- Martin Luther King
Last time we covered the intentions and purpose of work, basically what work is meant to be like. How God has gifted us, and the attitude we have towards work. This article will be a direct continuation of the last one.
"How does this inform and light up our attempt to draft a sound theology of work?" This is the question we should be asking ourselves when we approach the theology of work.
So for example, one of the divisions of theology is eschatology, the doctrine of the end times. If we ask how eschatology affects our theology of work, it raises some highly charged issues:
- How do we understand the second coming of Christ? For example if we see Christ returning prior to a thousand year reign, prior to the Judgement (pre-millennialism) then our work makes very little difference to the state of the world and therefore affects the effort we put into it. And it’s vice versa for the opposing argument.
- How do we view the end state of things?A final judgement after which believers live with Christ in Heaven and the rest… Or do we take strongly the statements that there shall be a new Heaven and a new earth and therefore ‘work’ is going to be a continued part of the new creation?
And so on…
The point is that we can take each major doctrinal area and fashion an approach to work in the light of its teachings.
The way biblical figures have reacted to work-like situations.
The Bible is a book about real people and their stories can fashion our own approaches. The story of Joseph for example is rich in material of this nature. It is not just about work in terms of paid employment but it is a powerful for those in settings of both leadership and oppression.
There are examples in many places of the impact of God’s people on their workplace:
-Joseph, Daniel, Amos, Boaz, Nehemiah…
… and the way in which ordinary people are part of the mission of God wherever they are (Note in Acts 8:1 the fact that after the death of Stephen ordinary Christians were scattered and went their way spreading the good news, something that would have happened in the workplace as well as at home and in worship).
The whole balance of Scripture indicates that the majority of those who form the biblical story are ordinary people in everyday settings and not just religious professionals.
So how do we draw this together in a theology of work?
It is your task to form your own theology. By this I mean that you need to work out which biblical themes shape the way you perceive your work. There is ample instruction in Scripture about the way you work, your attitude to others, your relationships with those round about you, your ethical standards. But the big picture of work, how it fits into your faith, how it relates to the view you have of the Kingdom of God – these are your tasks.
Richard Higginson in approaching ethical issues related to business in particular, says he uses four key themes as the framework within which he constructs his approach:
Creation
- Why did God make the world?
- Why did he make us?
- How does this affect what we do and how we do it?
- How do we reflect His image and carry out His intentions?
Fall
- How do I understand myself as a sinner?
- How does sin specifically affect my workplace?
- How does sin affect the structures of work on both a micro-scale (where I work) and the macro-scale (work as a whole)?
Redemption
- In what way has the work of Jesus saved me in my workplace setting?
- Has my personal salvation affected my work?
- Where does work fit into the work of Jesus?
- Does the fact that Jesus came in the flesh (incarnation) have a bearing on the way I see myself in the workplace?
Future Hope
- How does work fit into God’s Kingdom intentions?
- Am I just ‘filling in the time till He comes’ or ‘preparing the way for his coming?’
- In what way is my attitude and my work a sign of hope?
- What do I expect to work at the return of Christ?
This is brief outline of how to approach a personal theology work based on the major doctrines of the Christian faith. This approach could also be adapted to other areas of life.
That’s all for this week, I try not to make the articles too long, but I’m sure you understand that when we’re exploring and discussing an issue it’s always as straight forward as we think! And that’s another confession from me… a Jesus Freak!
-AndyC
