The following is a synopsis of a white paper by Dr. Andrzej Turkanik that lays the foundation for the Collaborative’s new initiative, Vocational Guilds. After a simple question and answer for why vocational guilds, we provide a brief summary of the six principles that guide them.
The Problem of Work
In America, the mainstream culture views work largely in terms of money, benefits, and status. It defines work as a job instead of a vocation, making our work a commodity that is easily replaceable and meaningless. Instead, vocation roots work in mission, calling, and purpose. Vocation allows us to find our true identity in the lifelong pursuit of our calling, or as Nietzsche put it:
The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is…that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.
Why Vocational Guilds
Historically, vocational guilds were intended to help merchants and artisans achieve mastery in their own skills while maintaining standards for their profession. Developing a mature character along the way was just as important a priority for the guilds. We wish to resurrect this social structure to help combat the erosion of identity in our current culture, to provide a place where character, work, and faith can strengthen each other. These guilds will help those who are just beginning their vocational journey and those who are facing the looming technological changes on the horizon. Most importantly, it will help us distinguish calling from providing so that those who are gifted but not paid can find value in their vocation, whether that be as an artist, healer, or anything else, and we can combat a culture that often values work solely based on the salary it commands.
In order to ground these vocational guilds in their mission, we have created six principles to guide them:
1. Thoughtful Expertise
Scripture is full of references to skillful work. However, it is not just skillful work on its own that matters, but also thoughtful expertise which is required. Thoughtful expertise must include going beyond the narrow constraints of professional education. Historically, there was as much emphasis on character development as there was on mastering the craft. It is this blend or integration of profession and virtue that makes for thoughtful expertise, unlike today where the singular focus tends to be only on the professional aspect. This results in expertise without thought, a highly skilled workforce lacking moral backbone. Thoughtful expertise is this combination of mastery and character.
2. Creativity
Creativity is the gift to see the possibility for change and to implement that change. There are many possibilities for change in our workplaces, but they are bound up with visions of what could be, should be, and ought to be. It takes courage to break out of the old patterns and be bold in asking new, unorthodox questions. We must not be inhibited by asking unpopular questions that could cost us. Courage is always costly because it involves risk. We frequently fail to realize that workplace decisions often (not always) are opportunities to exercise our faith and our trust that God is for us. Creativity is this combination of vision and courage.
3. Professionalism
The idea of professionalism usually connotes thoughts of behaviors, practices, and attitudes associated with those at the top of their occupation. However, the vocational guild assigns a more significant meaning to professionalism by including a shared responsibility for one’s profession. Responsibility starts with the realization that we are stewards, not owners of that which has been entrusted to our care for a time. Our responsibility extends both to God who gave us our vocation and to others who share our vocation like colleagues, clients, and bosses, among many others. Professionalism is the exemplification of best practices combined with the responsible use of those practices.
4. Relationships
The right response to the reality of overwhelming work is: fellowship. As someone has said, the definition of fellowship is more-than-one-fellow-in-a-ship. The evil one will do anything he can to make us feel alone. We must not give into temptation. How many successful people do you know who continued on their own and have sunken their ship? We want to use these vocational guilds to provide for this need.
5. Humility
Humility within a profession requires us to humble ourselves before God, before our fellow workers, and before the work itself. It may mean developing a humble approach to the subject matter; to look appreciatively at the years that it took to develop a body of material that we are now allowed to participate in, add to, extend, modify, and challenge—all under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Humility means accepting leadership, learning, and success with equal grace.
6. Theology of Vocation
We empower those involved in vocational guilds to think of themselves as agents of change within these guilds. This can take place in structured as well as organic opportunities where faithfulness can be learned. The structured aspect would involve more regular meetings where ideas can be exchanged, like those of a master with an apprentice, and where they can together develop and discuss the intricacies of the skills and responsibilities of their craft.
As people who have been created in the image and likeness of God who works, who worked before the Fall, and who put us into the Garden to “cultivate it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15), our responsibility for our profession goes beyond the convenient avenue of preaching the Gospel to a captive audience.
Conclusion
The Collaborative is excited about the opportunity that these vocational guilds represent. Please keep an eye out as these guilds grow and mature for opportunities to take part.. If you’d like to learn more, you can read the full white paper here or contact our head of recruiting at crosland@collaborativeorlando.com.
