pagan learning those works compatible with Christianity, as though these non-Christian scholars unjustly possessed the truth, provided a justification for Christian libraries to retain their classics" (13). Augustine's argument was one of the reasons that Christian libraries would collection both Christian and non-Christian resources.

The libraries of Greece and Rome would decline "as the Roman empire became more Christianize." The spread of the Christian faith and monasteries would lead to the development of a network of libraries. There was a strong connection between libraries and monasteries because of the "influence of Benedict of Nursia and Cassidorus," both monastic leaders. These monastic libraries would expand with the development of Cathedral schools and higher learning. Smith states, "In the later centuries of the Middle Ages, many cathedrals sponsored schools, creating a symbiotic relationship between scholars, students, books, and libraries. Cathedral libraries were the nuclei around which the studia generalia, precursors of modern universities, developed in France and England in the twelfth century" (13). One can see in this development how the two features of the church, propagation and mission was connected to the development of libraries. Smith states, "Throughout church history, Christians have developed libraries in order to maintain their distinctive religious identity, facilitate doctrinal discussion, cultivate receptivity to the gospel, and share their faith with others" (15).

The second point presented by Smith is that the Christian worldview "provides a viable philosophical framework for librarianship" (15). Richard Waller identified six traits of a "suitable philosophy. These included the existence of truth, possibility of knowledge, "purpose in the world," provide reasons for the possibility of communication, a concern for others, and tolerance for the view of others. Smith thinks Christian theism meets this criteria. he lists seven traits of Christian theism that supports Christian librarianship. First, Christian theism provides motivation for service. The bible teaches the dignity of the human person and commands us to love our neighbor. Second, the biblical view "provides a solid foundation for intellectual freedom" (16). The Bible teaches that there are both natural revelation and supernatural revelation. Smith notes, "Exploring the created order and developing culture is part of God's design for human life" (16).  Third, the Christian view "validates librarians' role as stewards of history and culture" (16). We preserve culture's memory. We preserve resources that will help people to understand God's world. We "perpetuate the memory of God's dealings with the human race and his people in particular" (16). Librarians have preserved over two thousand years of "rational thinking and hard work and science and art and the Judeo-Christian tradition" (Walker Percy). Roger Nicole observed that we "act as custodians of the records of the Holy Spirit" (16). Fourth, the biblical view provides a reason for organizing information. Our God is a God of order, not confusion. Smith states, "The universe is rational and purposeful, reflecting the nature of its creator. Organizing information makes it possible for us to transmit knowledge to future generations" (16). Librarians keep us from reinventing the wheel. Fifth, the Christian view provides a rationale for promoting literacy. The bible "itself is a literary collection, a sort of library prototype" (17). God has revealed Himself in written form. If we are to know if we need to learn how to read. Reading and writing are important elements of the Christian life. Gordon Smith states, "The discipline of study is an essential component of spiritual formation" (17). The sixth point is Christian theism provides an ethical framework for our lives and profession. Smith states, "Librarians who work in Christian Colleges consciously contribute to their patrons' moral development" (17). He also thinks "Librarians' personal convictions take precedence over professional code of ethics" (17). The last point is that all truth is God's truth because it either comes from divine or natural revelation. In conclusion, Smith states, "Truth is knowable, objective, coherent, practical, and sacred. The pursuit of truth should be approached as a spiritual enterprise" (17).

Smith, in his final point of this chapter asserts, "The holistic nature of Christian discipleship demands integration with all fields of study, including library science" (11). God is sovereign over all of our life, not jost part of it. Christianity is a gospel of wholeness, not fragmentation. Integrating faith and learning is part of Christian discipleship. Integrating Christian faith with our work is also part of the Christian calling. Smith concludes, "True Christian discipleship discourages the segregation of religious commitment from one's intellectual or professional pursuits" (18).

The Core Virtue of Librarianship

Gregory A. Smith, "The Core Virtue of Librarianship" (2002). Faculty Publications and Presentations. Paper 1. http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lib_fac_pubs/1

Gregory Smith has written extensively on the topic of Christian librarianship and I have learned much from his publications. In this paper, Smith argues that the core virtue of Christian librarianship is love. He believes this core virtue separates Christian librarianship from a secular approach to library ethics. He does think that many of the virtues of librarianship is consistent with a Christian worldview. He even thinks these virtues is not supported by secular philosophies. For example, he speaks of Michael Gormon's Our Enduring Values: Librarianship in the 21st Century. Smith writes, "In many ways Gormon's proposed values--stewardship, service, intellectual freedom, rationalism, literacy and learning, equity of access, privacy, and democracy--are more consistent with biblical thesism than with the humanistic worldview to which he holds" (1-2).

In the first part of the paper Smith reviews the literature of the topic. In other words, people who have studied the topic before him. Doerken (2001) states, "There is no basis [in humanistic philosophy] for saying that any value is the right value to hold, nor can one authoritatively propose a set of best values, because there is no external criterion by which to judge right or wrong, or best or worst" (2). He looks at different authors who have written of the relationship between a Christian worldview and librarianship. He then reviews some key authors who have written on the biblical concept of love. For example, Leon Morris states, "The importance of the love command cannot be overestimated. In Jesus' day the Jews discerned 613 commandments in the Law, and there were vigorous discussions about the relative importance of some of these. . . Jesus swept aside all such deliberations with his revolutionary insistence on the centrality of love. . . . It means that love is central to the whole way of life to the follower of Jesus" (3).

Smith in his article emphasizes the two commandments that Jesus said summarized the whole law. "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second commandment is that you "shall love your neighbor as yourself" (4). Smith says Jesus mentioned a third commandment, Christian believers were to love each other as Jesus loves them. Smith then applies these three commandments to librarianship.

He lists "five implications" for Christian librarianship. First, "we should acknowledge God, not professional standards, as our supreme authority" (8). Second, we "should promote the love of God as man's highest occupation" (8). Third, we "should offer information resources to provide for total personal development" (8). The reason for this is that God calls Christian believers to grow in every area of their lives. Fourth, we "should integrate scholarship and discipleship and lead others to do the same" (8). The assumption for this point would be that faith and reason are compatible. In addition, all truth is from God. Fifth, we "should affirm human freedom to love God" (9). Smith believes believers should express their faith in the "context of their daily work." This does not mean they should coerce others "in matters of belief and practice" ().

Smith states, "The second commandment demands that we treat everyone with whom we come in contact with loving respect and concern, as we ourselves would wish to be treated" (9). This would be applying the Golden Rule to library service. He lists six implications for this commandment. They concern sexual purity, violence, honest, balancing freedom and responsibility, service, and not showing partiality in our service.

The last part of the paper discusses the new commandment of love. This is the command for Christian believers to love one another. He lists two applications for this commandment. First, we "should emulate Christ's love in our dealings with other Christians at work" (11). The Bible says if we love God, we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. One of the definitions of love is seeking the good of others. Second, we "should seek unity among genuine Christians" (11). Jesus told the disciples that all the world would know if they were His disciples by how they loved one another. Smith states, "this principle does not preclude us from disagreeing with other Christians on non-essential points; nevertheless, it does require us to avoid prideful divisions within the body of Christ. By extension, we should give a positive witness to unbelievers" (11). Being human, Christian believers will disagree with one another. There is, however, a right way and a wrong way to disagree. Christians too often tear down other believers because of their differences.

Smith has shown how love can be the core virtue of librarianship. In the beginning of the paper, Smith states, "Christian librarians should derive their professional ethics from a methodical exegesis of the Bible" (1). He has shown how the biblical teaching on love can give Christian librarians a professional ethics that is biblical. One of the things I question about this is it sounds like Christian reductionism. Can we get ethics only from the Bible? What about natural law? Is the Bible an exhaustive revelation? Can we not learn things through reason and natural revelation? These are some of the questions I have about getting our ethics only from the Bible. It seems we are going against one of Smith's assertions which is that faith and reason are compatible.

The Vocation of the Christian Teacher

Jeanne Heffernan, "Integrating Heart, Mind, and Soul: The Vocation of the Christian Teacher," in Gladly Learn, Gladly Teach: Living Out One's Calling in the Twenty-First Century Academy, ed. John Marson Dunaway. (Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 2005), 112-124.

Heffernan thinks faith and learning are "natural companions." She argues against reductionism. The idea of reason alone or allowing only certain voices in the conversation. In addition, she gives ways on integrating faith and learning in one's teaching.

The author was brought up to believe in "the harmony between faith and the intellectual life" (112). She states that her parents "understood something about living an integrated life, a life in which intelligence and professional training found purpose and expression in discipleship." This is a good point made by her parents. Living out one's calling is a part of Christian discipleship. We are called to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul. We are also called to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is part of the Christian walk to honor God in all that we do. There is no split between the sacred and religious life. God is to have all of our life.

This background of learning has shaped the author's views on the relationship between faith and learning. Heffernan states, "I perceive it as a calling to learn and teach and write in light of the Gospel and to do so as part of a mysteriously living communion of Christian teachers and scholars that transcends time and space, united all by a dedication to the life of faith and learning" (113).

The author thinks the integration of faith and learning "is the essential task of every Christian educator" (114). She says this task is not easy. Especially, in the current time "when the culture and academy are inhospitable to it" (114). Despite the barriers, Christian educators "are still called to serve the Lord in this context, bringing the Good News" (114) to the academy.

Reductionism is a strong element of the modern world of the academy. Heffernan asserts, "The academy's most illustrious mapmakers are reductionists; their equipment is suited to studying small bits of earth, but they presume to measure the whole world with it" (114). A strong opponent of the reductionism represented by E. O. Wilson is Wendell Berry. Berry has written a strong case against reductionism in his book, Life is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition. Heffernan writes, "What Wendell Berry and I both object to is the notion that everything tangible is reducible to and, as Wilson argues, determined by the laws of physics" (115). In addition, the author thins that this reductionism "is thoroughgoing; there is no room here for a non-material explanation of anything in our experience" (115). This is an indication of allowing only some voices to the conversation. Berry thinks it is "tyrannical." E. F. Schumacher calls this "a methodical aversion to the recognition of higher levels . . .  of significance" (115).

The author thinks this reductionism in the university is a new thing. She calls it a "radical fragmentation of knowledge" (116). H. J. Massingheim thinks "modern knowledge is departmentalized," but this has not always been true. Massingham states, "The essence of culture is initiation into wholeness" (116). This seems to work against the idea of the meaning of university. Heffernan thinks this is the reason we need liberal arts colleges and universities. We need "optimally communities of learners who complement one another's work in an effort to understand the whole" (116).

The author provides some tips for integrating faith and learning in the classroom. She states, "To integrate faith and learning in the classroom means that I must be a person of both faith and learning" (121). The assumption of this principle is that faith and learning are good companions. Heffernan notes, "The light of faith illuminates the intellect and the cultivated mind penetrates more deeply into faith" (121). The second tip is to "incorporate faith into the course material" (122). The author says she does this by "broadening the scopes of questions raised and the range of resources drawn upon in addressing the subject matter of the course" (122). The third activity is to pray for the students. This can be done both in the classroom and outside the classroom.

Heffernan has done a good job in showing how faith and learning are compatible. She has also showed the problem of reductionism. Her call for the integrating of faith and learning is a call Christian educators should heed.

The Calling of the Teacher

David Lyle Jeffrey, "The Calling of the Teacher and the Place of Community," in Gladly Learn, Gladly Teach : Living Out One's Calling in the Twenty-First Century Academy, ed. John Marson Dunaway. (Macon, Ga. : Mercer University Press, 2005), 95-111.

Jeffrey distinguishes between two callings in the Christian life. One is a general calling as a Christian and the other one is a call to a specific vocation. Jeffrey writes, "The first call is universal in the sense that it is experienced by all who profess faith; the second is often highly specific and usually related to what in the secular sense we have lately come to think of as career, or profession" (95). A chief concern of Jeffrey is how individual callings can go against the common good. Hence the title, "The Calling of the Teacher and the Place of the Community." The author seeks to show in this essay how individual calling and the community can be joined together.

Jeffrey doesn't think vocation is "necessarily co-incident with discovering our natural aptitudes or confirming our natural pleasures. He shows how he is naturally an introvert which goes against his public role as a teacher.

Jeffrey thinks that the role of the Christian or the calling of a teacher cannot "be lived out" as an "individualist." He believes the call to teach is a call to "service." Both callings are a call out of self to a relationship with others.

The author believes that a person will need certain characteristics to follow a calling in the academy. He would need to have to have some abilities in public speaking. He would need to have the requisite academic training. Lastly, there would need to be a "genuinely positive response to an invitation to life-long learning. For such ongoing learning to occur, community is indispensable" (101).

Robert Frost wrote about combining one's daily work with calling:
      My object in living is to unite
      My avocation and my vocation
      As my two eyes make me one in sight.
      Only where love and need are one,
      And the work is play for mortal stakes,
      Is the deed ever really done
      For Heaven's and the future's sake.
      (Robert Frost, "Two Tramps in Mud Time," The Complete Poems of Robert Frost.

Jeffrey believes a calling to "a special vocation for any Christian ought to be considered a mixed life, a consecration of ordinary work such that it becomes a sacrifice of praise, an act of worship" (108). In this idea work can be an act of worship. One is reminded of the work and prayer view of the medieval monastery. The author also thinks that the work of all the members of the body of Christ is joined as one offering to God. Jeffrey notes, "At the personal level this offering up begins, for Paul, with an intellectual transformation, renewing of the mind (roman 12:2). It requires self-restraint, notably recognition that each of us is given but a part of what is necessary to the health of the whole body, evident intellectuals included (3-8)" (108-109). Jeffrey states that teaching and learning are among the gifts given to members of the church. These members "are called to put their vocation to learning to use . . . for the benefit of others" (109). The author argues that our "affections must be ordered towards love of the common good rather than toward our own profits" (109). In other words, we have been given gifts to benefit others. Though Christians "may respond to an individual call," this not not mean the call has an "individualistic" end.

The author sees the church acting as members of the body of Christ. Each member has his particular gifts and he uses these gifts to build up the church. One can learn from "witnesses from the body of the Christ from the past," but also from current members. Jeffrey states, "I have discovered that perhaps one of the most enriching privileges of the academic life is the opportunity to play a part in a vital, ongoing fellowship of scholars from many disciplines, in friendship and often spirited dialogue and debate to have my own categories of understanding as well as my repertoire of intellectual resources challenged, refined and expanded again and again" (110).

Jeffrey has shown in this essay how the calling of a teacher can be fruitfully joined to community. He has also shown how calling sanctifies our work. Ordinary work can be a divine calling. Our work can be a vehicle to worship God. In addition, there must be a place of community where teachers and learners can learn form each other. There must be an open atmosphere where questions and opposing ideas may be voiced and addressed civilly.

Stewardship

John D. Beckett, Mastering Monday: A Guide to Integrating Faith and Work. IVP Books, 2006.

Stewardship is an important element of Christian discipleship. John D. Beckett has written well on the subject in his book on faith and work. It states that stewardship is "more than money"(166). He defines stewardship as "caring for resources that are not our own" (166). Beckett is chairman of R. W. Beckett Corporation, a leading manufacturer of commercial heating systems. A guiding principle of the company is "to be wise and able stewards of the trust he [God] has placed with us" (166).

Webster defines stewardship as "A person put in charge of the affairs of a large household or estate, whose duties include supervision of the kitchen and the servants, management of household accounts . . . " (166).

Stewardship is an important teaching in the Bible. Adam was placed in the garden to care for God's creation. Beckett notes, "The Garden, Adam and everything else belonged to the Lord" (167). Jesus told a parable of an unfaithful steward in the Gospel of Luke, chapter sixteen. Jesus states, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?" (Luke 16:10-12).

The Apostle Paul also taught on stewardship. He thinks of himself and his ministry companions as "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" ( 1 Corinthians 4:1). Paul knew he had been entrusted with the Gospel and he must be faith to this calling. Paul states, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). The apostle Peter spoke of stewardship too. Peter states that Christians have been given gifts by God and they were to use these gifts to serve others. Peter asserts, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10 NKJV). Beckett notes, "Gifts to be ministered included prayer, care for others, extending love, hospitality and serving (see 1 Peter 4:7-11)" (169). God gives us gifts to minister to others. It is required of us to be faithful stewards of the gifts given to us.

Beckett list the following areas as opportunities for stewardship: family, time, influence, knowledge, resources, abilities, relationships, work, and the "spiritual atmosphere around (over) us." How are stewards to act? Ultimately, our stewardship is to God. Beckett describes four characteristics that will make us faithful stewards: "perseverance," "generosity," "guardianship," and "understanding success." God does not call us to be successful but He does call us to be faithful.

Choosing a Career

Gary D. Badcock, "Choosing," in Leading Lives That Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be, eds. Mark R. Schwehn and Dorothy C. Bass. (Grand Rapids, MI. : Eerdmans, 2006), 101-107.

Badcock discusses the idea of career choice from a theological perspective. Badcock does not believe God's will extends "down to details of career choice." He thinks he is fitted to work in multiple occupations. He reserves calling for religious vocations.

Badcock thinks career choices "must be capable of being integrated into the overall mission of Christ" (103). He insists the question on career leads to the question on what kind of person I need to be. The idea is that God is more concern over the type of person we are becoming than on what we do. The question of career choice can be given multiple answers. The second question leads to "clearer" answers. Badcock states, "I ought to be a person for whom love, service, and obedience to God are major priorities" (103). The author illustrates this point by autobiographical information on three different paths he could have taken. First, he could have been a fisherman like his ancestors. A second option would have been to go into business. The third option which was chosen by him was to become a Christian scholar. The author believes that any of these options would have been in God's will. In all of them he still could have been involved in the "mission of Christ." Badcock states, "The calling to be faithful and loving is one that extends to any and all walks of life and that cannot be identified with any one of them. And it is this calling to faithfulness and love which Christian vocation is really concerned . . ." (105).

A Theology of Teaching

R. Alan Culpepper, "Full of Grace and Truth: A Theology of Teaching," in Gladly Learn, Gladly Teach: Living Out One's Calling in the Twentieth-First Century Academy, ed. Jason Marson Dunaway. (Macon, Ga. : Mercer University Press, 2005), 32-45.

Culpepper in his essay presents a "theology of Teaching." The author begins his essay by telling us what the Bible says about teaching. In this section he looks at "God as teacher," teaching in the Old Testament, "Jesus as Teacher, and teaching in the New Testament. The next section discusses "teaching as a theological activity." The last section presents an ancient fable.

Culpeppers states that God is the source of wisdom. He started teaching the human race from the very beginning. Culpepper writes, "because God established the order of things, whatever we teach, whether it is pharmacy, nursing, education, or business, God is the source of the understanding we want our students to discover" (33). Wisdom is personified as "Lady Wisdom" in proverbs. Wisdom calls out to the people to listen and become wise. Culpepper states, "wisdom is found above all in the Torah" (34).

The Old Testament teaches that it was the parent's responsibility to teach the torah to their children. Culpepper states, "For ancient Israelies, the education of one's children was a religious duty, and much of the content of what was taught in the home was the religious tradition of Israel" (34). The Shema (Deut. 6:4-9) "was the core of the religious instruction given in the home" (34). It says that God is one and we are to love Him with our whole being and we are to teach the Jewish law to our children. "This instruction was reinforced by the celebrations of the major festivals in the home and the community" (34). They were to explain the meaning of these festivals to their children. The children was also taught a trade. Culpepper writes, "Hebrew children were also taught the skills they would need to be successful members of their community" (35).

Jesus is called rabbi or teacher 66 times in the New Testament "and 57 times the verb teach is used to describe his activity" (36). Jesus taught in parables. Culpepper observes, "Jesus also used heuristic questions effectively" (37). Jesus often used these questions to help the hearer to see the issue in a new light. Jusus also illustrated his teachings. Culpepper states, "Jesus also acted out his parables and teachings, carrying out a demonstration in the temple, cursing a fig tree, turning water to wine, and eating with the poor and outcast" (37).

Teaching was an important element in the New Testament church. This teaching was done both in public and private. "Paul used technical terms for receiving and handing on oral tradition and teaching was an essential part of his work" (38). The church provided instruction in doctrine to new converts. Even Jesus said, Go and make disciples, teaching them . . . The New Testament speaks of the gift of teaching and an office of teaching. Culpepper notes, "The office of teacher probably developed in the early churches largely in response to the need to instruct recent converts. This catechetical instruction appears to have included instruction in the Old Testament and Jesus' teachings, the Church, the Christian life, and traditional ethical teachings drawn from Judaism and the Greek philosophies" (38).

The next section speaks of teaching "as a theological activity." The first part he mentions is that teaching requires a community. He stresses that it is important that the community serve a mentoring role. "Parker Palmer and Sharon Parks . . . emphasize that effective education requires communities in which students find support, affirmation, and meaning in the pursuit of learning" (39).

A second point of this section is "every course is about more than subject matter" (40).  Culpepper states, "the role of the teacher includes the perpetuation of a tradition and the formation of character" (40). He thinks that the education of a student to the "ancient Greek ideal of paideia, or the nurture of the student so that each student may attain his or her potential" 41). Teachers play an essential role in this process. Some of these roles are "awakening," "calling," "encouraging," and "modeling." Culpepper states, "All of us need to find our calling in life, that pursuit that is personally fulfilling while contributing to the needs of others and the betterment of society. We find that calling through discovering our own gifts and through responding to the needs around us" (41). The third point is that teachers are to help "students write their own future stories" (42). The last point is "every student is important" (43). This speaks of the intrinsic worth of every student. Every student is created in the image of God and is a bearer of God's image.

Theological Librarianship Within the Context of a Ministry

Andrew J. Keck, "Information or Divine Access: Theological Librarianship Within the Context of a Ministry," in The American Theological Library Association: Essays in Celebration of the First Fifty Years, ed. M. Patrick Graham, Valerie R. Hotchkiss, and Kathleen E. Rowe. (Evanston, ILL. : ATLA, 1996), 172-182.

"When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments" (2 Tim. 4:13, NRSV). Keck states, "From the beginnings of the church, the books and the people entrusted with them have a special role. Today theological librarians are unique providers of religious and theological information access to schools that have as their purpose the training and educating of people for the ministry" (172). Keck in this article summarizes his findings from a survey he mailed to 371 American members of the American Theological Library Association. His paper is an attempt to answer the question, "How do theological librarians perceive themselves as being involved in the ministry" (172)? He asserts that the theological librarian's "perception of ministry comes directly from his/her view of the nature and meaning of theological librarianship and how it relates to the nature and meaning of ministry" (172). According to the results, a majority of theological librarians saw themselves as doing a ministry. "On the other hand, a sizable minority viewed theological librarianship simply as an occupation (172) that occurs in a theological environment. The survey can be framed broadly as five basic questions. These questions related to five areas: its relation to theological education, relation with others, working with religious materials, calling and vocation, and its relationship to ministry in the church.

One of the questions the survey asked whether theological education should be mainly academic or mainly professional. The majority thought it should be a mixture. "Relatively few librarians advocated an exclusive focus academic education. Many saw theological education as a ministry and  "as the librarian enhances and adds to that education, he or she participates in that ministry" (173). Some believed theological librarianship was a ministry because it helped men and women to prepare for the ministry. Many saw their work as "parallel" to theology professors. Many saw the library as a "central teaching agency of the seminary rather than a mere warehouse for book storage" (174). Others saw the library had a role in the training of ministers. Many librarians found personal fulfillment "through their interactions that promoted the professional development of students" (174). Many of the librarians identified with the mission of their school and believed they were participating in the ministry through this identification.

The theological librarians saw their personal relations with the students as a ministry. A question was their work pastoral. Some agreed with this idea and it made others uncomfortable. Some saw the librarian as an important influence in the student's life. One stated, "Many graduate theological students have come to feel that the library is one of the most important partners in the persistent pursuit of knowledge" (176).

A third area of discussion was working with religious or theological materials. One of the questions asked, "How much does the religious or theological nature of the information you work with impact on how you view your involvement in ministry (176)?" This question seemed to confuse some of the participants. There were two affirmative type of answers that were given: "(1) that the religious information was only significant when received by a seeking patron and (2) that the religious information was significant" (176).  One participant wrote that he uses the theological literature "to minister to patron spiritual needs" (176-77). Some saw the librarian as a "spiritual director," using theological resources to meet spiritual needs. Another librarian wrote, "By providing books I in a sense provide communion of the saints between students/faculty and the Christians from diverse times/places" (177). One is reminded of how monks preserved manuscripts by copying them and preserving them for later generations. The monks were the first Christian librarians. Kleck writes, "Theological librarianship is an ancient vocation within the Christian community as Christians have long theorized that they can learn much from their brothers and sisters in Christ past and present. The theological librarian is and has been the intermediary in this conversation and thus has a unique ministry in the body of Christ" (177). The theological librarian today through collection development and cataloging creates the resources needed by present and future patrons. Others said that working with religious materials impacted their own spiritual life.

"Theological librarianship as a vocation" was another topic of concern. Many wrote about how their role as a theological librarian matched their gifts and talents. One librarian wrote, "This job is where my gifts, interests, needs converge as an opportunity for community and service" (178). Many thought their role as theological libarians was "a way of expressing their own call to ministry" (178). Others thought that theological librarianship was just a "professional career choice and not a calling" (178). Some thought their were multiple occupations which was equally fitting.

The last topic discussed was the relationship between the theological librarian and the church. Some churches ordain theological librarians into the ministry. Theological librarianship is seen as a ministry. Keck states that the theological librarian and the church "are also related through the service the theological library provides" (179). The theological librarian not only provides theological information but he is "an interpreter and promoter of that information" (179).

Are theological librarians ministers? Is theological librarianship a ministry? Many theological librarians see their work as a ministry for multiple reasons. Keck thinks "A librarian's view of theological education, personal relationships, religious materials, vocation, and ministry are all factors in how theological librarianship is understood as a ministry" (180). Raymond Morris thinks theological librarianship is a ministry. Morris writes, "I feel that anyone working in the library of a theological institution, other things being equal, will do better work and will be happier and more content in doing it if he feels a sense of commitment to the overall cause and purpose of the institution he serves" (180). As we have seen, some theological librarians see it as a job, not a ministry. What about "those who receive their services (180)?" Maybe these patrons see it as a ministry. Keck states, "When theological librarians perceive themselves as being in ministry, there is a theological and spiritual focus to their work that adds to their satisfaction and contentment in that they are engaged in both the ministry of their institution and the ministry of service possible through theological librarianship" (180-81).

The Call: Finding and Fulfilling The Central Purpose of Your Life

Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. W Publishing Group, 2003. Originally published 1998. 292 pages. ISBN: 0849944376

What is our purpose here on earth? Os Guinness seeks to answer that question in this book. The Call is made up of twenty-six chapters. The author's goal is that a chapter be read each day. This is how I read it and thought it worked well reading it this way. It works well with morning devotion. This edition of the book includes a study guide at the back of the book.

Os Guinness is the author of many books including Long Journey Home and Time for Truth. In addition, he co-edited Invitation to the Classics. He is a popular speaker. He was born in China and graduated from Oxford University.

The Call describes the call in many different ways. Each chapter includes a story of someone who demonstrated the particular attribute of that chapter. Chapter one seeks to answer the questions: "Who am I? What is the meaning of life (1)?" Chapter two tells how to be a true seeker. In chapter three, Guinness asserts, "The notion of calling, or vocation, is vital to each of us because it touches on the modern search for a basis for individual identity and an understanding of humanness itself" (20). In chapter four Guinness states, "Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to his summons and service" (29). The author says our primary call is to Jesus Christ. Our secondary calling is to use our gifts to serve God and our neighbor.

Other chapters encourage to strive for excellence, be who we are, live for God's glory, be responsible, cautions against vices like pride, envy, love of money, sloth, secularization, relativism, and to be focused on God's plan for our life. In addition, there are chapters on careers, ministry versus secular occupation, and how calling is related to all the spheres of our life. The last chapter discusses finishing well. Guinness asserts, "Calling is central to the challenge and privilege of finishing well in life" (227). He uses the example of Wilberforce on finishing well.

Guinness thinks the terms calling and vocation should be synonymous. This is a problem since modern use of the word vocation is for some type of trade. The author claims that we are truly only who we are when we follow God's call. God gives us gifts to serve others. We find true fulfillment in serving others. The author thinks giftedness must be combined with stewardship.

Guinness asserts that there is both corporate and individual calling. Stewardship accepts both callings. This will keep us from the danger of excessive individualism. William Perkins, Puritan thinker, thought "every calling must be fitted to the man and every man fitted to the calling" (48). Guinness believes that to "find work that fits perfectly our calling is not a right, but a blessing" (50). The author thinks the reason for this is the fall: "If there had been no fall, all our work would naturally and fully expressed who we are and exercised the gifts we have been given" (50). If we have the opportunity we should seek employment that will express who we are and exercise the gifts we have been given. If we have these things we should be truly thankful.

Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life Part 4

Our last post on Schuurman's book, Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life focused on how vocation can impact "pivotal" decisions in our life. This last post of this book seeks to answer the question, "How does vocation shape our actions, decisions, and attitudes as they are expressed within our particular spheres?" (151). A "general" answer to this question is "Vocation encourages Christians to see themselves as created and redeemed by God's grace, so that they will express their love for God and God's world through each and all of these spheres"(151). In all these "spheres" the Christian should bear the fruit of the Spirit.

The author warns us to be afraid of idolatry. In this he is warning against workaholism. For example, he states that we know "people who devote so much time and energy to their paid work that they neglect spouse, children, church, and friends" (152). He mentions also the danger of equation "our identity with our paid work" (152). This reminds me of an earlier post when I observed that our vocation is larger than our paid work. Many men soon after retiring kick the bucket. In contrast, to finding our identity in paid work, Schuurman suggests that our calling to Christ and His mission in the world is what "determines worth and meaning" (153). 

The author observes that there are not only conflicts between one sphere but also different spheres. We have multiple callings. These conflicts often leave us with guilty feelings. The author states, "Vocation frees us from some of the guilt that might plague us by helping us to recognize that we are limited" (154). We cannot do everything. We must prioritize what God wants us to do. It will depend on the gifts and callings He has given us. The authors states, "Some people refuse to recognize the limits of their callings, believing themselves to be responsible in the same way for needs outside and inside their divine spheres" (154). This will lead to false guilt and burnout.

Schuurman says vocation should also motivate us to "periodic revision of priorities" (155). This is an important point because circumstances change. At certain stages of life certain things will be emphasized over other. For example, parents will want to make more time for children when they are younger because before you know it they are all grown up.

Vocation teaches us to teat others with "mutual respect." Schuurman asserts that vovation "reminds Christians that this world is God's beloved creation, the people in it are image-bearers of God, and that Christ is incarnate in the people one is serving through one's callings" (158). Even a small cup of water offered in our savior's name will be rewarded. The small things can "become avenues of God's grace" (158).

What about changes in one's career? How does one know when to make them? Barth can help us answer these questions. He says we need both an external and internal reason. The external would be the availability to meet a human need. The internal would be an internal motivation to meet that need. Barth, however, warns agaist a "restless" spirit. Barth states, "other possibilities must never distract a person from the tasks at hand. If disobedience to God's command in the present sphere is the source of one's desire to go elsewhere, then one ought not to make the move"(159). This is a strong temptation in modern American society. People began to get itchy feet. Wendell Berry has written wisely on this topic. He says that there are areas in our character that will never be developed if we move every time we encounter a problem.

Is the idea of calling really important? Why should one consider their work as a calling or vocation? Schurrman lists two reasons for thinking of work as a calling. First, "It infuses work with religious meaning, leading to integration of one's life," and second, "it requires constant ethical assessment of the products and processes of work" (162). We are God's called-out ones to be His representatives in this world.

Work and Calling

Bradley Birzer's J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth speaks of work and calling: "Tolkien's myth echoes Christian teaching in that once one accepts one's specific calling or vocation and employs one's gifts for the good of the Body of Christ, the journey of sanctification"(70). C.S. Lewis said something similar in one of his letters. Lewis asserted that God uses our vocation to shape us. The idea of calling is very strong in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo is called or chosen to destroy the ring. In addition, Birzer states, "As each agent responds to his calling he grows in power and grace" (70).

Billy Graham in a recent book, Nearing Home, also speaks of work and calling. He speaks of different stages of life. As we get older we must slow down. As we grow older we realize we cannot do certain things that we did earlier in our life. This is very true. Elton Trueblood, in his book, The Teacher agrees: "There will, undoubtedly, be diminution of energy, some dimming of eyesight, and, for nearly all older person, arthritic pain" (128). In other words, we must adapt to a different stage of life. Trueblood advises us: "Since old age normally cannot be avoided, the path of wisdom is to face it with expectancy" (128).

I think it is too late in old age to prepare for old age. It is something we must understand before and prepare for it. It is helpful to think of life as stages or seasons. There are stages of youth, middle age, and old age. Old age does not mean we stop being useful. We just do things differently. This should make a difference on how we look at work and calling.

Vocation and calling is broader than our current job. Just because we retire from a job does not mean we retire from our calling. Our callings and vocation can change at different stages of life. It is important to develop the gifts and callings God has given us to love God and serve our neighbor.

Making the Match: Career Choice

Lee Hardy, "Making the Match: Career Choice" In Leading Lives that Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be edited by Mark R. Schwehn and Dorothy C. Bass. Eerdmans, 2006.

Hardy asks the question, "How exactly does the Christian concept of work as a divine calling bear upon the problem of choosing a vocation?" Hardy seeks to answer this question in this excerpt from his book, The Fabric of the World. He asserts that Christians are commanded and called "to love and serve our neighbors with the gifts that God has given us" (91). First Peter 4:10 says, "Each one of us should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Like Schuurman Hardy believes that the providence of God can help us discover our calling and callings in life. Hardy too asserts that our vocation is larger than our paid occupation.

The protestant Reformers of the sixteenth and seventeenth century made the "initial attempt to formulate the principles of vocational choice." To the reformers "work is the social place where people can exercise the gifts God has given them in the service of others. For God did not create us as self-sufficient individuals. We all have needs which we alone cannot meet. Be necessity we live in communities of interdependent individuals. And we are to make use of what talents we do have to serve others as they, in turn, serve us. Together we build up society as a mutual support system" (94). As the New Testament teaches not all are apostles, teachers and prophets. God has given different gifts for the common good.

Hardy says a lack of self-knowledge and certain sins can hinder us from finding our true vocation. He notes, "we might have our eye on a certain career because of salary;" or we might choose a career path because of family wishes. Or certain vocations might not be esteemed in the community. Hardy thinks because of the common danger of self-deception, "it is good to seek the advice of others known for mature and balanced judgment" (97). I might think God has called me to a particular vocation but do others see in me the gifts required for that vocation?

Hardy lists some different steps to discover our particular vocation. The first one "is to identify the abilities and talents God has given us" (98). Two other things that can help are concerns and interests. What are our God-given concerns? What are our God-given interests? Hardy writes, "Discovering God's will for one's life is not so much a matter of seeking out miraculous signs and wonders as it is being attentive to who and where we are" (99). It is because of God's providence that we have these gifts, talents, interests, and concerns. These things are God's gifts to us and can serve as indicators of His will for our life.

Vocation: Discerning our Calling Part 3

Douglas J. Schuurman, Vocation: Discerning our Callings in Life. Eerdmans, 2004.

Chapters five through seven of the book looks at "Vocations, Decisions, and the Moral Life," and "Vocation in the Wider World." The author notes that our callings are often connected to the providence of God: "We need to recover the sense that our lives are in many ways 'given' to us by forces beyond our control but ultimately in the loving hands of a provident God. We need also to be aware that numerous and regular obligations that attend our varied routines are roles are expressions of what God wants us to do in our particular locations, always with a view to serving our neighbor and serving God through our neighbor" (119). I think Schuurman basically means that our giftedness and the opportunities we have indicate God's calling for our lives. One could take this idea too far and say we should not change our circumstances but I do not think that is what the author is saying. God through His providence directs our steps and show us His will for our life. We all probably can see how God has shown His will to us through providential circumstances.

Schuurman discusses misconceptions that Christians have about God's calling. The first is "that God has a rigid, highly detailed blueprint for each life" (125). This is often referred to as the bull's eye theory. God has only one particular job or one particular mate for you. A second misconception "is that God's call comes as a miraculous and unmistakable word of direction" (127). The author contends "in numerous and quiet ways, God's callings are mediated by nature, family, community, friends, and more" (127). This seems true to me. We often are waiting for a big lightning flash and do not receive one. A third misconception"is that only clergy and members of religious orders have callings" (127). I do think many people think this is true. A fourth misconception "is that God's callings follow a predictable direction away from one's current social locations" (129). This does seem to happen often.

The author believes it is important that crucial decisions "should be shaped by a sense of calling, by our desire to express gratitude to God for the gift of salvation by using our gifts to serve others and glorify God" (130). I can see how this would be important. For example, if a person's calling is to nurture their children in the faith and if their job keeps them away from their family it would be difficult to fulfill this calling. The moral law should also direct our decision making. God's leading will not go against His moral law. Our work should also contribute to our neighbor's good. Schuurman thinks "so long as an occupation respects human dignity and contributes to the common good, the word of Protestant vocation for career choices is one of freedom" (136). This means that we should not look down on the callings of others. In addition, paid work should not be esteemed so important that we devalue "work in the home and family" (136). I like it especially when the author says, "True calling is experienced inside the ordinary, mundane world, not outside it" (137).

Two other good points made by the author: "In an ideal world, a person should find a partner with a high degree of compatibility and mutual attraction. A person should also find a job that enables optimal development of gifts on one hand, and produces the greater good for the world on the other" (140). It seems a good fit when our gifts matches the needs of the world. God gives particular gifts to particular individuals. Some believe that God's callings goes against people "abilities and aptitudes." The author disagrees with this notion. He asserts, "A person's gifts form one important indicator of directions in which God may be calling that person" (144). Two other things suggested by the author are "our place in the life cycle and our place in history" (145). The different stages of life provide both opportunities and limits. Our place in history has to do with our citizenship, "the century in which we live," family, community, church in "which we find ourselves" (146). In addition to these things there "must be a concrete opportunity" (148). For example, you might feel called to be a college professor "but being a professor is not your calling until and unless you get a concrete offer to teach at this or that college" (148).

Our callings, however, are larger than our career. The author observes, "If the point of our whole existence is to serve Christ in and through all our lives, then our existence will find its ultimate meaning and worth elsewhere than in our particular vocations" (149). One should choose the position where he can best fulfill God's calling for His life.

Communities can also play an important role in finding one's calling. The author thinks that an inward call should be affirmed by the Christian community that knows the believer. There is the possibility that the community could judge wrong as is possible for the believer seeking God's direction. The believer can trust, however, that God will guide him in the right direction.

Vocation: Discerning our Callings Part 2

Schuurman in chapter three of his book, Vocation, lists four characteristics needed for fulfilling our calling in life. The first one is "A sense of dependence." This is demonstrated by our faith in God. This faith conquers anxiety and resentment. The author notes, "Seen theologically, anxiety and resentment are ultimately failures to trust in the God in whom we live and move and have our being" (54). The author asserts that the concept of calling helps us to see how our dependance is "a reminder of the various ways in which we are called to love God and neighbor." God uses us to accomplish His will and uses others to meet our needs.

The second characteristic is "a sense of gratitude." Gratitude complements dependence. Schuurman asserts, "Everything that contributes to life and its flourishing is a gift freely given from God" (56). Gratitude opens us to experience God's call. We understand that God has given much to us and we are to give to others. Gratitude makes us responsive to the needs of others. We will want to serve others with the gifts God has given us.

"A sense of obligation" is the third trait discussed. The author notes, "The sense of obligation arises out of our experiences of being sustained by others, recognizing our own dependence on orderly processes, knowing that orderly processes require our participation, and realizing that others depend upon our attention and care" (61). We are interdependent beings. We have been helped by others to get to our current place of usefulness. God calls us to help others to flourish in their lives. The author also sees our current obligations as showing God's callings in our life: "Our duties as children, parents, spouses, employers, employees, friends, and citizens are particular expressions of God's command to love God and neighbor" (63). We are to be faithful where God has placed us and to fulfill our responsibilities and obligations to those around us. People too often see God's calling as future and do not see God's callings in the present.

The fourth is "a sense of meaning." Most people are searching for a way to find meaning in their life. They want their life to count for something. They want to be part of something larger than themselves. The author states that we find meaning "by identifying parts and linking them to each other, forming larger wholes . . . these wholes are goods, ends, values that give meaning and purpose to life" (65). Schuurman states that the "doctrine of vocation encourages to connect all aspects of our present, past, and future to God's plans and purposes" (66). We want to connect our callings to God's purposes for the world.

Vocation: Discerning our Callings in Life Part 1

Douglas J. Schuurman, Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life. Eerdmans, 2004. ISBN: 9780802801371

Does God have a calling for every Christian? The idea of calling has fallen on hard times. Some Christians believe it is an important topic that must be rediscovered. Others think it is an idea that is no longer useful. Schuurman's Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life argues that the Protestant Reformers' idea of vocation needs to be rediscovered and applied to modern times.

Scuurman draws mainly from the The Lutheran and Calvinist traditions of the Protestant Reformation. He quotes from the works of Calvin, Luther, and modern reformed thinkers like Emil Brunner, Karl Barth, Nicholas Wolterstorff, Cornelius Plantinga, and Lee Hardy. Schuurman's primary goal "is to develop a contemporary articulation of the classic Protestant doctrine of vocation" (xi). He recognizes that many contemporary Christian thinkers reject the teaching on vocation or Christian calling. This "book is primarily for Christians who want to think about what vocation means and how it may be significant for their lives" (xiv). Schuurman does address the criticisms of the doctrine of vocation by Miroslav Volf, Gary Badcock, Stanley Hauerwas, and others.

Chapter one asks the question: "Vocation under assault: can it be salvaged? Schuurman answers in the affirmative but he creates a more nuance teaching of vocation than the reformers. In other words, he takes into consideration the criticism to make a more balanced teaching on vocation. Schuurman notes, According to the teaching of Calvin and Luther, "All relational spheres are religiously and morally meaningful as divinely given avenues through which persons respond obediently to the call of God to serve their neighbor in love" (4). Schurrman says their is the general call to follow Christ and callings in our life to serve our neighbor through the particular gifts, opportunities, position, and duties given to us by God.

Many critics of the idea of vocation think it is not supported by Biblical teaching. Schuurman believes that it is. He notes, "In the Bible, vocation has two primary meanings. The first, and by far more prevalent, meaning is the call to become a member of the people of God and to take up the duties that pertain to that membership. . . The second meaning is God's diverse and particular callings--- special tasks, offices, or places of responsibility within the covenant community and in the broader society" (17). The Biblical teaching on vocation is discussed in chapter two. Schuurman believes that the spiritual gifts given to us are related to our natural abilities. He sees the providence of God at work in our callings. He also sees that our callings relates to human needs. Schurrman notes, "To the extent that the duties of one's many places also contribute to meeting human needs, those duties are God's callings" (39).

In chapter three, Schuurman presents a theology for vocation. He shows how vocation relates to God's mission in the world. God wants to redeem the world. It is a comprehensive redemption. Schuurman observes, "God created all things; sin infects all things; God redeems all things through Jesus Christ. Christians, like the Christ whose name they bear, share in God's redemptive and creative purposes in all things. Therefore Christian vocation includes all aspects of cultural and social life (Author's emphasis)" (51). The author disagrees with the idea that only ministers working full-time on church staffs are called or have a Christian vocation. He thinks all Christians are called and have a vocation from God.