Learning to be a Community of Good Work (1)

 

“I read in a book that a man called Christ went about doing good. It is disconcerting to me that I am so easily satisfied with just going about.”                               -
                        - Toyohiko Kagawa

 

I. Required readings

 

Christian Biography for the Day: Toyohiko Kagawa

 

Chittister, Chapter 7 (“Participation in Creation”), 80-94

 

Profiles of Dr. V and David Green and of Muhammad Yunus

 

 

 

II. Quotation for the day

 

"In America . . . work is the common means by which people seek to justify their existence while they are alive and to sustain their existence, in a fashion, after they die. . . Work represents the broken relationship between humans and creation. People, literally, work to death. . . . For Christians-- work-- must be understood in the context of the work of God in the world."

                                                                                                                                    --William Stringfellow

 

III. Journal prompts

Chittister’s chapter deals with a subject we rarely think about in terms of discipleship: work.  As you read and reflect on this chapter and the other readings, be mindful of the ways in which our culture encourages us to think about work and how this differs from the theological view offered in these pages.

1.  Reflect on the following paragraph in light of how you have been taught to think of work:
        "In the monastic mind, work is not for profit.  In the monastic mentality, work is for giving, not just for gaining.   In monastic spirituality, other people have a claim on what we do.  Work is not a private enterprise.  Work is not to enable me to get ahead; the purpose of work is to enable me to get more human and to make the world more just."

2.   "Work is not a nuisance to be avoided.  Work is a gift to be given.   Clearly, holiness and work are not mutually exclusive ideas.  Work, on the contrary, is a necessary part of holiness. . . Work is what we do to continue what God wanted done.  Work is co-creative."  How does this understanding of work challenge your own?  How do you think your attitude about work would change if you had such an understanding?

3. Chittister writes: "There will come a moment in life when we will have to ask ourselves what we spent our lives on and how life in general was made better as a result of it.  On that day, we will know the sanctifying value of work."  When you look back on your life 20, 40, even 60 years from now, to what do you want to have devoted your life?  What do you hope will be different or better as a result of your life?

 

IV. Links of possible interest

 

What is Social Entrepreneurship?  A brief introduction to this relatively new movement that has transformed the way many people think about “doing business.”

 

A recent New York Times article about Muhammad Yunus, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2006 for his pioneering work in micro-credit.  (Copyrighted article through Angel; log-in to C&C site and then click on "Resources" tab and then "Copyrighted readings".)

 

A brief interview with Muhammad Yunus discussing one of his latest ventures to end poverty and malnutrition by creating what he calls a "social business," which is a business that has a different kind of bottom line.

 

If you're interested in how you, too, can participate in micro-lending, even as a college student, visit Kiva.org

 

Nick Madigan, “A Pilgrim’s Progress: Using Film to Aid the Poor” (Another copyrighted article through Angel; log-in to C&C site and then click on "Resources" tab and then "Copyrighted readings".)   A fascinating New York Times article that tells more of the story of Gerard Straub, mentioned in our readings for last time.  You can also watch (or read) a recent interview with Straub here.

 

 

 

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