Visions of Vocation (Steven Garber)

In Visions of Vocation, Professor Steven Garber argues that our responsibility as humans is to be 'common grace for the common good.' He explores several themes, including:

- learning to have eyes that see and ears that hear; to see things rightly.

- what it means to know and [yet] love the world (AKA our neighbors), for we are "pilgrims in the ruins"—glories and shames all at once. 

- how to engage (and not be numbed by) the world and evil in it, for "They who know the most must mourn the deepest." (Lord Byron)

- understanding our responsibility in the world. "Knowing what you know about yourself and the world, what are you going to do?" With so much wrong in the world (and in ourselves), do we see ourselves as responsible? Can we make a difference?

- "we must not only know rightly, but do rightly." Brilliant people in history have done terrible things. "Knowing and doing are at the core of every examined life, but putting the two together is the most difficult challenge we face." "To have knowledge of means to have responsibility to means to have care for."

- the Hebrew concept of relationship, revelation, and responsibility, looking at how the Lord interacts with his people. "Each time a covenant is made, a relationship is offered, a revelation is given, and a responsibility is expected." The Lord is basically saying "Remember who I am. Remember who you are. Remember how you are to live." 

- the importance of the incarnation [God made flesh]. "Words have to become flesh." Its key meaning? "God knows us and still loves us." 

- vocation as integral (not incidental) to our mission. We are to be 'hints of hope', knowing and yet loving others (not just coworkers but the world at large) in and through our daily jobs.

- learning to live proximately—understanding the failures, futilities, and learning that something is better than nothing, even as isn't everything [i.e. perfection].

Overall, this is an excellent work. Garber references many examples from artists throughout history as well as personal experience, all revolving around the above concepts. The book did get repetitive, and it wasn't a systematic or exhaustive look at these topics by any means, but it was helpful and thought-provoking.

Rating: A-