Calling in Context: Social Location and Vocational Formation

by Susan L. Maros

"I don't care for vocational books written in the United States; they're too American." When Susan Maros heard this comment from a Malaysian colleague, she was initially taken aback. Isn't the concept of calling universal? Why wouldn't resources with a biblical perspective on vocation apply to everyone?
The reality is that each of us encounters our questions of calling from within a particular context. In this book, Maros explores how various dimensions of social location―including race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, and gender―shape our assumptions and experiences with vocation. Maros helps Christians in the United States in particular see how ideas about calling that emphasize certainty, career paths, and personal achievement arise from cultural priorities that shouldn't go unexamined, such as individualism, productivity, and meritocracy. She explains how unexamined "mental maps" can distort our perspective and refocuses our attention on biblical insights about calling as a lifelong journey. In the process, she helps us find both clarity and encouragement to explore the paths before us.
God calls all people, yes―but calling is not a monolithic concept. Filled with numerous stories from Christians in diverse communities, Calling in Context invites anyone exploring questions of calling to find fresh possibilities in their own identity and engagement with God's mission. Reflection questions and Bible study prompts are included throughout.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Academic

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 19, 2022

Reviews

[Carmen Imes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I'm so glad to be able to recommend this to students to help them become more self-aware of their own social location and the way it impacts their idea of calling. Maros includes many stories of men and women from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Most books I've read on vocational discernment assume a white, middle-to-upper class readership. Maros considers a much wider range of possibilities.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The back of the book blurb begins... "I don't care for vocational books written in the United States; they're too American." When Susan Maros heard this comment from a Malaysian colleague...

I agree with the author's Malaysian colleague. Unfortunately, this book is also far too American. Granted, it is so in a different way than most other books on calling, but it still is.

Near the end of the blurb, I also read... "She... refocuses our attention on biblical insights about calling as a lifelong journey."

Again, unfortunately, this book did not deliver as advertised. Most of Maros' efforts were focused on things like: "race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, and gender" and almost no insights are gleaned from the Bible itself.

If you are looking for a contemporary book on vocation that panders to the identity culture prevalent in modern America, then this book will be right up your alley. If you are looking for a biblically grounded book on calling that will have timeless and global appeal... this book is not for you. It wasn't for me either.

[Caleb Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to the idea of calling and how your context does and likely should affect your calling.
Although some may say these ideas are clear and obviouse, sometimes things needed to be stated again and again, so someone like myself can truly understand

[Conrade Yap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calling is a much-talked-about topic whenever there is a life transition. The Bible says it. People use it. We live it. From looking for a life partner to trying to find a job; choosing a college to commit to making investments; the word "calling" has been used, misused, and sometimes abused. Some say calling is for those contemplating entering into a ministry, while others apply it specifically to schools, jobs, and various project assignments. The truth is, any specific calling needs to be seen in its proper contexts simply because we are all unique. Our participation in the working out of this calling is also unique. With hindsight, author and professor Susan Maros admit that a lot of instruction about calling in our world has been restricted to "well-intentioned, White, evangelical, individualistic" views. Gradually, after hearing stories from friends and colleagues from different cultural backgrounds, she grows to apply the concept of calling to a wider world. In this book, Maros shows us step by step how our understanding of calling is influenced by our social and cultural contexts. Calling our existing maps problematic, she takes us through mental maps which often become the lens with which we interpret our world. She then takes a few notches up the ladder of deconstruction to question the way we use "biblical models" in our mental maps. This alone should make many of us sit up and reconsider our own mental maps and our own definitions of what it means to think biblically about calling. Specifically, she identifies five key characteristics in most theological thinking:
1) Caller: God
2) Calling: Task/Role
3) Called: Particular Person
4) Centrality: The awareness of knowing it
5) Confirmation

She raises two questions just like the way we argue about double predestination: If there is a calling to do good, is there also a calling to be part of evil? By doing so, Maros points out the flaw in conventional thinking surrounding "biblical calling" to argue for a new way to interpret this important topic. This is because the Bible often does not give us "model answers" to solve our problems. Interpretation can be a lot more complex. Perhaps, the better questions would be:
- What was the context of the calling?
- How did God speak then?
- How were the contexts seen as fulfilling the purposes of God?

Calling is not simply a contextual consideration. It is also a journey of identity formation. It is also storytelling of our own lives. Part Two of the book looks at the particular social locations we live in. Apart from interviewing people from different races, cultures, and ethnicities, she expands her research to include people from various socio-economic circles, classes, and other subcultures, also arguing that meritocracy is a cultural map that influences the way we understand calling. She debunks the way many of us connect success with some good techniques and shows us that in Christian ministry, things are much more complex than simply following a few steps to success. Even gendered identity is a factor that could warp our discernment of calling. Maros concludes her research in Part Three to show us how to connect " power and privilege, spiritual practices, and purpose."

My Thoughts
==============
This book arises out of the author's Ph.D. dissertation about cultural models and personal calling. One could safely conclude that she is a decent authority when it comes to helping us understand what calling and biblical calling is about. At the risk of oversimplifying other models of calling, she does the heavy lifting for us by giving us the general thrusts of the theological models out there in the market. That said, I think it is important for readers not to jettison the other ideas of calling too quickly. My thinking is that Maros's distillation of the five key characteristics of most theological thinking about calling is not about replacing the old with the new, in particular, her thesis. Instead, it is a plea to consider an alternative framework from a cross-cultural perspective. In other words, it is an invitation to a conversation rather than a dogmatic framework for us to swallow. It is not about "out-with-the-old" and "in-with-the-new" but expanding our understanding of calling from a different angle. For if it is true that calling needs to be considered in context, we can see this book as a way to address anything that has fallen through the cracks. Like her Malaysian colleague who refuses to read vocational books that are too American, this book could open the door for more openness.

This book is an important contribution to vocational careers and calling. Many of us ask that question frequently and some might even expect a kind of easy-to-use framework. Such a thing does not exist. The truth is, we need to be constantly in discernment mode as far as calling is concerned. Calling is not just about knowing. It is also about practicing faithfulness as we go further along. Just like Joseph who never really understood the reason why his own brothers would betray him until his success in Egypt, we too should cultivate our relationship with God regularly and faithfully to ensure optimal readiness to receive God's insights and promptings. If we could bring together the practices of prayer, spirituality, community life, and disciplines, it would make us better discerners.

One more thing. Pushing the envelope further, it can also be argued that the way to understand calling in context is not just about the content itself. The researcher's context and background could also be a factor to influence the content and presentation. Like it or not, no matter how we try to put ourselves into another culture's perspectives or the shoes of another ethnicity, we are still unable to fully speak for them. Having said that, where then do we draw the line in the endless questioning and debating of contexts? Is there a way to prevent wholesale rejection of ideas from another context? I believe it works both ways. The Bible teaches us the virtues of humility and honesty. These should not be downplayed at all. They should form the core part of understanding spiritual discernment and our calling. I believe that is key to learning from God and from others in order to greater understand our identity and subsequently, our calling.

Susan L. Maros (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is an affiliate assistant professor of Christian leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary, where she has also served as a doctoral supervisor, and an adjunct professor at the King's University, Southlake, Texas. She is a past president of the Academy of Religious Leadership.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique insights on calling

I appreciate this perspective and reminder that our church experiences as well as cultural experiences are diverse. The author does an excellent job of featuring people throughout the chapters whose life experiences vary greatly from her own. I also believe her Scripture presentation was solid. The one weakness in my opinion was the attempt to be so inclusive that cultural "lingo" became a bit exhausting to wade through.

[Daniel Greiwe · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. I am sad to put this back on the shelf. I really wanted to enjoy it. Part of me wonders if I am too young or immature to appreciate what Susan Maros is sharing. Maybe if I pick back up ten years from now I will have a different experience.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A work on vocational discernment that recognizes that this process is shaped by our context, our social location.

In her work as a professor of leadership in a Christian seminary, Susan Maros came to a realization as she worked with students on discerning their callings. The ways that she had learned to discern calling in her White evangelical context were not necessarily the ways calling was discerned in other racial, ethnic, and cultural settings. This led to a process of examining her preconceptions about calling.

In this book she shares her learning. To begin with, she discovered that calling took different forms in scripture. The call of Abraham, Moses, and Nehemiah were each unique. Furthermore, calling unfolds over a lifetime, even when punctuated by particular calling moments.

Social location is a critical factor in how people experience calling. Social location includes racial, ethnic, and cultural background, socioeconomic status, and gender. These shape what opprtunities are most accessible and the ones considered “off-limits.” It also affects how we “hear” a call-an inner sense, a prophetic word, the counsel of community.

The last part of the book begins with understanding how we engage power, including understanding our own power and that of our community. Part of this is discerning how power works in social systems. The journey is a long one. Maros commends establishing sustainable rhythms of work and rest, community, companions, and lament. Underlying the discernment of calling is the recognition of and living out of purpose.

The principles and insights developed in this book are illustrated throughout by calling stories of a variety of ministry leaders representing various racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, gender, and age. Maros both illustrates from and draws insights from these stories, which form an integral part of the book. All of this comes together in a message of hope in the God who meets all of us in our social locations and bids us into lives of purpose under his grace.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.

[Grace Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Bible stories and characters do we think of when discussing “calling”? Is there a “Biblical template” for how God calls someone? How then do we discern God’s calling on our lives? These are some of the many questions this book addresses.

Susan Maros has written a beautiful book, inviting the reader to consider the many aspects that go into discerning calling. Maros points out that too often we read the glamorous moments of calling in the Bible— such as Moses at the burning bush— and skip over the fact that God had been preparing Moses for 80 years before that moment. Maros examines how our racial-ethnic-cultural identity, as well as socio-economic status, and our gender all influence our journey of discerning our calling. 

One profound point Maros also discussed is how God calls individuals, but never just for the sake of the individual. It is always about the community.

I appreciated Maros’ unique way of discussing Biblical calling, and how this book helps the reader engage the questions of discerning ones’ vocation. Her careful discussion of calling is also intertwined with real calling stories from a variety of diverse sources. I highly recommend this book- not only for college students trying to “figure things out,” but also for adults in different stages of life. Each chapter ends with reflection questions, suggested Biblical texts to engage the topic further, as well as recommended books for further study. This is a great resource to use in personal study or in a group setting.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who works with college students and talks about calling and vocation a lot, this book was delightful to read. I appreciated Dr. Maros' deep-dives into Scripture as well as her well-researched exploration of geography and social-psychology. This book is so helpful in pointing out the variations of calling that can be found throughout various communities, and how our own cultural backgrounds inform our idea of what calling is.

I look forward to providing this to some of my students as they explore their own calling in life.

*PDF copy of the text provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

[Hannah Urh · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐

On one hand, a topic right up my alley. I appreciate the nuance she gives to the Christian concept of 'calling'.

On the other hand, not my cup of tea. We have differing views (which is fine, and in fact, good), so engagement was spotty and then it read like many topical Christian books can read, and if you know - you know.

(Also, disclaimer: I barely feel like I can count this as a book I read, because of the times I did zone out, and that's not *necessarily* a comment on the book, but it is worth considering as far as my review)

[G. Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having reached the conclusion some years ago that books on calling are always written by middle-class 50ish Americans who've never had professional careers outside of "life coaching," I was quite surprised at this book. It's a good mix of research and personal stories, highlighting our misunderstandings about calling, what we assume the Bible says about it, and how we can move forward into embracing our callings now as well as taking a long view of them.

[Jonathan Asbun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too Focused on Modern Sociological Constructs

Maros had a great idea and an opportunity to develop a book that would change hands and minds. However, her excessive focus on race and power dynamics make the book preachy and one sided. There are some good principles that can be taken, but you need to decide if you want to spend your hours reading a book that has already judge as victim or victimizer based solely on your accidental place and color of birth

[Ryan and Sara Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with keen insights, personal stories, and practical application on shaping a person vocationally!

[Allen Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend regardless of political or complementarian vs egalitarian views. Author does a great job of making one think of the human experience and spirituality.

[Preston Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about God’s call and what that looks like in your context. Highly recommend!

[Shannon Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

It leans a bit too progressive of my theological views. There are concepts in here worth engaging, but there are other books I'd recommend above this one. Pass.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a professor who explores calling in her classes, Maros shares how she started to realize that the perception of discerning calling differed for many of her students from other geographical and cultural backgrounds, and she decided to dig deeper into understanding how those things and more affect our jobs and Christian ministry. This book takes readers on a journey to explore how your culture, context, social class, gender, and many other issues can affect your view of vocational and ministerial calling, and help you have a better vocabulary and background understanding to talk about such things with people who are coming from a different context.

I do need to get out of the way that I know this author personally. I went to church with her for a few years and her parents have visited my husband and I overseas a few times. I have to admit it was part of why the book captured my interest. I will also say, I am not normally excited about reviewing books by people I know. But this one was different because I was very interested in the topic as someone who works in an international school and spends a lot of time talking to high school Seniors about their next steps. So, yes, I know the author, but I’m going to review it as impartially as possible because I see the need for this book. As an expat working at international schools in Asia for 17 years now, I’ve seen the way cultures bump up against each other when it comes to choosing a vocation countless times. See, we have these students in an American-style school taught by a whole bunch of Western teachers (and a few Eastern ones too) but the majority of the students are coming from Asian homes. The American mindset they naturally pick up at school tells them to choose an occupation they enjoy or comes naturally. The Asian mindset they get at home tells them to choose an occupation that will provide well for their parents and wider family, and also bring honor to the family by being something respectful, frequently chosen by the parents (generally this limits their choices to business, engineering, medicine, or law). It isn’t a problem going away any time soon, so I was really curious as to whether this book would be helpful for our staff and parents to have on hand as a resource, and I believe it definitely will be. I plan on ordering multiple copies, and highly recommending it to our high school counselors. This book helps you first of all identify where you are coming from and start thinking about how that likely isn’t true for most of the people you know. Probably the only people who really are coming from the same framework are your siblings, or possibly close friends from the same neighborhood you’ve known all your lives. We each have this unconscious set of criteria that shape and mold the way we think and approach the world, let alone how we perceive calling and how to tell if we are in the right vocation. Some of that unconscious thinking can be really uncomfortable to think about, let alone talk about. Like how race impacts your thinking, or your gender, or your socio-economic status. They aren’t easy, but Maros approaches them with tact and grace and respect with stories from other people gracious enough to share their life experiences and how those elements have impacted their calling and vocations. It also tackles the elephant in the room of calling and vocation not always being a once for all of your life thing, but a growing, morphing thing that can and often does change over time. Maros is a Christian, approaches this from a Christian perspective, and includes Bible studies at the end of each chapter to help you explore how the principles she talked about in that chapter are at work in various biblical figures’ lives. I’ve been nibbling at this slowly for a few months because it is something worth taking your time working through. I would also like to re-read it, because I feel like some of the things will take revisiting to fully sink in. Keep your eyes on the lookout for this once it is published. I don't know of anything else even remotely like it, and it is definitely needed. Highly recommended to anyone who works with people seeking guidance for life direction, ministry calling, vocational choices, or really any type of interpersonal interaction that needs to consider the whole person and where they are coming from and where you are coming from.

Notes on content: Some of the personal stories involve past trauma or family deaths. No gory details or any detailed trauma.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Scott Hayden · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author makes some good points, already mentioned in the Goodreads summary. And here are some worth highlighting...
1. Yes, we should realize that our interpretation of and criteria for "calling" have been shaped by our social locations.
2. Right, the Bible does not give us a formula for determining God's calling. Depending on your denomination you might latch on to a particular Bible story and hold it up as The Model. But that ignores so many other stories of God's leading.
3. r=R vs r~R v No R, only r (p. 6). Look it up. It's well put.
4. "Racial-ethinic-cultural identity is far richer and more complex than simplistic racial categories" (p. 79)
5. Listening to other's stories and examining your own honors people as image bearers of God, each with their own path.

But I have some bones to pick with this book.
1. When the author lays out her theological convictions, she does not acknowledge that humans are sinful. (See pages 9-10, 31, and 37.) The index showed no entries for the words sin, holy, right, wrong, or evil, but the word privilege gets indexed four times.
2. She insists that "The biblical model of calling doesn't exist." "There is no biblical map." I get the gist of these, and tend to agree. But then later she says "It's a journey," and "formation of vocation takes a lifetime," and refers to it as "God's invitation." These statements reveal that she thinks there is a model / map. It may be flexible and personalized, but she does indeed think there is a map. To me, it's sneaky to disarm your readers by saying "there is no map," then slowly feed them your own map. I felt like I was forced into a game of "Two Truths and a Lie" in order to keep reading.
3. "Law, marriage, and family are all socially constructed institutions" (p. 74). Yikes! Marriage is a social construct?! In another place in the book, when she touched on the potential hotspot of the authority of Scripture, she highlighted her view in a "Navigation Point" so that the reader would know where she was coming from. But this statement about marriage being socially constructed is slipped inside a navigation point for other terms with no further explanation. Does InterVarsity Press (the publisher) agree with this? Does Fuller Theological Seminary (her employer)?
4. She describes the United States as including "structural racism" (p. 93)and calls on white people "to being antiracist in all facets of their life and work" (p. 94). I might agree, but like her categorization of marraige as social construct, she offers no navigation point defining what she means by "structural racism" or "antiracist."

At this point, I had no more waitings left to do for my annual medical check up and the book's occasional slipperiness required more active filtering than I had time left in my vacation to devote. I felt like I got (and liked) her main point, but could no longer invest the energy required to sort through the issues that kept popping up. I skimmed the rest of the book, slowing down to read some parts here and there. Maybe some day I'll go back.