Editing Vocation (section)

==History==
The idea of a vocation or "calling" has played a significant role within [[Christianity]]. Since the early days of the Christian faith, the term has applied to candidates for the [[clergy]]. It soon began to be applied to those who felt drawn to a more rigorous observance of their faith through the [[contemplation|contemplative]] lifestyle of the [[hermit]]s and [[monk]]s and [[nun]]s.<ref>{{cite web|work=The Holy See|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2A.HTM|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church: Christ's Faithful - Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life}}</ref>

Use of the word "vocation" before the sixteenth century referred firstly to the "call" by God<ref>The [[OED]] records effectively identical uses of "call" in English back to {{circa|1300}}: OED, "Call", 6 "To nominate by a personal "call" or summons (to special service or office);''esp.'' by Divine authority..."</ref> to an individual, or [[Universal call to holiness|calling of all humankind to salvation]], particularly in the [[Vulgate]], and more specifically to the "vocation" to the [[priesthood]], or to the [[religious (Catholicism)|religious life]], which is still the usual sense in [[Roman Catholicism]]. Roman Catholicism recognizes marriage, religious, and ordained life as the three vocations.<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio_en.html Pope John Paul II, ''Familiaris Consortio'', 11.4]</ref>{{Failed verification|date=November 2014}} [[Martin Luther]],<ref>Gustaf Wingren, ''Luther on Vocation''</ref> followed by [[John Calvin]], placed a particular emphasis on vocations, or divine callings, as potentially including most secular occupations, though this idea was by no means new.<ref>David L. Jeffrey, ''A Dictionary of biblical tradition in English literature'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1992, {{ISBN|0-8028-3634-8}}, {{ISBN|978-0-8028-3634-2}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=zD6xVr1CizIC&dq=vocatio+universalis&pg=PA815 Google books] See also [[Max Weber]], ''[[The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism]]'', trans. Alcott Parsons, Ch.3, p. 79 & note 1.</ref>

Later, [[Martin Luther]] taught that each individual was expected to fulfill their God-appointed task in everyday life. Although the Lutheran concept of the calling emphasized vocation, there was no particular emphasis on labor beyond what was required for one's daily bread. [[Calvinism]] transformed the idea of the calling by emphasizing relentless, disciplined labor.

[[John Calvin|Calvin]] defined the role of "the Christian in his vocation", noting that God has prescribed appointed duties to men and styled such spheres of life vocations or callings.<ref name="Calvin">{{cite book |title=[[Institutes of the Christian Religion]] |last=Calvin |first=John |year=1536 }}</ref> Calvinists distinguished two callings: a general calling to serve [[God]] and a particular calling to engage in some employment by which one's usefulness is determined.<ref name="Calvin"/> [[Calvinism]] developed complex ideas about different types of vocations of the first type, connected with the concepts of [[predestination]], [[irresistible grace]], and the elect. There are the ''vocatio universalis'', the ''vocatio specialis'', only extended to some. There were also complex distinctions between internal and external, and the "vocatio efficax" and "inefficax" types of callings.<ref>Kenneth G. Appold. ''Abraham Calov's doctrine of vocatio in its systematic context'', p. 125 and generally, Mohr Siebeck, 1998, {{ISBN|3-16-146858-9}}, {{ISBN|978-3-16-146858-2}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAed_DrVKOMC&dq=vocatio+universalis&pg=PA125 Google books]. See also Jeffrey, 815</ref>  [[Hyper-Calvinism]] rejects the idea of a "universal call", a vocation, to repent and believe, held by virtually all other Christian groups.

The [[Puritan]] minister [[Cotton Mather]] discussed the obligations of the personal calling, writing of "some special business, and some settled business, wherein a Christian should for the most part spend the most of his time; so he may glorify God by doing good for himself".<ref name="Mather">{{cite book |title=A Christian at his Calling |last=Mather |first=Cotton |year=1701 }}</ref> Mather admonished that it was not lawful ordinarily to live without some calling: "for men will fall into "horrible snares and infinite sins"".<ref name="Mather"/> This idea has endured throughout the history of Protestantism. Almost three centuries after John Calvin's death in 1564 [[Thomas Carlyle]] would proclaim, "The latest [[Gospel]] in this world is, 'know thy work and do it.'"<ref>{{cite book |title=Past and Present |last=Carlyle |first=Thomas |year=1843 |publisher=Scribner, Welford |url=https://archive.org/details/pastandpresent02carlgoog}}</ref>

The legacy of this religious ethic continues to exert its influence in [[secular]] Western society.{{fact|date=November 2021}} Modern occupations which are seen as vocations often include those where a combination of skill and community help are implied, such as medical, care-giving, and veterinary occupations. Occupations where rewards are seen more in spiritual or other non-financial terms, such as [[religious]] occupations, are also seen as vocations. Borderline occupations, where [[community service]] and more personal reward are more evenly balanced, such as [[politics]], may often be regarded{{By whom|date=April 2011}} as vocations.