This week I attended the program for the 500th anniversary of the 95 theses. We had a delicious dinner and watched a documentary film on Luther and the historical context behind his actions. My father drove up to attend the event because we have very old German ancestry and both love good spätzle. The documentary really exemplified the lasting and monumental effects of the protestant reformation. My dad pointed out that most of the changes Luther made in the church are exactly why I love church. This includes the ornate pipe organs, music programs, emphasis on keeping clergy at a human level. I argued that everything I love about existence was shaped by the protestant reformation: science, music, artwork, women’s rights… My dad and I spent a good deal of time reflecting on the evening afterwards with my little doggie, Sadie. It was a very pleasant night filled with good company and warm vibes.
The whole experience added to my continuing internal dialogue about my future. The church is extremely important to my personal life, but day after day becomes increasingly more important in my professional and academic life. This is confusing for me to grasp. I have always known that singing in a church choir would be a part of my life forever, but being involved in religious organization professionally was not something I ever imagined for myself. Each week goes by and I enjoy my work at Hebrew College and Marsh Chapel more and more and I start to question what exactly I value in a work environment. I am someone who is extremely influenced by my environment for better or for worse. This means I know exactly which environments are not for me. Conversely, I know I require hardworking compatriots, passionate people, kind individuals, and curious thinkers in my daily life. Could this all be found in a religious oriented career?
Maybe. This week I am seriously pondering the idea of a non-traditional vocational identity.