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Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor
Most Christians spend most of their waking hours working, yet many regard work as at best a necessary evil — just one more unfortunate by-product of humanity’s fall from grace. Not so, says Ben Witherington III, and in A Kingdom Perspective on Labor, he considers work as neither the curse nor the cure of human life but, rather, as something good that God has given us to do. In this brief primer on the biblical theology and ethics of work, Witherington carefully unpacks the concept of work, considering its relationship to rest, play, worship, the normal cycle of human life, and the coming Kingdom of God. Work as calling, work as ministry, work as a way to make a living, and the notably unbiblical notion of retirement — Witherington’s Work engages these subjects and more, combining scholarly acumen with good humor, common sense, cultural awareness, and biblically based insights from Genesis to Revelation. “Ben Witherington has given the whole people of God something desperately needed to make sense of Monday to Friday — a theology of work that breaks down the heretical sacred-secular distinction. . . . Offers a work-view and life-view that, if embraced, would revitalize the mission of God’s people in the world. It’s that good.” — R. Paul Stevens author of The Other Six Days and Taking Your Soul to Work “Conducting a critical dialogue with the theological voices of our day, drawing upon the wisdom of the Christian tradition, and offering a sensitive reading of New Testament parables, Witherington delivers sound counsel on the Kingdom meaning of work and its implications for our lives today.” — Lee Hardy author of The Fabric of This World
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2011
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202 people want to read
About the author
Ben Witherington III
129 books151 followersBen Witherington III (PhD, University of Durham) is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, and is on the doctoral faculty at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author or coauthor of more than thirty books, including The Jesus Quest, The Paul Quest, and The New York Times bestseller The Brother of Jesus. He has appeared on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, and CNN.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 7, 2020
This is one of several evangelicals' recent contributions to the theology of work from the christian perspective. Ben Witherington notes that until the last decade, there has been a dearth of theological reflections on this important aspect of the christian life. This is a glaring deficit, considering that we spend an enormous part of our life working, that the bible has a great deal to say about this subject and that work can and ought to be the main domain where the disciple of Christ is spiritually formed, fulfills his calling and brings glory to God. It is a strange omission in most works of christian theology. This is a welcome corrective to the long neglect.
Throughout the book, the author interacts candidly with the major conversational partners on the christian understanding of work and does not hold back from critiquing the thoughts of eminent writers and theologians, past and present, such as Miroslav Volf, Jurgen Moltmann, Gene Veith, Martin Luther, Augustine, David Jensen and Andy Crouch and putting forth his own case. Those familiar with Witherington's background will not be surprised by his inclination that shapes the way he thinks about work. His Wesleyan, Arminian, Pacifist leanings are conspicuous, and his tone is one of unabashed confidence in the biblical veracity of his position.
He begins with a theologically-oriented definition of work for the Christian and he puts it in the perspective of one who is lives in anticipation of the new creation. Work is for the Christian more than seeking self-fulfilment or meeting human needs or making money to survive/prosper but a participation in God's eschatological project of bringing in the new creation. Work from the Christian perspective cannot be understood apart from the cosmic renewing work of the Spirit of God.
Then he takes us through some key biblical passages on work and basically cautions us against either demonizing or divinizing work. The biblical warnings against workaholism and a promethean approach to work are as clear as they are against sloth. It is important to see work as part of but not the be-all and end-all of what it means to be human. It is to balanced with play, worship and rest.
He seeks to correct, in his view, certain distortions of the biblical understanding of work in some forms of christian thoughts such as the clergy-laity divide, the sacred-secular dichotomy, the meticulous supervision of human affairs by an all-controlling God, an aversion to works due to a faulty understanding of works-righteousness, and the theology of separate spheres and realms of duties that allow Christians to violate biblical teachings in his 'official line of duty'. In all, he argues for a more coherent, holistic view of work that allows all Christians to live out the kingdom vocation through good, honest, edifying labour.
He reminds us that Christians are 'God's workmanship created in Christ for good works' (Eph 2:10). The nature of good work, as such, is discussed. Honesty, diligence, creativity and excellence are important ingredients of what constitutes good work. But the basic commitment of the Christian is not only towards a high quality of our work but the highest kind of work that has been entrusted to us by God. That is the work of fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. It is with this basic eternal, redemptive framework that he discusses the concepts of 'calling' and 'vocation'. Under this rubric, the place of marriage and celibacy, 'church work' and 'non-church' vocations as well as the issue of remuneration are discussed.
Within 166 pages, he covers a lot of grounds and we may complain that he could have gone deeper in some of the more controversial points he touches on and that his definitions of what constitutes 'work' or 'calling' are a little difficult to follow but as a primer, it is quite a treat. It is not a book that will satisfy you with clear-cut answers and unassailable arguments but the sort of book that will 'tease your brain into active thought', as Witherington loves to say and do. Written in a witty and stimulating way, this latest installment by a very learned and articulate writer entertains as much as it educates.
Throughout the book, the author interacts candidly with the major conversational partners on the christian understanding of work and does not hold back from critiquing the thoughts of eminent writers and theologians, past and present, such as Miroslav Volf, Jurgen Moltmann, Gene Veith, Martin Luther, Augustine, David Jensen and Andy Crouch and putting forth his own case. Those familiar with Witherington's background will not be surprised by his inclination that shapes the way he thinks about work. His Wesleyan, Arminian, Pacifist leanings are conspicuous, and his tone is one of unabashed confidence in the biblical veracity of his position.
He begins with a theologically-oriented definition of work for the Christian and he puts it in the perspective of one who is lives in anticipation of the new creation. Work is for the Christian more than seeking self-fulfilment or meeting human needs or making money to survive/prosper but a participation in God's eschatological project of bringing in the new creation. Work from the Christian perspective cannot be understood apart from the cosmic renewing work of the Spirit of God.
Then he takes us through some key biblical passages on work and basically cautions us against either demonizing or divinizing work. The biblical warnings against workaholism and a promethean approach to work are as clear as they are against sloth. It is important to see work as part of but not the be-all and end-all of what it means to be human. It is to balanced with play, worship and rest.
He seeks to correct, in his view, certain distortions of the biblical understanding of work in some forms of christian thoughts such as the clergy-laity divide, the sacred-secular dichotomy, the meticulous supervision of human affairs by an all-controlling God, an aversion to works due to a faulty understanding of works-righteousness, and the theology of separate spheres and realms of duties that allow Christians to violate biblical teachings in his 'official line of duty'. In all, he argues for a more coherent, holistic view of work that allows all Christians to live out the kingdom vocation through good, honest, edifying labour.
He reminds us that Christians are 'God's workmanship created in Christ for good works' (Eph 2:10). The nature of good work, as such, is discussed. Honesty, diligence, creativity and excellence are important ingredients of what constitutes good work. But the basic commitment of the Christian is not only towards a high quality of our work but the highest kind of work that has been entrusted to us by God. That is the work of fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. It is with this basic eternal, redemptive framework that he discusses the concepts of 'calling' and 'vocation'. Under this rubric, the place of marriage and celibacy, 'church work' and 'non-church' vocations as well as the issue of remuneration are discussed.
Within 166 pages, he covers a lot of grounds and we may complain that he could have gone deeper in some of the more controversial points he touches on and that his definitions of what constitutes 'work' or 'calling' are a little difficult to follow but as a primer, it is quite a treat. It is not a book that will satisfy you with clear-cut answers and unassailable arguments but the sort of book that will 'tease your brain into active thought', as Witherington loves to say and do. Written in a witty and stimulating way, this latest installment by a very learned and articulate writer entertains as much as it educates.
December 9, 2022
Sebagai seseorang yang tak jarang menggerutu soal kerja & karir, serta mengharapkan sesuatu yang lebih "keren" atau "sesuai passion", begitu mudah untuk melihat kerja2 sehari2 sebagai kutukan, seperti yang dialami Adam setelah kejatuhan dalam dosa pada kitab Kejadian di Alkitab Perjanjian Lama.
Namun seharusnya saya sadar lebih dalam, kerja & kreasi adalah hakikat terdalam Allah Sang Pencipta & manusia dalam kehadirannya di bumi. Manusia, dalam perspektif Alkitab, adalah ciptaan yang dipanggil untuk menamai segenap ciptaan, menata-layan semesta, & mengusahakan pertumbuhan. Kegiatan2 yang mencerminkan citra diri manusia yang dicipta menurut gambar & rupa Allah itulah yang sejatinya merupakan kerja.
Di buku ini, Witherington menghadirkan pembahasan kerja secara begitu luas. Dari salah kaprah kerja sebagai kutuk, salah kaprah bahwa keselamatan manusia tidak membutuhkan kerja, sampai salah kaprah yang mengagung2kan kerja maupun mendemonisasi kerja.
Witherington dalam tulisannya mencoba berdialog dengan beragam teolog Kristen sepanjang zaman soal kerja, mulai dari Agustinus, Martin Luther, Jurgen Moltmann, sampai Miroslav Volf, untuk mendefinisikan makna kerja yang Alkitabiah. Sudut pandangnya soal kerja menjadi kaya, dari pemahaman kerja tidak saja semata sebagai panggilan (vocation), namun juga talenta (charisma), juga cakupannya yang tidak melulu apa yang menghasilkan uang, tapi juga merawat kehidupan.
Sesuai judul buku, kerja bagi Witherington harus dilihat dari perspektif Kerajaan Allah. Surga, "langit & bumi baru", bukanlah tempat manusia tidak berbuat apa2, melainkan tempat manusia bisa berkarya tanpa tangis air mata & ketakutan eksploitasi di bawah kejatuhan dalam dosa.
Maka kerja2 produktif (berpengaruh bagi kalkulasi pertumbuhan ekonomi) hingga reproduktif (kerja2 domestik & merawat keberlangsungan hidup) adalah kesempatan menghadirkan Kerajaan Allah. Tak hanya kerja semata, tapi juga kerja yang proporsional dengan bermain, beristirahat, & semuanya dalam bingkai penyembahan kepada Allah.
Namun seharusnya saya sadar lebih dalam, kerja & kreasi adalah hakikat terdalam Allah Sang Pencipta & manusia dalam kehadirannya di bumi. Manusia, dalam perspektif Alkitab, adalah ciptaan yang dipanggil untuk menamai segenap ciptaan, menata-layan semesta, & mengusahakan pertumbuhan. Kegiatan2 yang mencerminkan citra diri manusia yang dicipta menurut gambar & rupa Allah itulah yang sejatinya merupakan kerja.
Di buku ini, Witherington menghadirkan pembahasan kerja secara begitu luas. Dari salah kaprah kerja sebagai kutuk, salah kaprah bahwa keselamatan manusia tidak membutuhkan kerja, sampai salah kaprah yang mengagung2kan kerja maupun mendemonisasi kerja.
Witherington dalam tulisannya mencoba berdialog dengan beragam teolog Kristen sepanjang zaman soal kerja, mulai dari Agustinus, Martin Luther, Jurgen Moltmann, sampai Miroslav Volf, untuk mendefinisikan makna kerja yang Alkitabiah. Sudut pandangnya soal kerja menjadi kaya, dari pemahaman kerja tidak saja semata sebagai panggilan (vocation), namun juga talenta (charisma), juga cakupannya yang tidak melulu apa yang menghasilkan uang, tapi juga merawat kehidupan.
Sesuai judul buku, kerja bagi Witherington harus dilihat dari perspektif Kerajaan Allah. Surga, "langit & bumi baru", bukanlah tempat manusia tidak berbuat apa2, melainkan tempat manusia bisa berkarya tanpa tangis air mata & ketakutan eksploitasi di bawah kejatuhan dalam dosa.
Maka kerja2 produktif (berpengaruh bagi kalkulasi pertumbuhan ekonomi) hingga reproduktif (kerja2 domestik & merawat keberlangsungan hidup) adalah kesempatan menghadirkan Kerajaan Allah. Tak hanya kerja semata, tapi juga kerja yang proporsional dengan bermain, beristirahat, & semuanya dalam bingkai penyembahan kepada Allah.
February 18, 2011
Reading Ben Witherington’s Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor has been a wake-up call for me — and not a polite courtesy call from the hotel desk clerk, either. Work has been like a brisk bucket of ice water to my innermost face.
I realize now that I have always in some way been guilty of regarding work as a curse — a regrettable consequence of humanity’s Fall from grace. “I have to work because my great-great-great-times-a-bunch grandparents really screwed up,” I thought. “What a royal drag.”
Like a petulant teenager, I have for a long time set about doing as little real work as possible, trying (without even noticing it) just to drift along and get by until my time comes to go to heaven — that luxurious, everlasting retirement home.
This attitude, by the way, is entirely unbiblical, as Witherington has kindly pointed out to me in Work. God worked to create the world; He worked to redeem it; and He’s actively working to sustain and re-make it. Even before the fall, God gave Adam work to do, tending the garden and naming the animals — and it was very good. Even in heaven (which apparently isn’t described as a celestial retirement home anywhere in the Bible), we’ll have real and wonderful work to do. In Revelation 21, God promises that there will be no death, no mourning, no crying, and no pain. He never promises no work, and how I unconsciously slipped the word work into this list, I can’t quite say.
Witherington’s biblical paradigm of work makes perfect sense to me when I think about it. Doing good work — work that uses my skills and talents to their utmost, work that serves other people and creates something beautiful and worthwhile — is incredibly satisfying. When I shirk my daily duties because I think them hard or tedious, I’m really missing out on a very good gift, and I feel it keenly in my soul.
. . .
I have been terribly thirsty for the good teaching in this book. Work has given me so much to think about and a very different (much holier) way to regard the activity that occupies the lion’s share of my life: work. Thanks for that, Dr. Witherington.
[Excerpted from my longer review at http://eerdword.wordpress.com/2011/01...]
I realize now that I have always in some way been guilty of regarding work as a curse — a regrettable consequence of humanity’s Fall from grace. “I have to work because my great-great-great-times-a-bunch grandparents really screwed up,” I thought. “What a royal drag.”
Like a petulant teenager, I have for a long time set about doing as little real work as possible, trying (without even noticing it) just to drift along and get by until my time comes to go to heaven — that luxurious, everlasting retirement home.
This attitude, by the way, is entirely unbiblical, as Witherington has kindly pointed out to me in Work. God worked to create the world; He worked to redeem it; and He’s actively working to sustain and re-make it. Even before the fall, God gave Adam work to do, tending the garden and naming the animals — and it was very good. Even in heaven (which apparently isn’t described as a celestial retirement home anywhere in the Bible), we’ll have real and wonderful work to do. In Revelation 21, God promises that there will be no death, no mourning, no crying, and no pain. He never promises no work, and how I unconsciously slipped the word work into this list, I can’t quite say.
Witherington’s biblical paradigm of work makes perfect sense to me when I think about it. Doing good work — work that uses my skills and talents to their utmost, work that serves other people and creates something beautiful and worthwhile — is incredibly satisfying. When I shirk my daily duties because I think them hard or tedious, I’m really missing out on a very good gift, and I feel it keenly in my soul.
. . .
I have been terribly thirsty for the good teaching in this book. Work has given me so much to think about and a very different (much holier) way to regard the activity that occupies the lion’s share of my life: work. Thanks for that, Dr. Witherington.
[Excerpted from my longer review at http://eerdword.wordpress.com/2011/01...]
March 23, 2024
I read this book for my Theology of Work course under Dr. Joshua Sweeden at Nazarene Theological Seminary.
I found this to be an interesting theological exploration of work. In all my years of theological education (I'm in year 7 now, whew), I have not read anything regarding a theology of work! So I found this fresh and engaging. Here are some quotes I enjoyed that capture a significant portion of Witherington's thinking:
"It is perfectly clear that God's good plan always included human beings working, or, more specifically, living in the constant cycle of work and rest . . . It is not work itself but the toilsomeness of work that was added to the equation as a result of the curse involved in the Fall" (2-3).
"Work, whether it involved plumbing a sink or plumbing the depths of the cosmos, in the hands of a Christian is ministry . . . Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to ask whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an expression of love of God and love of neighbor. If the answer is no, we shouldn't be doing it" (14-15).
"There is a sense in which each person is a unique combination of talents and gifting and personality and education and training, all of which factor into what sort of calling or vocation we should pursue. One thing is clear: When we find our calling, we are unlikely to find it boring, though it may be onerous in various ways . . . God makes a way, paves the way, for us to do what we ought to do, but at the same time our free, un-predetermined choices are woven into the divine design. There is a mystery to this, and it is just as wrong to suggest 'it's all God's doing,' as it is to suggest'it's all my doing.' We must work out what God works into our lives, and this includes our vocations" (35).
"Christians are called by the Scriptures to be busy, not busybodies" (43).
"In terms of vocation, every Christian has a primary obligation to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commision. This is 'job one.' There are secondary callings we may be called to in addition to this—being doctors, lawyers, businesspeople, ministers, parents, etc" (46).
"Perhaps creativity, including the arts, is the quintessential way the image of God can mirror the Creator God himself?" (51).
"We should not evaluate our work by how much we are paid to do it, nor by the amount of praise, fame, or kudos we garner for doing it. We should evaluate our work by whether we have done it well, done it to the best of our ability, done it honestly and in good time, done it to the glory of God, whatever the human response to work may be" (83).
"It is not necessary for a person to live a life of conspicuous consumption just because he has been well paid for what he has done" (95).
"Another myth is that in the technological age we are likely to have more free time. On the contrary, the 'oddity of technological advances in each generation (internal combustion engine, electrical appliances, computer, and email) has been that the very devices designed, at least in part, to reduce human labor have actually created more work!' Americans have responded to 'labor-saving" technologies with more work, and thus it is a small wonder that two-thirds of us feel overworked (and underpaid)" (134).
"One of the most pervasive pathologies in our culture today is the tendency to work to excess, without proper rest" (139).
"Another key to having sufficient rest is, of course, to downsize and downscale our material expectations in life. One of the major motivations in America for doing more work is to up our style of living, to super-size our car, our house, our possessions" (140)
"One of the things that characterizes advertising in this country is that it seeks to create 'wants' and 'needs' where they did not exist before . . . We need to cultivate not craving but contentment" (141).
"My humble suggestion would be that Christians need to take their weekends back from where they have been exiled to—the soccer fields, the malls, and of course, the workplace. If they want some freedom, then they need to know how to limit their activities, as Barth suggested. Christians need to do a better job of saying no . . . I would argue that, in principle, weekends should not be work time, but rather be worship time, rest time, sleep time, family time, visiting time, and play time" (145).
"Play is a form of celebration of life, and as such it celebrates in advance the joy, excitement, re-creation of the new creation . . . As Moltmann points out, games tend to seem useless to those who are not participating in them, rather than to those that are. 'Just asking for the purpose of a game makes a person a spoil-sport' (pp.5-6). This is rather like the person who looks at a great work of art and has to say, 'But what's the point?' If you have to ask, then you've missed the point" (146-147).
"It appears that God made us for play, as well as work, and children have a stronger sense of this than most adults do. Perhaps this is an area of life where the workaholics could learn how 'a little child shall lead them'" (149).
"Indeed, play and celebration are closer to the character of new creation in some respects than work, for they better capture the spirit of new creation, the joy, than our current work normally does" (152).
"It was Jesus who said that unless we turn and become as a child again, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God; and among other things that means we need once more to learn how to play as blissfully, creatively, and obliviously as a child" (154).
"How, then, do we discern the proper boundaries for our work, so that we do not seek to find our identity in work, nor lose ourselves in our work, nor become workaholics? My answer to this question is simple—an adequate amount of rest, play, and worship provides the boundaries for work and the reminders that work is not the be-all and end-all of our existence" (158).
I found this to be an interesting theological exploration of work. In all my years of theological education (I'm in year 7 now, whew), I have not read anything regarding a theology of work! So I found this fresh and engaging. Here are some quotes I enjoyed that capture a significant portion of Witherington's thinking:
"It is perfectly clear that God's good plan always included human beings working, or, more specifically, living in the constant cycle of work and rest . . . It is not work itself but the toilsomeness of work that was added to the equation as a result of the curse involved in the Fall" (2-3).
"Work, whether it involved plumbing a sink or plumbing the depths of the cosmos, in the hands of a Christian is ministry . . . Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to ask whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an expression of love of God and love of neighbor. If the answer is no, we shouldn't be doing it" (14-15).
"There is a sense in which each person is a unique combination of talents and gifting and personality and education and training, all of which factor into what sort of calling or vocation we should pursue. One thing is clear: When we find our calling, we are unlikely to find it boring, though it may be onerous in various ways . . . God makes a way, paves the way, for us to do what we ought to do, but at the same time our free, un-predetermined choices are woven into the divine design. There is a mystery to this, and it is just as wrong to suggest 'it's all God's doing,' as it is to suggest'it's all my doing.' We must work out what God works into our lives, and this includes our vocations" (35).
"Christians are called by the Scriptures to be busy, not busybodies" (43).
"In terms of vocation, every Christian has a primary obligation to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commision. This is 'job one.' There are secondary callings we may be called to in addition to this—being doctors, lawyers, businesspeople, ministers, parents, etc" (46).
"Perhaps creativity, including the arts, is the quintessential way the image of God can mirror the Creator God himself?" (51).
"We should not evaluate our work by how much we are paid to do it, nor by the amount of praise, fame, or kudos we garner for doing it. We should evaluate our work by whether we have done it well, done it to the best of our ability, done it honestly and in good time, done it to the glory of God, whatever the human response to work may be" (83).
"It is not necessary for a person to live a life of conspicuous consumption just because he has been well paid for what he has done" (95).
"Another myth is that in the technological age we are likely to have more free time. On the contrary, the 'oddity of technological advances in each generation (internal combustion engine, electrical appliances, computer, and email) has been that the very devices designed, at least in part, to reduce human labor have actually created more work!' Americans have responded to 'labor-saving" technologies with more work, and thus it is a small wonder that two-thirds of us feel overworked (and underpaid)" (134).
"One of the most pervasive pathologies in our culture today is the tendency to work to excess, without proper rest" (139).
"Another key to having sufficient rest is, of course, to downsize and downscale our material expectations in life. One of the major motivations in America for doing more work is to up our style of living, to super-size our car, our house, our possessions" (140)
"One of the things that characterizes advertising in this country is that it seeks to create 'wants' and 'needs' where they did not exist before . . . We need to cultivate not craving but contentment" (141).
"My humble suggestion would be that Christians need to take their weekends back from where they have been exiled to—the soccer fields, the malls, and of course, the workplace. If they want some freedom, then they need to know how to limit their activities, as Barth suggested. Christians need to do a better job of saying no . . . I would argue that, in principle, weekends should not be work time, but rather be worship time, rest time, sleep time, family time, visiting time, and play time" (145).
"Play is a form of celebration of life, and as such it celebrates in advance the joy, excitement, re-creation of the new creation . . . As Moltmann points out, games tend to seem useless to those who are not participating in them, rather than to those that are. 'Just asking for the purpose of a game makes a person a spoil-sport' (pp.5-6). This is rather like the person who looks at a great work of art and has to say, 'But what's the point?' If you have to ask, then you've missed the point" (146-147).
"It appears that God made us for play, as well as work, and children have a stronger sense of this than most adults do. Perhaps this is an area of life where the workaholics could learn how 'a little child shall lead them'" (149).
"Indeed, play and celebration are closer to the character of new creation in some respects than work, for they better capture the spirit of new creation, the joy, than our current work normally does" (152).
"It was Jesus who said that unless we turn and become as a child again, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God; and among other things that means we need once more to learn how to play as blissfully, creatively, and obliviously as a child" (154).
"How, then, do we discern the proper boundaries for our work, so that we do not seek to find our identity in work, nor lose ourselves in our work, nor become workaholics? My answer to this question is simple—an adequate amount of rest, play, and worship provides the boundaries for work and the reminders that work is not the be-all and end-all of our existence" (158).
February 15, 2013
Is work punishment as a result of the Fall, or a meaningful task that will continue to make an impact in the new creation? Is retirement biblical? Is work that produces a functional product more holy? Is marriage work? What types of work are and are not acceptable for Christians? How can you know what vocation you should be pouring your life into? Is the Protestant work ethic helpful or harmful?
Witherington has unapologetic and, depending on what doctrines you're familiar with, unexpected answers for these questions.
Witherington has unapologetic and, depending on what doctrines you're familiar with, unexpected answers for these questions.
November 15, 2021
In "Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor," Ben Witherington sets out to define and delimit the role of work in the Christian's life. In setting out to do this, he firsts defines work and then draws from some contemporary, constructive theology (such as that being done by Miroslav Volf) to explain the purpose of work in the life of a disciple set against the backdrop of the Kingdom. In later chapters he includes discussions of vocation, culture, and play in his attempt to situate work within the milieu of activities and callings for the typical Christian.
I appreciated his preface and first chapter. In the preface he quotes some theologians' definitions of work and then establishes his own: "[Work is] any necessary and meaningful task that God calls and gifts a person to do and which can be undertaken to the glory of God and for the edification and aid of human beings, being inspired by the Holy Spirit and foreshadowing the realities of the new creation" (xii). Witherington is keen to connect work to eschatology in this book which is indeed a worthwhile endeavor. After all, shouldn't all our temporal activities have the end in sight? However, with his definition, I'm not so sure what he means that work is "inspired by the Holy Spirit" nor what he means with the word "foreshadowing." Is cleaning a toilet inspired by the Holy Spirit in the same way that the writing of a Gospel is? What "realities of the new creation" does work foreshadow? Also, what is precisely this foreshadowing?
This far into the preface, Witherington was setting the stage for what should have been a distinctly exegetical contribution to the other Christian books written on work. The first chapter proved to be. In it he examines Adam's role in the garden, as well as the many descriptions in the OT of God as "worker" or "sculptor" or a great variety of other artisans. He helpfully points out that Adam's work was a co-operation with God's work, that God chose Adam (and thus, humanity) to tend and cultivate creation. From this, I expected a thoroughgoing exegesis of other OT and NT texts regarding work. I was excited to see how else we humans are to do our work as "gardeners" in the world, co-operating and coordinating with God to care for the created order. Instead, Witherington launched into a rather odd close reading of a Gene Edward Veith book on vocation, where he occasionally took Veith (and Luther) to task while substantially agreeing with them, using the Lutheran doctrine of vocation to articulate the break-down of the medieval secular/sacred distinction.
I don't think Witherington understands the Lutheran theology of vocation, nor has he interacted with current theological work being done in that area, such as that done by Kathleen Cahalan, Bonnie Miller-McLemore and the Collegeville Institute for Vocation. Witherington routinely misses the mark on vocation, and ends up with a jumbled mess of opinions on vocation, jobs, work, and calling. For some reason he is hesitant to consider "vocation" and "calling" as synonyms, though he rightly points out that one's "job" should not be understood as one's calling. In all of this, he misses the relational basis of all of this. God "calls," that is, He identifies, addresses, and speaks to us in our concrete situations. This is Veith's point that Witherington fails to understand; family is the fundamental calling as it is our very first concrete situation in life. We are each of us a helpless baby, completely dependent upon a mother, as Jesus was. It's through this web of relationships that vocation/calling plays out or is experienced. My vocation to be a singer might not mean that I'm a professional singer or even that I make money off of singing; it means, rather, that in my network of relationships which God has established for me, I have the freedom and joy of singing to connect others to the Connector, God. Witherington should read Wingren's classic book on Luther's theology of vocation in addition to Veith's.
In the next chapter Witherington also confuses the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms and mistakenly says that God would never think to operate differently based on the sacred/secular divide. I'm not sure if he believes it appropriate for the pastor to wield the sword rather than the properly appointed ("called") secular authorities (see Rom. 13), but it's clear from Luther's theology of the Two Kingdoms that the same God appointed some to rule with Grace in the one realm while others rule with the Sword in the other realm. The realm was pointed out by the Lord to Pontius Pilate when He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). It's also worth pointing out that Jesus says to Pilate later that "You would have no authority over Me if it were not given you from above" (John 19:11). When Christ the King came, Herod the King was not deposed. The one became infinitely greater than the other; but the other still retained its necessary place and position in the world. I might add that the doctrine of Luther's is demonstrable from the commands in Romans and 1 Peter for Christians to obey, honor, and pray for the earthly ruler, even if it was Nero in the case of 1 Peter!
Witherington also has an odd digression into Christian pacifism in this chapter which was poorly argued and strangely out of place. This pacifism also, very unfortunately, prevents two of the great men of faith in the NT from reaching Witherington's definition of work. I am referring to the centurion at the cross and Cornelius in Acts. I suppose the soldiers John the Baptist spent time with were also not truly doing "work," but instead were engaged in gambling, pimping, and prostitution (to use Witherington's own, oft-used examples of anti-work or bad work). Then, of course, we could go through the great soldier-saints of history and discredit and discount their work, that is, if we were Witherington.
Another major flaw in this book is Witherington's close reading of Veith when he discusses vocation, Crouch when he discusses culture, and Moltmann when discussing play. Obviously, a scholar is free to use the sources he sees fit, but these particular chapters read like graduate student summaries of books rather than meaningful, new contributions to the discussion of work. It was tiresome reading, and it is still unclear to me what the purpose of the chapter on culture was at all. Witherington could have directed readers to dozens and dozens of theologians doing meaningful work in that area, but instead just quotes Crouch extensively.
There are many other excellent books written about the theology of work that would be a better starting place than this disappointing work. I would direct others to Miroslav Volf's "Work in the Spirit," Darrell Cosden's excellent "A Theology of Work," and David Jensen's "Responsive Labor."
I appreciated his preface and first chapter. In the preface he quotes some theologians' definitions of work and then establishes his own: "[Work is] any necessary and meaningful task that God calls and gifts a person to do and which can be undertaken to the glory of God and for the edification and aid of human beings, being inspired by the Holy Spirit and foreshadowing the realities of the new creation" (xii). Witherington is keen to connect work to eschatology in this book which is indeed a worthwhile endeavor. After all, shouldn't all our temporal activities have the end in sight? However, with his definition, I'm not so sure what he means that work is "inspired by the Holy Spirit" nor what he means with the word "foreshadowing." Is cleaning a toilet inspired by the Holy Spirit in the same way that the writing of a Gospel is? What "realities of the new creation" does work foreshadow? Also, what is precisely this foreshadowing?
This far into the preface, Witherington was setting the stage for what should have been a distinctly exegetical contribution to the other Christian books written on work. The first chapter proved to be. In it he examines Adam's role in the garden, as well as the many descriptions in the OT of God as "worker" or "sculptor" or a great variety of other artisans. He helpfully points out that Adam's work was a co-operation with God's work, that God chose Adam (and thus, humanity) to tend and cultivate creation. From this, I expected a thoroughgoing exegesis of other OT and NT texts regarding work. I was excited to see how else we humans are to do our work as "gardeners" in the world, co-operating and coordinating with God to care for the created order. Instead, Witherington launched into a rather odd close reading of a Gene Edward Veith book on vocation, where he occasionally took Veith (and Luther) to task while substantially agreeing with them, using the Lutheran doctrine of vocation to articulate the break-down of the medieval secular/sacred distinction.
I don't think Witherington understands the Lutheran theology of vocation, nor has he interacted with current theological work being done in that area, such as that done by Kathleen Cahalan, Bonnie Miller-McLemore and the Collegeville Institute for Vocation. Witherington routinely misses the mark on vocation, and ends up with a jumbled mess of opinions on vocation, jobs, work, and calling. For some reason he is hesitant to consider "vocation" and "calling" as synonyms, though he rightly points out that one's "job" should not be understood as one's calling. In all of this, he misses the relational basis of all of this. God "calls," that is, He identifies, addresses, and speaks to us in our concrete situations. This is Veith's point that Witherington fails to understand; family is the fundamental calling as it is our very first concrete situation in life. We are each of us a helpless baby, completely dependent upon a mother, as Jesus was. It's through this web of relationships that vocation/calling plays out or is experienced. My vocation to be a singer might not mean that I'm a professional singer or even that I make money off of singing; it means, rather, that in my network of relationships which God has established for me, I have the freedom and joy of singing to connect others to the Connector, God. Witherington should read Wingren's classic book on Luther's theology of vocation in addition to Veith's.
In the next chapter Witherington also confuses the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms and mistakenly says that God would never think to operate differently based on the sacred/secular divide. I'm not sure if he believes it appropriate for the pastor to wield the sword rather than the properly appointed ("called") secular authorities (see Rom. 13), but it's clear from Luther's theology of the Two Kingdoms that the same God appointed some to rule with Grace in the one realm while others rule with the Sword in the other realm. The realm was pointed out by the Lord to Pontius Pilate when He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). It's also worth pointing out that Jesus says to Pilate later that "You would have no authority over Me if it were not given you from above" (John 19:11). When Christ the King came, Herod the King was not deposed. The one became infinitely greater than the other; but the other still retained its necessary place and position in the world. I might add that the doctrine of Luther's is demonstrable from the commands in Romans and 1 Peter for Christians to obey, honor, and pray for the earthly ruler, even if it was Nero in the case of 1 Peter!
Witherington also has an odd digression into Christian pacifism in this chapter which was poorly argued and strangely out of place. This pacifism also, very unfortunately, prevents two of the great men of faith in the NT from reaching Witherington's definition of work. I am referring to the centurion at the cross and Cornelius in Acts. I suppose the soldiers John the Baptist spent time with were also not truly doing "work," but instead were engaged in gambling, pimping, and prostitution (to use Witherington's own, oft-used examples of anti-work or bad work). Then, of course, we could go through the great soldier-saints of history and discredit and discount their work, that is, if we were Witherington.
Another major flaw in this book is Witherington's close reading of Veith when he discusses vocation, Crouch when he discusses culture, and Moltmann when discussing play. Obviously, a scholar is free to use the sources he sees fit, but these particular chapters read like graduate student summaries of books rather than meaningful, new contributions to the discussion of work. It was tiresome reading, and it is still unclear to me what the purpose of the chapter on culture was at all. Witherington could have directed readers to dozens and dozens of theologians doing meaningful work in that area, but instead just quotes Crouch extensively.
There are many other excellent books written about the theology of work that would be a better starting place than this disappointing work. I would direct others to Miroslav Volf's "Work in the Spirit," Darrell Cosden's excellent "A Theology of Work," and David Jensen's "Responsive Labor."
May 9, 2024
I found this book to be a mixed bag. I appreciated much of what the author wrote about work, play, and rest. But the author writes from an Arminian theology perspective, and as a result, I’m going to disagree with him on some theology issues. For example, he writes that “Jesus does not think salvation is a finished product”. He states that scripture suggests that the relationship of our work to reward and even to salvation (my emphasis) is far more complex than those in some Christian circles would like to admit. He also appears to believe that a Christian can lose their salvation. He confusingly refers to “initial salvation or conversion”. He criticizes Luther’s view of vocation, which reformed theology holds highly, and has criticism of Gene Veith’s excellent book God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. In addition, the author justifies abortion if the mother’s life appears to be in danger.
On much of what the author writes about our work I can agree. He states that modern Americans, including many Christians, have little or no understanding of what the Bible actually says about work, and that Christian theologians have seldom addressed the topic of work.
Like Os Guinness in his book The Call: Finding and Fulfilling God's Purpose For Your Life, the author writes that in terms of vocation, every Christian has a primary obligation to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. There are secondary callings we may be called to in addition to this — being doctors, lawyers, businesspeople, ministers, parents, etc.
The author discusses the parable of the talents and the parable of the day laborers. He quotes extensively from Miroslav Volf’s book Work in the Spirit: Toward a Theology of Work, which I’ve not read, but have read critiques of. He devotes an entire chapter to Andy Crouch’s book Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling.
Although I appreciate much of what the author writes specifically about work, I cannot recommend this book because of its questionable theology, some of which I’ve mentioned above. Below I’ve listed some helpful quotes from the book about work.
• Work was part of the original creation design, and it appears to be in the works for the new creation as well. Work should be neither demonized nor divinized.
• Work, then, should be seen as one’s vocation — what one is equipped and trained or gifted and experienced to do.
• The right question to ask about work as a Christian is, Does this activity help or hinder the coming Kingdom? Does this activity promote the cause of Christ? Does this activity glorify God, and can it be offered up to God in thanksgiving?
• Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to ask whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an expression of love of God and love of neighbor. If the answer is no, we shouldn’t be doing it.
• Work is not a secular activity; it is a sacred one originally ordained by God, and so it must be undertaken in holy ways.
• Even when work seems like drudgery, if it is done to God’s glory it is good in character, and if it is done for the edification of others, it is at the very least divine drudgery, not mere toil, not mere activity. It has meaning, purpose, direction. It is Kingdom-bringing.
• God is delighted when we do our work well and to his glory and in his service and for his purposes.
• We should evaluate our work by whether we have done it well, done it to the best of our ability, done it honestly and in good time, done it to the glory of God, whatever the human response to the work may be.
• Regardless of the work a Christian does, it should be seen as a calling, not merely a job, and it should be seen as a ministry done in service of the King and his Kingdom, not merely a task.
• Any work that is good and godly, any work worth doing, can be done to the glory of God and for the help of humankind. And while we are at it, any such work is full-time ministry.
• As Christians we have to take the position that we have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others, including in the workplace.
On much of what the author writes about our work I can agree. He states that modern Americans, including many Christians, have little or no understanding of what the Bible actually says about work, and that Christian theologians have seldom addressed the topic of work.
Like Os Guinness in his book The Call: Finding and Fulfilling God's Purpose For Your Life, the author writes that in terms of vocation, every Christian has a primary obligation to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. There are secondary callings we may be called to in addition to this — being doctors, lawyers, businesspeople, ministers, parents, etc.
The author discusses the parable of the talents and the parable of the day laborers. He quotes extensively from Miroslav Volf’s book Work in the Spirit: Toward a Theology of Work, which I’ve not read, but have read critiques of. He devotes an entire chapter to Andy Crouch’s book Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling.
Although I appreciate much of what the author writes specifically about work, I cannot recommend this book because of its questionable theology, some of which I’ve mentioned above. Below I’ve listed some helpful quotes from the book about work.
• Work was part of the original creation design, and it appears to be in the works for the new creation as well. Work should be neither demonized nor divinized.
• Work, then, should be seen as one’s vocation — what one is equipped and trained or gifted and experienced to do.
• The right question to ask about work as a Christian is, Does this activity help or hinder the coming Kingdom? Does this activity promote the cause of Christ? Does this activity glorify God, and can it be offered up to God in thanksgiving?
• Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to ask whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an expression of love of God and love of neighbor. If the answer is no, we shouldn’t be doing it.
• Work is not a secular activity; it is a sacred one originally ordained by God, and so it must be undertaken in holy ways.
• Even when work seems like drudgery, if it is done to God’s glory it is good in character, and if it is done for the edification of others, it is at the very least divine drudgery, not mere toil, not mere activity. It has meaning, purpose, direction. It is Kingdom-bringing.
• God is delighted when we do our work well and to his glory and in his service and for his purposes.
• We should evaluate our work by whether we have done it well, done it to the best of our ability, done it honestly and in good time, done it to the glory of God, whatever the human response to the work may be.
• Regardless of the work a Christian does, it should be seen as a calling, not merely a job, and it should be seen as a ministry done in service of the King and his Kingdom, not merely a task.
• Any work that is good and godly, any work worth doing, can be done to the glory of God and for the help of humankind. And while we are at it, any such work is full-time ministry.
• As Christians we have to take the position that we have been blessed in order to be a blessing to others, including in the workplace.
August 16, 2014
Work: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor
This book should be a part of the library of anyone who is interested in the theology of work, work as worship, or business as missions movements. Witherington wrote this book out of his perceived dearth of material on the theology of work, and that is one weakness of the book-- he examines a few sources in depth but somehow has missed so many others. If you read Hugh Wenchel's How Now Shall We Work or Tim Keller's Every Good Endeavor you can find a host of sources over the centuries on this topic that Witherington somehow missed.
Andy Crouch, Mirslov Volf, H. Richard Niebuhr are three he extensively cites that are also cited by the aforementioned works. As such, there is much agreement between all of these books. But Witherington offers his insights which are different than the Reformed writers above. He offers this critique of other attempts to look at a theology of work: "they work forward through the Bible, rather than backward, and...never get to an eschatological or Kingdom perspective on work, that is, work in light of the in-breaking Kingdom," which is Witherington's contribution (p. xvi.)
Witherington offers his own definition of work: "any necessary and meaningful task that God calls and gifts a person to do and which can be undertaken to the glory of God and for the edification and aid of human beings, being inspired by the Spirit and foreshadowing the realities of the new creation" (p. xii).
Human beings were intended to work, and not just to do any kind of work, but to do good works, and do them in accord with the way we have been fashioned, the abilities we have been given, and therefore the vocations for which we are best suited (p. 7). Expanding on his definition of work, Witherington writes
"Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to as whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an epression of love of God and love of neighbor...Work is not a secular activity; it is a sacred one originally ordained by God, and so it must be undertaken in holy ways...Whatever we do, we are to strive for excellence...'Good enough' is not good enough whe the standard of excellence is the example of Christ the worker" (p.15).
Christians can inhabit many spheres of vocation, but activities like prostitution do not fit the definition of "work." Witherington likewise contends that Christians cannot be soldiers, since Jesus commands us to love our enemies and to bless them, not kill them. All work can be God-glorifying, even if it is not our specific vocation:
"The truth is that even when work seems like drudgery, if it is done to God's glory it is good in character, and if it is done for the edification of others it is at the very least divine drudgery, not mere toil, not mere activity. It has meaning, purpose, direction. It is Kingdom-bringing." (p. 21)
Witherington looks at Veith's God at Work, which I am not familiar with, particularly to analyze Martin Luther's views on work. Luther held the probelmatic sacred vs. secular view of work, which Witherington (like Keller et al) rightly critiques:
"But the Bible says nothing about God having two kingdoms, one spiritual and one physical, one sacred and one secular. The only Kingdom in the Bible that has the name God appended to it is the one Jesus claimed to be bringing in through his preaching, teaching, healing, dying, and rising" (p. 28).
Witherington later approvingly quotes Andy Crouch that "If the ships of Tarshish and the camels of Midian can find a place in the New Jersualem, our work, no matter how 'secular,' can too." (p. 123).
"the sacred-versus-secular dichotomy doesn't work when it comes to defining Christian work. Any work that is good and godly, any work worth doing, can be done to the glory of God and for the help of humankind. And while we are at it, any such work is full-time ministry" (p. 126).
The Lutheran view focused on serving one's neighbor in his work, not God Himself. Witherington rightly points out that this does not conform with Paul's epistles and personal example.
Witherington contends that when Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11) He means that Christ shares our yoke-- we are co-laborers with God (1 Cor. 3:9) in His work in the world. "(W)hen we are doing Christ's work he is sharing our yoke...this is what makes the burdens light...The Christian...(must) recognize that the whole yoke does not fall on our shoulders" (p. 64). This also plays into Witherington's thoughts on the important of taking a Sabbath from all activities, which he develops in the latter parts of the book. He encourages Christians to take a day of rest, say, Saturday as separate from their day of worship (Sunday).We must consider how we should best Sabbath.
Vocation is something that was defined pretty well in Hugh Whelchel's book-- and Witherington works to hash out a definition as well. Your vocation is basically what God has called and equipped you to do. Many Christians may work in a profession that is not their vocation, even though they are working in that profession in a Christian manner. The author then looks at the parable of talents from Matthew 25:14-30. God does not give everyone the same amount of faith (Romans 12:3-6), but we are called to step out and work with what we have. Our work ethic ("zeal") and quality matter to the Master who is going to return one day (see 1 Corinthians 3:5-15) (p.71-76).
"Everything is to be done coram Deo, before the face of God, not merely bearing in mind that God is watching, but bearing in mind that God is now working, and also will one day do the quality control test on one's work" (p. 89).
"(A)ll persons in Christ are called to both ministry and discipleship of various sorts. Labor is part of this calling...Work is part of what we offer to God on a daily basis as we respond to God's call to do various things that matter in life, even do things that change life for the better, or even save lives" (p.81)
Witherington is clear, work doesn't save us or endear us to God, but it is an expression of our holiness and desire to do the will of God. He critique's David Jenson's statement that "Human work can never detract from or add to the work God has already accomplished," as being unbiblical and something that "undevalues our work" (p. 130). Witherington elaborates:
"God could have chosen to redeem the world and bring in his Kingdom without us, but he has not chosen to do that. He has chosen to use us as his instruments to do His work. Our work, then, if it is good and godly, can never be seen as merely a response to the work of God, though it is often that as well. The work of God can be hindered or helped, added to or destroyed by what we do" (see Romans 14:20, 1 Cor. 3:9, and Ephesians 2:10) (p. 130).
Witherington echoes Andy Crouch's call for Christians to "make culture."
"Christians must work hard to produce the best art, the best movies, the best neighborhoods, the best restaurants, the best athletics possible, not merely by copying, but by coming up with something fresh, new, interesting, life-changing" (p. 111).
In all, I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. Witherington is mainly critiquing a few other works and adding his own contributions. But it lacks supporting evidence and anecdotes from those who work in professions other than theology, like himself, and is therefore weaker than Keller or Crouch's work. It is a necessary read, and I would like to explore more Wesleyan/Methodist views on work as worship.
This book should be a part of the library of anyone who is interested in the theology of work, work as worship, or business as missions movements. Witherington wrote this book out of his perceived dearth of material on the theology of work, and that is one weakness of the book-- he examines a few sources in depth but somehow has missed so many others. If you read Hugh Wenchel's How Now Shall We Work or Tim Keller's Every Good Endeavor you can find a host of sources over the centuries on this topic that Witherington somehow missed.
Andy Crouch, Mirslov Volf, H. Richard Niebuhr are three he extensively cites that are also cited by the aforementioned works. As such, there is much agreement between all of these books. But Witherington offers his insights which are different than the Reformed writers above. He offers this critique of other attempts to look at a theology of work: "they work forward through the Bible, rather than backward, and...never get to an eschatological or Kingdom perspective on work, that is, work in light of the in-breaking Kingdom," which is Witherington's contribution (p. xvi.)
Witherington offers his own definition of work: "any necessary and meaningful task that God calls and gifts a person to do and which can be undertaken to the glory of God and for the edification and aid of human beings, being inspired by the Spirit and foreshadowing the realities of the new creation" (p. xii).
Human beings were intended to work, and not just to do any kind of work, but to do good works, and do them in accord with the way we have been fashioned, the abilities we have been given, and therefore the vocations for which we are best suited (p. 7). Expanding on his definition of work, Witherington writes
"Before we engage in any sort of work, we have to as whether it will glorify God and edify other persons, whether it can be an epression of love of God and love of neighbor...Work is not a secular activity; it is a sacred one originally ordained by God, and so it must be undertaken in holy ways...Whatever we do, we are to strive for excellence...'Good enough' is not good enough whe the standard of excellence is the example of Christ the worker" (p.15).
Christians can inhabit many spheres of vocation, but activities like prostitution do not fit the definition of "work." Witherington likewise contends that Christians cannot be soldiers, since Jesus commands us to love our enemies and to bless them, not kill them. All work can be God-glorifying, even if it is not our specific vocation:
"The truth is that even when work seems like drudgery, if it is done to God's glory it is good in character, and if it is done for the edification of others it is at the very least divine drudgery, not mere toil, not mere activity. It has meaning, purpose, direction. It is Kingdom-bringing." (p. 21)
Witherington looks at Veith's God at Work, which I am not familiar with, particularly to analyze Martin Luther's views on work. Luther held the probelmatic sacred vs. secular view of work, which Witherington (like Keller et al) rightly critiques:
"But the Bible says nothing about God having two kingdoms, one spiritual and one physical, one sacred and one secular. The only Kingdom in the Bible that has the name God appended to it is the one Jesus claimed to be bringing in through his preaching, teaching, healing, dying, and rising" (p. 28).
Witherington later approvingly quotes Andy Crouch that "If the ships of Tarshish and the camels of Midian can find a place in the New Jersualem, our work, no matter how 'secular,' can too." (p. 123).
"the sacred-versus-secular dichotomy doesn't work when it comes to defining Christian work. Any work that is good and godly, any work worth doing, can be done to the glory of God and for the help of humankind. And while we are at it, any such work is full-time ministry" (p. 126).
The Lutheran view focused on serving one's neighbor in his work, not God Himself. Witherington rightly points out that this does not conform with Paul's epistles and personal example.
Witherington contends that when Jesus says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11) He means that Christ shares our yoke-- we are co-laborers with God (1 Cor. 3:9) in His work in the world. "(W)hen we are doing Christ's work he is sharing our yoke...this is what makes the burdens light...The Christian...(must) recognize that the whole yoke does not fall on our shoulders" (p. 64). This also plays into Witherington's thoughts on the important of taking a Sabbath from all activities, which he develops in the latter parts of the book. He encourages Christians to take a day of rest, say, Saturday as separate from their day of worship (Sunday).We must consider how we should best Sabbath.
Vocation is something that was defined pretty well in Hugh Whelchel's book-- and Witherington works to hash out a definition as well. Your vocation is basically what God has called and equipped you to do. Many Christians may work in a profession that is not their vocation, even though they are working in that profession in a Christian manner. The author then looks at the parable of talents from Matthew 25:14-30. God does not give everyone the same amount of faith (Romans 12:3-6), but we are called to step out and work with what we have. Our work ethic ("zeal") and quality matter to the Master who is going to return one day (see 1 Corinthians 3:5-15) (p.71-76).
"Everything is to be done coram Deo, before the face of God, not merely bearing in mind that God is watching, but bearing in mind that God is now working, and also will one day do the quality control test on one's work" (p. 89).
"(A)ll persons in Christ are called to both ministry and discipleship of various sorts. Labor is part of this calling...Work is part of what we offer to God on a daily basis as we respond to God's call to do various things that matter in life, even do things that change life for the better, or even save lives" (p.81)
Witherington is clear, work doesn't save us or endear us to God, but it is an expression of our holiness and desire to do the will of God. He critique's David Jenson's statement that "Human work can never detract from or add to the work God has already accomplished," as being unbiblical and something that "undevalues our work" (p. 130). Witherington elaborates:
"God could have chosen to redeem the world and bring in his Kingdom without us, but he has not chosen to do that. He has chosen to use us as his instruments to do His work. Our work, then, if it is good and godly, can never be seen as merely a response to the work of God, though it is often that as well. The work of God can be hindered or helped, added to or destroyed by what we do" (see Romans 14:20, 1 Cor. 3:9, and Ephesians 2:10) (p. 130).
Witherington echoes Andy Crouch's call for Christians to "make culture."
"Christians must work hard to produce the best art, the best movies, the best neighborhoods, the best restaurants, the best athletics possible, not merely by copying, but by coming up with something fresh, new, interesting, life-changing" (p. 111).
In all, I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. Witherington is mainly critiquing a few other works and adding his own contributions. But it lacks supporting evidence and anecdotes from those who work in professions other than theology, like himself, and is therefore weaker than Keller or Crouch's work. It is a necessary read, and I would like to explore more Wesleyan/Methodist views on work as worship.
August 1, 2022
3.5 really.
I think this small book (required for a class) was worth reading. The Christian community has a plethora of books defining and defending sabbath practices, because the American culture skews more toward workaholism and burnout. We don't have many teachings on the practice of WORK. Having correct theology about work is important as well. For that reason, I think this is worth a read.
Is it fantastic or lifechanging? Depends on the theology of work you were already using. I felt like I already knew and agreed with many of his points. There were a few points, such as his stance on pacifism, that I did NOT agree with. He doesn't believe Christians can serve in the military as part of a vocational response to God, and I disagree. But by and large, it's good and true, but not world-changing.
In our class discussion, we reflected on his frequent use of extremes. A Christian cannot be a pimp, or a Christian cannot work for the mafia, etc. I understand his point is that God will never design someone's life purpose to practice anything expressly against His commands, even if they work hard, tithe, and do it with a cheerful attitude "as unto Him." However, those are hyperbolic examples that don't fit the audience of a Christian book. I would have preferred --and frankly, this is what the Christian world NEEDS -- a book about grey areas. How do you handle your work when you find out your company is changing its LGBQT policies, actively sponsoring abortions, or something else ripped from the headlines? How do you continue working if your company has bad ethics, racist policies, a poor ecology, or any other quagmire that isn't extreme, but sadly, is still all too common? THAT's the conversation we should be having.
Additionally, I felt like a lot of the book was his response to other writers. "Crouch says...." and then a few pages of his perspective. So it felt like a series of book review essays collected together into one paperback.
But, I bet you haven't read a book about the true theology of Christian labor, so it's not a bad idea to give that some thought.
I think this small book (required for a class) was worth reading. The Christian community has a plethora of books defining and defending sabbath practices, because the American culture skews more toward workaholism and burnout. We don't have many teachings on the practice of WORK. Having correct theology about work is important as well. For that reason, I think this is worth a read.
Is it fantastic or lifechanging? Depends on the theology of work you were already using. I felt like I already knew and agreed with many of his points. There were a few points, such as his stance on pacifism, that I did NOT agree with. He doesn't believe Christians can serve in the military as part of a vocational response to God, and I disagree. But by and large, it's good and true, but not world-changing.
In our class discussion, we reflected on his frequent use of extremes. A Christian cannot be a pimp, or a Christian cannot work for the mafia, etc. I understand his point is that God will never design someone's life purpose to practice anything expressly against His commands, even if they work hard, tithe, and do it with a cheerful attitude "as unto Him." However, those are hyperbolic examples that don't fit the audience of a Christian book. I would have preferred --and frankly, this is what the Christian world NEEDS -- a book about grey areas. How do you handle your work when you find out your company is changing its LGBQT policies, actively sponsoring abortions, or something else ripped from the headlines? How do you continue working if your company has bad ethics, racist policies, a poor ecology, or any other quagmire that isn't extreme, but sadly, is still all too common? THAT's the conversation we should be having.
Additionally, I felt like a lot of the book was his response to other writers. "Crouch says...." and then a few pages of his perspective. So it felt like a series of book review essays collected together into one paperback.
But, I bet you haven't read a book about the true theology of Christian labor, so it's not a bad idea to give that some thought.
September 29, 2018
I really liked this book and recommend it to others who are interested in the topic of faith and work. I was impressed with the author’s challenge to consider this topic from an eschatological point of view. I base my theology of work on the creation account, which is certainly appropriate. However, as a Christian, I also need to see how the new creation impacts my theology of work. He highlighted Isa. 65:20-25, where the prophet describes the new heaven and the new earth. Work has not ceased to be; rather, it is characterized by enjoying the fruit of our labor and not toiling in vain since the curse has been lifted (cf. Rom. 8:19-21). This is a new concept for me, one that I have found to be extremely helpful. Imagine what our work will be like without the pain, frustration, stress, difficulty, unpredictability, sweat, and interpersonal conflict with sinners set in a challenging environment that we currently experience in all of our labor due to the fall. I especially enjoyed his views on rest: Resting every day is not merely mandatory for human beings’ health; a biblical concept of resting ought to have something to do with shalom . . . Our problem is that we tend to associate peace, like rest, with the absence of activity, when in fact shalom more often than not involves the presence of God in our lives, when the God of all peace is with us. Overall, I found this book to be quite scriptural, practical, and thought-provoking.
November 5, 2024
I have a lot of respect for Dr. Witherington. He has done some good stuff. But this book is more like a YouTube reaction video than the development of a kingdom perspective on labor. The two best chapters are those in which he reacts and synthesizes significantly works by other authors, particularly Andy Crouch. The rest seems ad hoc, disorganized, and derivative. The best thing about this book is how excited it has made me to read Crouch's Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. Not recommended.
July 17, 2025
Although much of this book is made of chunks and quotes from others, I still give Ben Witherington high marks for doing what he has done -gathering it all together and bringing out of it exactly as the subtitle says: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor. But it goes deeper than just what we think of as labor because it also has much to say (much that is needed!) about worship, rest and play as we endeavor to live a holy life, the life of joy God intends for us. Definitely recommend this read!
May 15, 2025
I did not like this book
October 25, 2013
Interesting perspective on how Christians should view work. Written for a lay person. I enjoyed much of it and it seemed to cover a good bit of the topic when keeping in mind the short length of the book. Certainly more could be covered, and he seemed to get sucked into a few side roads of the subject here and there, but overall a good job on the subject. A point of major criticism is that the book seemed somewhat pieced together- as if it was a series of lectures/writings that had the same subject so were edited together into a book. It was interesting enough, but certainly could be done better.
July 1, 2014
Offers a reflection of work from two perspectives: from the creation account that says work is a part of being human, rather than being introduced at the Fall; and from the new creation perspective where we now work towards the Kingdom, seeing our work as a foretaste of what will be in the age to come.
August 7, 2012
I enjoyed Witherington's writing style immensely. A lot of the points he makes regarding work and kingdom is not new but is a needed reminder for me personally. Especially enjoyed his thoughts on finding the rhythm of work/rest/worship/play and his thoughts on the importance of play. Very helpful.
October 21, 2016
This is a great little book by a trustworthy scholar about a theology of work and labour. I found the author's perspective to be helpfully instructive and biblically focused. I especially appreciated his short section on a theology of play.
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