Luther on Vocation
There have been some who have asked me for me recent paper concerning Martin Luther’s understanding of vocation. I thought I would post it here for all who are interested. Below is a short abstract which covers the highlights of the paper.
Abstract Especially in collegiate circles, vocation is a word which is used quite frequently. This is not new; indeed the concept has been around as far back as the Reformation. There Martin Luther engaged in a critical rethinking of the doctrine, calling Roman Catholicism back to the Bible, the only sure rule of faith and practice in the life of the believer. Often times, today, vocation is used to refer to one’s occupation or career. This comes as a direct result of Martin Luther’s writings, and while this is a correct statement of what Luther said, it leaves out a considerable part of his focus on the topic. For Luther, vocation is a very broad term. Generally it refers to one’s station or situation in life; it is any place where one has the opportunity to server their neighbor. Therefore Luther speaks of marriage, familial life, civic or political duties, as well as occupation all as one’s vocation. In each of these an individual has the opportunity to serve their neighbor in love; this is what God calls men to do. The main reason why Luther wrote on this subject was because of the way Rome had set up the monastic life or priesthood above the life of the common man. They thought of their way of life as more spiritual and viewed the laity as a kind of second rate Christianity. Luther argued that this was not the case at all. Instead, all ways of life, if in accordance with God’s word, are to be viewed as equal. This is by virtue of the fact that all are justified before God only by faith and that faith is a simple trust in God’s promises in Christ. Furthermore, because all are justified before God on account of their trust in the work of Christ, the Scriptures refer to them all as priests. Therefore, it is wrong to hold the title of priest over the heads of the lay people as if they were not in proper standing before God. As a result, the good works which one does in their vocation are not to be thought of a something which is meritorious before God but should be directed at their neighbor. In Lutheran terms this removes the place of vocation from the kingdom of heaven and puts it in the earthly kingdom. The priest does not perform the duties of his office as good works before God, but in service to his community. Similarly, the mother does not try to earn her salvation by doing her good works, but teaches and cares for her children in love so as to tend to their needs.
A fresh look back at Martin Luther’s understanding of vocation has great implications for us today. First, it will help people recognize that they have a vocation where they are at in life. God has called them to serve their neighbor in love; this will inevitably include a paid occupation but should not be limited to just that. Second, a renewed understanding of vocation will correct the association we have today of paid work as our paradigm for other vocations. Third, it will help us to see the communal aspect of calling.