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Baptists
The Protestant concept of the “calling” refers to one’s secular occupation and argues that the premiere way for one to serve God is by laboring in the work God assigned to them. Martin Luther developed the idea of the Christian’s calling as a response to Catholic monasticism, but it was eventually adopted by every Protestant tradition. Calvinism elaborated on the idea by arguing that faithful labor in one’s calling was the primary mark of salvation.
Calling Quotes in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism quotes below are all either spoken by Calling or refer to Calling. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part 1, Section 3
Quotes
The monastic style of life is now not only completely worthless as a means of justification before God (that much is self-evident), [Luther] also sees it as a manifestation unloving egoism and an abdication from secular duties. In contrast, labor in a secular calling appears as the outward expression of Christian charity.
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Part 2, Section 1
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Tireless labor in a calling was urged as the best possible means of attaining this self-assurance. This and this alone would drive away religious doubt and give assurance of one’s state of grace.
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For the Baptists sects the intensity of their interest in the economic aspects of the calling was considerably increased by various factors. One of these was the refusal to accept state office, which was originally regarded as a religious duty deriving from rejection of the world […] and the strict refusal to bear arms and swear on oath disqualified them from public office.
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This ascetic style of life, however, as we have seen, meant a rational shaping of one’s whole existence in obedience to God’s will. And this asceticism was no longer [merely good], but could be expected of everyone wanting to be sure of salvation. This rationalization of the conduct of life in the world with a view to the beyond is the idea of calling characteristic of ascetic Protestantism.
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Part 2, Section 2
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What is really reprehensible is resting on one’s possessions, enjoyment of wealth with its consequences of idleness and the lusts of the flesh, and particularly distraction from striving for a “holy” life. And it is only because possessions bring with them the danger of this resting that they are dubious. […] according to god’s unambiguously revealed will, it is only action, not idleness and indulgence, that serves to increase his glory. Wasting time is therefore the most serious of all sins.
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Above and beyond this, however, work is the end purpose of life commanded by God. The Pauline principle “He who will not work, shall not eat,” applies absolutely and to everyone. Unwillingness to work is a symptom of the absence of the state of grace.
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If we may sum up what has been said so far, then, innerworldly Protestant asceticism works with all it force against the uninhibited enjoyment of possessions; it discourages consumption, especially the consumption of luxuries. Conversely, it has the effect of liberating the acquisition of wealth from the inhibitions of traditionalist ethics; it breaks the fetters on the striving for gain by not only legalizing it, but […] seeing it as directly willed by God.
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Calling Term Timeline in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The timeline below shows where the term Calling appears in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Section 2: The “Spirit” of Capitalism
...primary “social ethic” of a capitalist society is that “one’s duty consists in pursuing one’s calling,” their professional occupation, whatever that may be. However, Weber does not believe this idea rose...
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...ideal capitalist laborer “performs the work as though it were an absolute end in itself—a ‘calling.’” Such a mentality is only produced, however, by a steady “process of education.” Once such...
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...of the capitalist spirit, where work is an end in itself, a divine duty, a “calling”?
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...same economic shift. Instead, Weber believes that one must investigate the Protestant idea of the calling to truly grasp the development of the capitalist spirit.
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Part 1, Section 3: Luther’s Conception of the Calling
Weber remarks that the idea of the calling in modern times has a religious connotation, and the further back one traces the idea...
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...the Christian works for and with his fellow humans. Weber regards this development of the calling as one the most significant “achievements” of the Reformation. However, he denies that Luther himself...
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Notably, Weber argues that the Bible, which Luther believed supported the calling, is primarily traditionalist in its approach towards money. Jesus, especially, teaches his followers to subsist...
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Luther’s view of the calling was new, but steeped in tradition, building upon the German mystics before him. As Luther...
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Part 2, Section 1: The Religious Foundations of Innerworldly Asceticism
...belief that life only exists to glorify God, the Calvinists took Luther’s loose concept of calling and made it a “characteristic part of their ethical system.” Thus, within Calvinism, work becomes...
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...was impossible. Instead, the main sign of one’s salvation was their fulfillment of their earthly calling. “Tireless labor” became “the best possible means of attaining this self-assurance.”
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...The consequence of this distrust is that Calvinists must constantly strive to work in their calling, to ensure their life is dedicated to good works, which are “indispensable for salvation.” These...
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...repentance and good works—Calvinists must live their entire lives in action. Their pursuit of their calling, which validates their salvation, is “raised to the level of a system.” Although the Calvinist’s...
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...ideals into their secular occupations. One of Calvinism’s primary contributions to Luther’s idea of the calling was the concept of “putting one’s faith to the test in secular working life.” However,...
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...“passive” Christians, arguing that one may be “elect” and yet not wholly committed to their calling or properly ascetic enough. Such Pietists believe that their “perfection as measured against the [Old...
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...added to the Protestant ascetic tradition by arguing for a life of labor in a calling from a utilitarian viewpoint, spurning the “philosophical speculation” of Luther and Calvin. However, in total,...
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...this, he does not believe Methodism made any significant contribution to the evolution of the calling or development of ascetic practice.
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...themselves can lead to salvation. Although the Baptists do not cling as tightly to the calling as Calvinists do, Weber notes that early Baptist communities ethically refused to participate in politics...
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Part 2, Section 2: Asceticism and the Capitalist Spirit
...supreme sin and threat to the “holy life.” In Baxter’s view, working hard at one’s calling was still the greatest mark of salvation, and thus all people must work, poor or...
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...prayer and contemplation, not labor. What Martin Luther began with his loose concept of the calling, Baxter took to far greater lengths, teaching that laboring in one’s specific field produced the...
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...and irregular,” at risk of “idleness” and losing their virtue. Moreover, Baxter taught that one’s calling must be beneficial to their community by providing a useful service, and must pursue the...
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...society, even for those not religious themselves: “The Puritans wanted to be men of the calling—we, on the other hand, must be.” When asceticism moved from a monastic concept to the...
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