I am researching God’s involvement in workers’ choice of vocations. Many people refer to this as a calling, although this term is used more often in reference to ministerial vocations than secular. My topical question is: does God call workers to vocations and if so, how? For many years, I have …
Honesty
I value honesty even when the truth is painful. Over time, I have learned that honestly confessing my failures is far better than disguising or hiding the truth. A pig with lipstick is still a pig: it is best to just call it a pig. Witnessing our grandchildren grow up is a joyful experience that my …
Redeeming Capitalism – II
In Dr. Barnes’ book, Redeeming Capitalism (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 2018, pages 11-20), he writes about theologian Thomas Aquinas’ cardinal virtues: “prudence, justice, courage (or fortitude), and temperance (that is, moderation).” Any action or policy that is …
Redeeming Capitalism – I
I am pro-capitalism but balance this position by stating that capitalism needs to be redeemed. I believe that capitalism has improved our community and made life better for both the poor and the more affluent. Post-modern capitalism has caused great income inequality which stokes the fire of …
Vocations in the Early Church – II
In Part I, I asked the following questions: Why accept God’s call into a life of faith and obedience when the surrounding dominant culture offers a different path? Why buck the current trends and risk alienation and possible harm? Why not just enjoy a Sunday meal and not discuss matters of …
Vocations in the Early Church – I
This past weekend, friends from my former church gathered in Austin for some fellowship time. It was a weekend of food, laughter, and serious discussions. Our last meal together, after the Sunday morning church service and class, began with the blessing of our meal and ended with more serious …
Stewardship Season
Fall usually means stewardship season in the church. As the year-end approaches, churches need to develop next year’s operating budget. It is difficult for churches to estimate revenues unless members give the church their estimated giving (pledge) for the next year. Many ministers preach their …
Between Worlds
I believe that it is possible to fully integrate faith and work. It was so important that I wrote a book about it. In reality, there are gray areas where I wonder if I am making the right decisions. For example, I invest primarily in passive index funds. These are highly diversified investments that …
Moral Ecology
This past week has been one of extremes. On Friday morning, my wife and I babysat our 8-month old granddaughter for a couple of hours. We fed her lunch, took her out for a walk in her stroller, and then played inside the house with her. She became upset about something and started to cry. This …
Working Women
During my life, I witnessed revolutionary changes in women’s roles. I attended an engineering university during the 1970’s and my freshman class was 11% female, the largest number of entering females in the university’s history. Today, my university has 30% female engineering undergraduates (1,400). …