Scholarship and Joy

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 
– Philippians 1:3-6

Joy and good work.  As I read the opening of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, these words make me pause. He is praying with joy – one of the key works he practiced while in prison – and he knows that those to whom he is writing are in the midst of good work in their community.

Over Christmas break during Urbana 2025, InterVarsity’s triennial missions conference, I had the privilege of seeing joy and good work come together in community.  Nearly thirty scholars attended a lunch for emerging scholars, and during the hour and a half we were together, the sound of conversation never died down. As I visited each table, I heard linguists, scientists, historians, statisticians, and more share about their work and how it fits into God’s story.  As people shared about their scholarship in all different stages of completion, the joy level in the room increased. No one seemed to be concerned about posturing or making a point; everyone wanted to share about the work God had given them to do and their love for it.

This reminds me of a passage from the book,The Seeker and the Monk, by Sophfronia Scott. In this work, Scott interacts with the Cistercian monk and author, Thomas Merton, through his voluminous writings.  In a section on joy and work, she writes:

“There is a divine connection and joy and light.  And if (Thomas) Merton could have reveled in his gifts, he may have felt something similar.  Perhaps Merton did taste a bit of this joy.  There’s a Merton quote that shows up in a lot of compendiums, but I can’t find its original source.  It says, “When ambition ends, happiness begins.”  I think letting go of ego and doing what we do best because it’s simply what we do seems like a good way to be.
. . .
I’m guessing that in your prayerful moments, Thomas, you realized helping people was what your work was really about.  Maybe this knowledge is what inspired you to keep going.  By the time you published A Merton Reader, it seemed you were ready to let go, at least a bit, of wanting your writing to be anything more than it was. I think of you with empty hands because you’ve given away the best of who you were.  I hope you became lighter for it.”

As you begin this new year, how are you looking at your work?  Is it with joy and lightness?  Is it with the weight of expectations set by your department and yourself?  Maybe a combination of the two? Where might God be inviting you to recognize the good work he is inviting you into with him?

“In religious terms, this is simply a matter of accepting life, and everything in life as a gift, and clinging to none of it, as far as you are able”  – Thomas Merton 

PRACTICE

I invite you to ask one or two other scholars to join you in reflecting on these questions, perhaps over coffee, a meal, or a walk.  Shared in community, these conversations can bring out the joy we might miss on our own.

Creation:

·       Describe where you see your discipline bringing order out of chaos.

·       Where do you experience excitement, delight, and a sense of joy in your work?

Fall:

·       What is idolatry as it applies to your discipline?

·       Where does evidence of the fall show up in your discipline, work?

Redemption:

·       What does Jesus love about your research?

·       How is God using your discipline to bring redemption?