How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord
How clear is our vocation, Lord
This hymn recovers the Lutheran understanding that all legitimate occupations constitute divine vocation, not merely clergy and religious life. It reflects Reformation theology emphasizing the sanctification of ordinary work and the believer's calling to serve Christ in daily life.
History & Background
Written by Fred Pratt Green in 1969, this modern hymn was first published in Hymns and Songs (1969). It has become widely used in contemporary Lutheran hymnals and reflects late 20th-century renewal of vocation theology.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 580
- Glory to God — 580
- Lutheran Service Book — 853
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 755
- Voices Together — 601
Bulletin Note
Written by Fred Pratt Green in 1969, this hymn reclaims the Reformation doctrine of vocation—that God sanctifies all honest work through Christ, not merely the work of clergy. A modern recovery of Luther's liberating insight.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Reformation's radical claim that all lawful callings glorify God equally, challenging the false division between sacred and secular and anchoring Christian ethics in the Gospel's freedom rather than human achievement.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: from separation and judgment to gracious invitation, communion, and eschatological hope
Themes
Christian vocation Discipleship Mission and witness Daily work God's calling