“Therefore I advise no one to enter any religious order or the priesthood. Iindeed, I advise everyone against it -- unless he is forearmed with this knowledge and understands that the works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they may be, do not differ one whit in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going about her household tasks, but that all works are measured before God by faith alone.”

— From Martin Luther’s Babylonian Captivity

What is vocation? To Lutherans, vocation is the place where one’s talents and the needs of the world cross, framing all of life in the perspective of God’s purposes and agency in the world. One’s “job” is not merely a place to make money; it is primarily a place to serve larger communities.

All fields of work — boss, worker, spouse, parent, child, friend, and citizen — are “callings” through which people respond to the call to live lives of love and service. Through opportunities for faculty, staff, alumni, and students, St. Olaf aims to incorporate the intentional reflection on vocation into the life of the College.