Vocation

Luther and Christian Liberty

Copyright © 1994, Word & World, Luther Seminary. Word & World, Supplement Series 2, pp. 48-56. First published in the Lutheran Theological Seminary Bulletin 68/1 (Winter 1988), pp. 3-11. Dr. Forell delivered it in lecture form at the October, 1987, “Luther Symposium” at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Used with permission. A Focus of Controversy [1] While Luther […]

Luther and Conscience

Copyright © 1994, Word & World, Luther Seminary.Word & World, Supplement Series 2, pp. 57-65. First published in The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg Bulletin 55/1 (1975) pp. 3-11, and delivered first at the 1974 Martin Luther Colloquium. Used with permission. [1] It is part of the conventional wisdom that the reformation was based upon […]

Luther on Vocation

Copyright © 1983 WORD & WORLD, Luther Seminary. Used with permission. From Word & World, Volume III, Number 4, pp. 382-390 [1] The popular view of Martin Luther’s teaching about Christian vocation is that it has to do with one’s occupation. That is, when one is “called” to follow Christ one’s occupation becomes the “calling” […]

Vocation in a Post-Vocational Age

Copyright © 1984 WORD & WORLD, Luther Seminary. Used with permission. From Word & World, Volume IV, Number 2, pp. 131-140. I. THE PROBLEM: RELATING SUNDAY TO MONDAY It is no secret that church members find great difficulty in relating their faith to everyday life. Several research reports given wide circulation document that problem.[1] Luther’s […]

Women and Vocation: Co-Creating with God

Copyright © 1995 WORD & WORLD, Luther Seminary. Used with permission. From Word & World, Volume XV, Number 3, pp. 272-278. [1] Luther’s teaching and practice of vocation has impacted women’s lives dramatically, but history’s jury is at odds over the results. Should we praise the doctor and his doctrine or vilify them? Is Lutheran […]

Whether Lawyers, Too, Can Be Saved

[1] In 1525, Assa von Kram, a professional military officer, asked Martin Luther a question that had been weighing on his conscience: if I want to be a good Christian, do I have to quit my job as a soldier? Assa had good reason to be concerned – didn’t Jesus, after all, say that his […]