Working Theology of Labor

A Christian Case for the Dignity of Ordinary WorkMoving beyond the typical focus on professional and creative classes in faith-and-work discussions, this book brings the concerns of working-class laborers, hourly employees, and unpaid workers into the center of theological reflection.Drawing from Scripture and Christian ethics, A Working Theology of Labor reveals a God who is passionately pro-worker--a God who hears the cries of the marginalized and desires a world where every person's skill and calling serve the good of all. In this book, Adam L. Gustine● takes stock of the church's track record on working-class issues;● shifts the conversation about faith and work to examine power structures and the social hierarchy of labor;● considers what makes work dignifying and what makes compensation just;● shows how Christians should approach this topic theologically and ethically;● examines whether solidarity is possible between workers and owners in an economy built on unequal power;● equips workers to resist exploitation and reclaim agency over their own labor; and● addresses disability, artificial intelligence, and uncompensated work as modern challenges to human dignity.Ideal for professors and students, A Working Theology of Labor provides a vital framework for courses in theology, ethics, business, and vocation, as well as religion and society. It will also appeal to pastors, lay leaders, and anyone seeking to integrate faith, work, and justice in everyday life.

Adam L. Gustine (DMin, Missio Seminary) is director of the program in virtue ethics, education, and formation at the Notre Dame Institute for Ethics and the Common Good in Notre Dame, Indiana. He is the author of Becoming a Just Church: Cultivating Communities of God's Shalom and the coauthor of Ecosystems of Jubilee: Economic Ethics for the Neighborhood.