ABSTRACT
This chapter constitutes a modest attempt to contribute an Orthodox Christian voice to the theology of work. The tendency in much of the literature to contrast an “incarnational” (pro-work) perspective with an “eschatological” (anti-work) one is resisted. The two, in Orthodox theology, are always mutually implied and thus must both be brought to bear on the theology of work. The eschatological hope of divine rest is discussed, and it is argued that this hope ultimately gives substance to the meaning of work in this life. The main types of work are then addressed, beginning with spiritual work (“the work of God”) enacted through the life of faith, before moving to the more usual meaning of the term, namely our everyday forms of labor or employment. Drawing on an array of resources from the Orthodox tradition, four principles for a fuller Orthodox theology of work are proffered.
