Thinking Theologically About Work | Karen Swallow Prior

Many people view work as either a means to success or a necessary burden. But how should Christians think about work theologically?

In this episode of Logos Live, Kirk E. Miller talks with Karen Swallow Prior about the theological view of work, drawing from Genesis and doctrines like the priesthood of believers. They discuss how work reflects God’s image, how Christ’s redemption reshapes our labor, and how we can find joy in our daily tasks—even in the midst of toil and frustration.

Whether you’re struggling to find meaning in your job or wondering how faith intersects with work, this conversation will help you develop a richer, more biblical theology of vocation.

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Episode guest: Karen Swallow Prior

Karen Swallow Prior, PhD, is a reader, writer, speaker, and professor.

Karen is the author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis (Brazos, 2023); On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books (Brazos, 2018); Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist (Thomas Nelson, 2014); and Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me (T. S. Poetry, 2012). She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan, 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books.

She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, Think Christian, The Gospel Coalition, and various other places. She hosted the podcast Jane and Jesus. She is a contributing editor for Comment, a founding member of The Pelican Project, and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum.

Karen and her husband live on a one-hundred-year-old homestead in central Virginia with dogs, chickens, and lots of books

Episode synopsis

Our assumed theologies of work

Kirk E. Miller and Karen Swallow Prior begin by discussing how everyone holds a theology of work, even if unconsciously. Karen highlights common misconceptions Christians might have about work, such as separating it from faith, or how cultural ideals of success, productivity, and efficiency which may not align with biblical principles can influence our theology of work.

Considering secular views of work

Karen elaborates on the differences between a biblical theology of work and secular ideas prevalent in today’s society. She mentions how capitalism and productivity are often seen as inherently good from a cultural standpoint, but these measures may not always align with how God views work. The importance of understanding work as a service to God and neighbor, regardless of its scale or visibility, is emphasized.

The Protestant Reformation & the priesthood of all believers

The conversation delves into the Protestant Reformation and its impact on the understanding of vocation. Karen explains how the Reformation challenged the sharp divide between sacred and secular work, promoting the idea that all vocations are valuable in God’s eyes. This leads to a discussion of the priesthood of all believers and how every kind of work can serve God, pushing back against the notion of a “higher calling” being exclusive to church-related vocations.

The juxtaposition of the goodness & fallenness of work

Karen and Kirk discuss the tension between the inherent goodness of work, as ordained by God in creation, and the curse of toil brought on by the fall. Karen points out how work now involves both hardship and fulfillment, reflecting the complex reality that many Christians live in today. She encourages a perspective that balances hope in redemption with the understanding of work’s challenges.

Christ’s work & ours

Linking our work to Christ’s resurrection, Kirk underscores that Christian labor is not in vain. Given our guaranteed redemption through Christ, our work will eventually bear fruit in God’s timing. The resurrection promises that our labor has eternal significance and is part of God’s redemptive plan.

Imaging God through our work

The discussion then shifts to how work is one way believers reflect God’s image. Drawing from Genesis, Karen explains that creativity and productivity in all forms of work showcase God’s nature as the Creator. She also touches on how all vocations, from teaching to car repair, can demonstrate God’s order and care in the world.

Vocation vs. occupation vs. career

Karen distinguishes the terms “work,” “occupation,” and “vocation,” highlighting vocation as a broader calling that includes, but is not limited to, paid employment. She explains how vocation encompasses the various roles and responsibilities God places in one’s life, such as being a parent, citizen, or member of a faith community.

Valuing ordinary work

The dialogue addresses the cultural pressure to achieve extraordinary success and how Christians can find significance in ordinary work. Karen encourages finding joy and purpose in daily tasks, drawing from principles in Scripture that value faithfulness and service over worldly measures of success. Jesus’s teachings redefine greatness from a kingdom perspective.

• Theology of Work: How and Why Our Work Matters to God by Karen Swallow Prior
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Recommended resources from Karen Swallow Prior

• Karen Swallow Prior: You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful (Brazos, 2025).
• Michael Berg: Vocation: The Setting for Human Flourishing (1517, 2021).
• Gene Edward Veith, God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life (Crossway, 2011)
• Garry Friesen and Robin Maxon, Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View (Multnomah, 2004)