Twenty centuries of Christian writing on vocation

….are contained in one place, this book, Callings.  Published in 2005, it is still a great guide to reflections from Christian brothers and sisters through the centuries on this issue.

What am I going to do with my life? is a question that young people commonly face, while many not-so-young people continue to wonder about finding direction and purpose in their lives. Whether such purpose has to do with what job to take, whether to get married, or how to incorporate religious faith into the texture of their lives, Christians down the centuries have believed that God has plans for them.

This unprecedented anthology gathers select passages on work and vocation from the greatest writers in Christian history. William Placher has written insightful introductions to accompany the selections — an introduction to each of the four main historical sections and a brief introduction to each reading. While the vocational questions faced by Christians have changed through the centuries, this book demonstrates how the distilled wisdom of these saints, preachers, theologians, and teachers remains relevant to Christians today.

Read more, and purchase a print or e-book, here and here.  A free study guide is available here.

A follow-up volume drawing mainly on texts from fiction and literature, Leading Lives that Matter, was published in 2009. You can read an interview with the editors here and download a free study guide here.