Untitled Flashcards Set

● Calling as Service: God gives people callings based on the skills and passions he has

provided them with. We should then use those skills and passions to serve the people around us. "'How, with my existing abilities and opportunities, can I be of greatest service to other people, knowing what I do of God' s will and human need.” (Keller, 57). Vocation is when your calling is done for someone else, called by someone else, and reimagined asGod’s mission of service. Ties into the masks of God as well.
● Economy of Order: Economy of order is this idea that order is placed in the world. It can be hard to discern, but order needs justice to function. Breakdowns occur when people are unresponsible with order. Analogy of hockey can be useful to demonstrate what order looks like: hockey functions off a code of honor and only the referees get involves if absolutely necessary.
● Economy of Service: The economy of service involves many aspects. We are meant to serve God and serve those around us. We should be using our personal gifts and vocations to help out the people around us. Work helps us find our vocation and when we work, it is all about someone else. The fruit of our labor is fellowship. All our work is part of a great mysterious collaboration. We should use free and open exchange instead of trying to control it all.
● Ministry of competence: If God’s purpose for your job is to serve people, then the way to best serve God is to do the job as well as it can be done. Daily actions are spiritual and enable people to touch God in the world, not away from it. Your work in your prayer! Competent work is a form of love. You cannot fulfill the ministry of competence unless you do competent work.
● Un-giving Tree: An illustration of a tree that refused to give any of its fruits, so it was forgotten and no one cared about it and it died because it was in the nature of the tree to give and share and it did not.
● Hospitality: an ancient Christian virtue that contributes to the harmony of society. It entails opening your door to the stranger.
● Justice: Right ordering of things. In God's economy of all thing's art, business, family, education, government are all parts of creation and need to be rightly ordered for human flourishing

● Sin & its impact on work: Fruitless Experience of "thistles & thorns " (Genesis 3) Meaningless: Experience of the fleeting nature of life (Ecclesiastes) Selfish: "Make a name for ourselves " (Genesis 11) Idolatrous: Looking to a created thing to give what only God can (Romans 1).
● Alienation in work: Not good enough to achieve the work. Experience injustice and depersonalization. Experience of isolation from community and family

● Idolatry: Distortion of true worship Looking to created things for what only God can give (power, security, pleasure). Counterfeit Gods and misplaced trust. Traditional Culture High priority on duty to community Idols (per Keller): social stability, collective goods Modern Culture High value on reason, individual autonomy Idols: the autonomous self-Postmodern Culture Rejection of "modern" cultures Idol: "reality as it is".

● Thorns & thistles: “Work even when it bears fruit, is always painful, often miscarries, and sometimes kills us.”
● Sins impact on desire & sex: Desire drives human action, desire is shaped by habit, and liturgies are habits of the ultimate concern. Sin made sex and desire become idols and we worship the things we want, such as sex, more than the God who created them. We now lust and are selfish because of sin.
● Esther: Esther becomes the queen to Ahasuerus of Persia. She was personally chosen by the King. Mordecai (Esther’s guardian) refused to bow down and pay homage to Haman a high official of the king. Haman becomes infuriated and plots to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom because of his pride. Mordecai hears of the plot and reports it to his Esther. Esther outwits Haman and takes her petition to the king and pleas for the protection of her Jewish people from Haman’s wicked stratagem. The king out of anger, has Haman hung on the gallows, which he had built to destroy all the Jews. Esther’s faith and courage saves her people.
● Solomon: Wisest King to ever live. Many people attribute Ecclesiastes to his writings.
● Ecclesiastes: Book of the Bible where Qoheleth talks about how everything is meaningless and passes away quickly. He urges people to instead focus on the moment and enjoy the present and honor God.
● Qoheleth: Translates to teacher. Individual in Ecclesiastes who urges people to enjoy the moment because he believes that life is meaningless.
● Hevel: Basically translates to chasing the wind. Also means something temporary or fleeting.
● Work, worship, & their integration in ancient Israel: Sacrifices - means of dealing with sin. Offerings - recognizing God's abundance. Celebration - New rhythms of work, rest. Work and worship are meant to be integrated. Worship shapes identity and informs work. Work provides the stuff of worship. Directed to God. Communal in practice. Connected to work.
● Songs of Work: Found in Psalms which is the song/prayer book of ancient Israel. Acknowledge the responsiveness of God. Rehearse God's patterns of work in the sanctuary. Are trained to "walk in the ways of the Lord" in the street.
● Prophets and work: Prophets hated idolatry and rebuked the Israelites for their bad habits and ungodly liturgies. Tried to call people back to God. Worship will not satisfy; it becomes empty Make it right in the marketplace. Address it in the presence of God. Worship is part of what it means to be human. Worship is a means by which we express

and shape our loves. Unfaithful worship leads to sinful work. Sinful work leads to faulty worship.

Quizzes

According to Keller, the significance of the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden is that is had unique, almost magical qualities. 'False'.
This week's reading equates Adam and Eve's awareness of their need for clothing with: Mistrust and fear in their relationship

Many different languages use the same word for work/toil and childbearing. 'True'. Which components of life does sin impact? Personal and private, Love and work, Public and social.
Based on the author’s discussion, what is the best description of what we can learn from Peter Shaffer’s play, Amadeus? One should expect to be frustrated in their work, even if they are in exactly the right vocation
Ecclesiastes is a fictional biography from the perspective of Qoheleth which means: Philosopher.
What is the phrase used in Ecclesiastes to describe the experience of life in this world aside from any consideration of greater realities or eternal perspective? "under the sun"

According to Keller, the view of Ecclesiastes on human accomplishment is: In the end, there are no lasting achievements

According to Keller and NY Times author David Brooks, many experience dissatisfaction in work because they choose career paths based on: Self-image
What is the claim of Dorothy Sayers about meaningful work? The worker must serve the work

The reason that the people of Shinar build a tower reaching to the heavens is that they believeGodhastoldthemtodoso. 'False'.
Which two stories from the Old Testament are parallel to Esther because they depict individuals rising to places of official power within secular cultural institutions? The stories of Daniel and Joseph

Which two books of the Old Testament are parallel to Esther because they describe three different kinds of people that God uses to bring about the restoration of His people?
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah
According to Keller’s discussion, what two words describe how both Jesus and Esther accomplish the salvation of other people? Identification and mediation

Keller claims that “when you see how much you are loved” by Jesus, what will happen? Your work will be come far less selfish
Which of the following is a phrase used by Keller in this chapter to describe what an idol basically is? Counterfeit god

Which of the following is discussed by Friedrich Nietzsche, and Keller suggest should be understood as idols, from a biblical perspective? Cultural ideals
According to Keller, the understandable, legitimate emphasis on loyalty and social stability in many traditional cultures, can lead to: The exploitation of workers

What is Enlightenment? A philosophical movement in the modern West, prioritizing reason According to philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff, the difference between ancient and modern conceptions of ‘the good life’ involves a shift away from “living well” to a sense that things are “going well.” True.

Who is the king of Israel known particularly for his wisdom? Solomon
Imes argues that the possibility that the writer of Proverbs borrowed from the wisdom of other religions or traditions completely discredits the claims of Scripture. 'False'.
In contrast to cultural narratives, Imes suggests that sex from a Christian perspective is best understood as: A gift
Which of the following is the problem with pornography, as Imes frames it: pornography maps neurological pathways, pornography is exploitative, pornography distorts trusted relationships
What does Imes point to as the logic for intercessory prayer (that is, prayer on behalf of others): Human identity/purpose as God’s representatives
Despite its reputation for a depressive tone, the book of Ecclesiastes teaches:
To work hard, but take time to relish in the gifts of God, To rest in the truth that the world does not depend on your success, That life is short, enjoy the journey and take time to smell the roses
According to Ime's interpretation of Ecclesiastes, the reality of death should:
Free us to enjoy life for its own sake
The core message of the book of Job is that God should not be trusted. 'False'.
In consideration of human limitations, which is a viable response suggested by the author to the feeling of reaching the breaking point with work: Recognize that we might have set unrealistic expectations for ourselves.