Theology of Work

Gregorio Guitián is Associate Professor of Moral Theology and Dean of the School of Theology at the University of Navarra, Spain.

• 1. Theology of work: Context, integration, challenge - Gregorio Guitián; Part I. Context; 2. Does God work? Shall we work in heaven? In search of a theological foundation of work - Santiago Sanz Sánchez; 3. Labouring for rest. The rudiments of an Orthodox theology of work - Alexis Torrance; 4. Human‒divine synergy. Human work and the transformation of the cosmos in Russian thinkers of the early 20th century - Andrzej Persidok; 5. Creative art and theology of work. Contributions from St. Bonaventure - Isabel M. León–Sanz; 6. Daily life and work in light of the mystery of Christ - Antonio Aranda; 7. Work, οίκοδομή and πνεῦμα. A vision from the Pauline categories - Juan Luis Caballero; Part II. Integration; 8. The value of work in the Book of Ecclesiastes (Qohelet). Is an optimistic view possible given the onerous experience of many jobs? - Diego Pérez Gondar; 9. Rethinking work from the Book of Leviticus - Francisco Varo; 10. From ‘homo faber’ to ‘homo liturgicus’. Towards a theology of work in liturgical perspective - Félix María Arocena; 11. The personal good of work: a comprehensive reading of the subjective dimension of work - Hélio Luciano; 12. Contemplation at work: Social contemplation and mysticism for an integral ecology of work - Martin Schlag; Part III. Challenge; 13. Work in Protestant perspective: A not so unintended reformation - D. Stephen Long; 14. Labour of love. The value of work in the household - Mary L. Hirschfeld; 15. Embracing better work. A response to Jeremy Posadas - David Cloutier; 16. Work, hope and secularity - Ana Marta González

“The world desperately needs greater wisdom on the nature and purpose of work. Guitián contributes to this need giving us the collective insights of an impressive group of theologians drawing upon a 2000-year-old wisdom tradition. All scholars and practitioners would greatly benefit from its insights”. - Michael J. Naughton, University of St. Thomas, USA“The fruit of an impressive multi-year scholarly collaboration at the University of Navarra, this volume makes a distinctive and valuable contribution to contemporary Catholic discussions on work. Offering 'new perspectives' that foreground the theological, scholars draw fresh, tradition-anchored insights from scripture, patristics, liturgy, dogma, ethics, and more. Ecumenical and international voices further enrich this noteworthy book.” - Christine Firer Hinze, Fordham University, USA“Guitián and collaborators deserve praise for presenting a genuine dialogue on a topic of such widespread importance. I can think of no comparable volume where biblical scholars join systematic and moral theologians on a topic usually relegated to ethics, and I hope to see the achievement repeated. Many essays deserve to become classics.”- Kate Ward in Journal of Catholic Social Thought“The essays collected in Theology of Work, edited by Gregorio Guitián, provide a far-reaching theological analysis of work, bringing together Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox perspectives, and developing a range of topics related to biblical theology, Thomism, and the Social Magisterium. The collection is distinct in that it is organized around the three broad themes of context, integration, and challenge. It will be of interest, firstly, to moral theologians and Christian ethicists in their efforts to better appreciate the implications of work for the Christian tradition and vice versa, but also to business ethicists and organizational scholars seeking to better understand the motivations and concerns that may shape many organization members. As such, this is a timely volume full of rich insights that promise to spur many new potential lines of inquiry.”- Caleb Bernacchio in Studies in Christian Ethics“In this volume on the Theology of Work, the editor Gregorio Guitián shares with us an enriching exploration of this branch of economic theology. The various contributors provide us with fascinating insights in the theological contemplation and discussion of work. […] The book is firmly grounded in the orthodox Catholic tradition. Broadening the scope of the book are several contributions from Protestant and Eastern Orthodox writers. Together, the articles provide a comprehensive overview of the theology of work.”- J. Arie Biemond in Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion