The Calling – A Growing Interest in Vocation

I’ve been watching a documentary on PBS called The Calling. It follows “seven young religious students — Muslim, Catholic, Evangelical Christian, and Jewish — who are on a dramatic journey as they train to become the next generation of professional clergy.” While the documentary is focused on professional clergy, the concept has been expanded to allow people of any occupation to share stories on the companion site http://www.whatsyourcalling.org/. You can read stories from Jazz musicians to social workers.

The Calling is not only an interesting look at the various ways professional clergy are formed in differing religious traditions, but it is another example of the seemingly growing interest in the concept of vocation. While vocation is a part of our Lutheran theological heritage, in the past few years, secular and evangelical voices have had more to say on the topic. Maybe it’s time to jump into the conversation. If you are watching The Calling as well, share your reactions, thoughts on vocation, or insights gained about clergy training in the comment section of this post.

Link to The Calling on PBS: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/calling/

The Calling on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/the-calling/id405308511