The False Divide

There's a pervasive myth in our culture: a supposed divide between our "spiritual" life and our "work" life. This false dichotomy suggests that when we clock in, we somehow clock out of our faith. As someone with a foot in both the theological and business worlds, I've come to see how misguided this notion truly is.This artificial separation isn't just a modern phenomenon. It's a longstanding issue that great thinkers of the church have wrestled with for centuries. The Reformation, in particular, brought this issue to the forefront, challenging the idea that only "spiritual" work was a true calling from God.

Theology in the Boardroom

You might be surprised how often theological concepts pop up in business settings. The doctrine of human dignity influences how we treat employees and clients. The concept of stewardship shapes our approach to resources and sustainability. Even eschatology (the study of last things) can inform our long-term strategic planning!

Practical Examples

Let me give you a concrete example. In consulting, we often deal with change management. From a secular perspective, this is about strategies and systems. But viewed through a theological lens, it touches on deeper issues—human nature, resistance to change, and the need for vision.

This is where Reformed theology offers profound insights. The doctrines of total depravity and common grace, for instance, can inform our understanding of human behavior in the workplace. They remind us that while all people are capable of good work (common grace), we should also expect resistance to change and self-interest (total depravity). Such theological understanding can shape our approach to leadership, team dynamics, and organizational culture.

Challenges and Opportunities

Of course, integrating faith and work isn't always smooth sailing. There are challenges—ethical dilemmas, conflicts between business goals and personal values, and the pressure to compartmentalize our faith. But these challenges also present opportunities—chances to live out our faith, to be salt and light, and to bring a unique perspective to the table.

Work as Calling

One of the most revolutionary ideas of the Reformation was the concept of vocation—that all work, not just "spiritual" work, can be a calling from God. This idea transforms how we view our daily tasks. Suddenly, that spreadsheet isn't just about numbers but about stewarding resources for God's glory. That difficult conversation with a colleague becomes an opportunity to display Christ-like character.

All of work is a calling. And this kind of ideology is antithetical to the aforementioned notion of a secular versus sacred divide. The church leader is no more holy than the janitor.

Martin Luther warred against this kind of thinking during his day, where the Priest was seen to be favored by God over the farmer. He remarks:

If you ask an insignificant maid-servant why she scours a dish or milks the cow, she can say: I know that the thing I do pleases God, for I have God’s Word and commandment… God does not look at the insignificance of the acts but at the heart that serves Him in such little things.

This sort of perspective elevates even the most mundane tasks to acts of service that glorify God.

John Calvin expands on this idea in the Institutes (III, x, vi):

The Lord commands every one of us, in all the actions of life, to regard his vocation. For he knows with what great unrest the human mind is inflamed, with what desultory levity it is hurried hither and thither, and how insatiable is its ambition to grasp different things at once.Therefore, to prevent universal confusion being produced by our folly and temerity, he has appointed to all their particular duties in different spheres of life. And that no one might rashly transgress the limits prescribed, he has styled such spheres of life vocations or callings.Every individual's line of life, therefore, is, as it were, a post assigned him by the Lord, that he may not wander about in uncertainty all his days. And so necessary is this distinction, that in his sight all our actions are estimated according to it, and often very differently from the sentence of human reason and philosophy.

We can sum it all up in this concise statement from Teresa of Avila:

God walks among the pots and pans.

Questions to Ponder

As we navigate this intersection of faith and work, here are some questions I often ponder:

1. How does the doctrine of God's sovereignty affect how we plan and strategize in business?
2. What does it mean to be "in the world but not of it" in a corporate setting?
3. How can we apply biblical principles of leadership in our workplaces?
4. In what ways can our work contribute to human flourishing and the common good?

An Invitation

I don't have all the answers to these questions. In fact, I'm still very much on a journey of discovery. But I'm convinced that this intersection of faith and work is fertile ground for theological reflection and practical application.

Let's reject the false dichotomy between sacred and secular. Let's explore how our theology can inform our work, and how our work can deepen our theology. After all, if we truly believe in the Lordship of Christ, doesn't that lordship extend to every aspect of our lives—including our work?