In Part Two of our series on Vocation, developed by the GFM Ohio Valley Team, Bob Trube (formerly Senior Area Director for the GFM Ohio Valley Team), explores how we may think about our work against the backdrop of God's purposes and God's work, or mission, in the world. _____________________________________________________ The story in which we live shapes the way we live our lives. Missio dei or “the mission of God” is a compact phrase that articulates the notion that we find ourselves within the story of God's … [Read more...] about Vocation: Work and the Missio Dei
Academic Vocations
Vocation: What is Vocation?
In 2019, the GFM Ohio Valley staff team developed a curriculum on vocation to use at a student retreat, and with campus groups. With their permission, we are reprinting a series of articles from that curriculum, with the hope that it might be a useful resource for other student and faculty groups, and for personal reflection. This article by Robin Capcara traces the idea of vocation through scripture and church history. _________________________________________________________ In contemporary parlance, “vocation” … [Read more...] about Vocation: What is Vocation?
Scholar’s Call: On Remembering
In this article, historian David Thomas argues that the historian's work, with evidence and narratives of the past, is a disciplined form of remembering. Drawing on the work of historian Gerda Lerner, he writes, "A look backward enlarges and helps make sense of our present while suggesting hope and direction for the future. _______________________________________________________________________________ The network of evidence, argument, narrative, and purpose that pulls together to form a history is … [Read more...] about Scholar’s Call: On Remembering
Critical Junctures: Preparing for the Academic Year
As we prepare for the academic year in this complicated moment, what journey is God inviting us to take? ESN Director Bob Trube reflects on the choices we make at key moments of our lives and callings. When you hear the term “critical junctures” at the beginning of an academic year, your mind may go to the decisions that may have important consequences for your academic career—the choice of an advisor, defining a research interest, or deciding which journal to which you submit an article. What about … [Read more...] about Critical Junctures: Preparing for the Academic Year
Director’s Corner: Meeting the Challenge of Double Work
Do you ever feel like you have two jobs, excelling in your field and figuring out how it all relates to your calling to follow Christ? At ESN, we work hard to support Christian academics in bringing the two together. ESN Director Bob Trube reflects on this key challenge/opportunity for Christian scholars in Director's Corner, our occasional ESN blog series where Bob distills his observations and offers ideas and resources to encourage our readers. Few of us like the idea of double work. Yet it has been suggested … [Read more...] about Director’s Corner: Meeting the Challenge of Double Work