Meaning and Calling
Items on the purpose and meaning of life
A Reading List on Faith and Business
Mon 09 Jul 2007 by Stefan G. Lanfer
This reading list is from Stefan Lanfer’s bibliography for his 2006 MBA thesis, “Believing at Work,” which is summarized here.
The Parable of the Liberal Education
Thu 10 May 2007 by Walter Hansen
An Invitation to Question
Professor Walter Hansen looks at Caravaggio’s The Incredulity of St. Thomas as a visual parable of a Christian approach to a liberal education—and learning in general—as Jesus encourages us to ask questions, guides us to himself, and sends us out in witness.
Success, Stress, and Purpose in Today’s Business World
Thu 29 Mar 2007 • Responses: 1 • by Ken Costa
Rediscovering the religious debate in the corporation
UBS Investment Bank Vice-Chairman Ken Costa reflects on work and meaning, hope and wisdom, and the role of faith in the corporate setting in this speech presented for The Trinity Forum at The St Stephen’s Club, London, in March. He suggests that finding meaning and purpose in life is the greatest global challenge of our time.
Newton, Wilberforce, and the Spirituality of Abolition
Fri 23 Mar 2007 by Jonathan Aitken
Wilberforce’s friendship with John Newton was the major momentum behind abolition (Part 2 of 2)
Wilberforce has come down in history as something of a lone-ranger humanitarian, but Jonathan Aitken, executive director of the Trinity Forum in Europe and author of a new biography of John Newton, sets the record straight by looking at newly published diaries and letters of Newton that throw additional light on what was at one point Wilberforce’s great secret—his evangelical faith. Second of two parts.
Newton, Wilberforce, and the Spirituality of Abolition
Mon 12 Mar 2007 by Jonathan Aitken
Wilberforce was no mere humanitarian; his motivations were much deeper (Part 1 of 2).
Wilberforce has come down in history as something of a lone-ranger humanitarian, but Jonathan Aitken, executive director of the Trinity Forum in Europe and author of a new biography of John Newton, sets the record straight by looking at newly available letters of Newton that throw additional light on what was at one point Wilberforce’s great secret—his evangelical faith. First of two parts.
The Economics of Slavery
Tue 27 Feb 2007 by Peter Edman
We need the creativity of a George Washington Carver to tackle the slave economy.
One thing that strikes me as I consider the statistics of modern-day slavery that Jody Hassett Sanchez and others report—upwards of 27 million people and an economic impact of $12 billion (presumably yearly)—is that, even bracketing the horrendous moral issues for a moment, the economic return is so appalling.
Consider by comparison the case of ExxonMobil, the world’s largest corporation: It has around 106,000 employees worldwide and made a profit of $39.5 billion just in 2006. Considering their $340 billion in revenue, some analysts argue that their return on investment is actually low. I’m no analyst, but it looks to me like a person in slavery generates $444. Compare this with the $373,000 profit and $3.2 million revenue per Exxon employee. It boggles the mind.
To Compose from Fragments
Tue 30 Jan 2007 by T. M. Moore
Creativity Is a Kingdom Calling
T. M. Moore looks at the role of creativity with the help of two recent books on the topic from Philip Johnson and Michael Kimmelman. Whatever the crisis of the moment, we are yet called to create a better world from the fragments before us.
A Season to Laugh
Thu 21 Dec 2006 • Responses: 1 • by Dan Russ
The Christmas season should remind us that the very quality of time has been transformed. Time is now on our side.
The Bible recounts the unfolding comedy of redemption with its endless zigzags of how God created in the beginning, is redeeming in the meantime, and (in his own timing) will consummate his creation in the end. By comedy I mean that perspective on life, best known in comic stories, that sees life first and finally as a good gift from a good God. It is this same good God that we celebrate during the season of Christmas for having entered history, not only to redeem persons but to redeem time itself.
It is both profoundly comic and really funny to believe that an infinitely wise and all-powerful God could create everything from nothing and then choose to redeem it all through graciously loving his creation back to himself. It takes a bit of a fool to believe that God should do this through particular persons like Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Hannah, Ruth, David, Hosea, Mary of Galilee, and Jesus of Nazareth. And if we can swallow the story up to this point, then could we believe that such truth would be turned over to a group of fishermen, obscure Jews, an excommunicated rabbi, and a motley crew of redeemed humanity called the Church?
Sayers on Work
Fri 10 Nov 2006 by Peter Edman
A commenter on Dallas Willard’s article mentioned Dorothy L. Sayers’ essay, “Why Work?”
The essay was originally published as a pamphlet in 1942, and has been republished in several collections, two under the title, Creed or Chaos?. Currently, the essay is collected in “Letters to a Diminished Church” (an unfortunate title, as Sayers’ writings are appropriate for a wider audience). Here are two good chunks:
The Duty of the Christian Business Man
Tue 24 Oct 2006 by Phillips Brooks
“Is it possible for a man to be engaged in the activities of our modern life and yet to be a Christian? Is it possible for a man to be a broker, a shopkeeper, a lawyer, a mechanic, is it possible for a man to be engaged in a business of today, and yet love his God and his fellow-man as himself?”
Editor’s Note: Dallas Willard mentioned Phillips Brooks in a footnote in his recent article, so we thought to find something by him to share with our readers. Brooks (1835–1893) was an Episcopal clergyman who ended his career as Bishop of Massachusetts. After reading this, it may become clearer why he was ranked as one of the greatest preachers of his day. This midday sermon, sadly abbreviated, is from the 1895 edition of his Addresses, available from Project Gutenberg. Its vision of the Christian life will challenge and inspire both believers and seekers. You can (and should) download a PDF version of the entire sermon here.
In the first section excerpted here, Brooks sets out something of his understanding of the Christian life as life, and in the second section he has some more direct reflections on what this means for those engaged in business.
