Includes bibliographies and index.

"Is the concept of calling universal? God calls all people, yes-but calling is not a monolithic concept. This path-breaking book helps Christians in the United States see how social location shapes assumptions and experiences with vocation, critically examining the cultural priorities of vocation that emphasize certainty, career paths, and personal achievement"--

Part I: maps, theoretical frameworks, and "you are here" -- 1. "What is my calling?" and other problematic maps -- 2. In search of a Biblical map -- 3. The journey of calling -- Part II: social locations considered -- 4. The gift of particularity: racial-ethnic-cultural identity and Christian vocation -- 5. Socioeconomic status, class, and calling -- 6. On being a Godly (Wo)man: sex, gender, and vocation -- Part III: examining intersections -- 7. Engaging power -- 8. Practices for the journey -- 9. Developing a purposeful life -- Conclusion: finish well.

""I don't care for vocational books written in the United States; they're too American." When Susan Maros heard this comment from a Malaysian colleague, she was initially taken aback. Isn't the concept of calling universal? Why wouldn't resources with a biblical perspective on vocation apply to everyone? The reality is that each of us encounters our questions of calling from within a particular context. In this paradigm-shifting book, Maros explores how various dimensions of social location, including race, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, and gender, shape our assumptions and experiences with vocation. Maros helps Christians in the United States in particular see how ideas about calling that emphasize certainty, career paths, and personal achievement arise from cultural priorities that shouldn't go unexamined, such as individualsim, productivity, and meritocracy. She explains how unexamined "mental maps" can distort our persepctive and refocuses our attention on biblical insights about calling as a lifelong journey. In the process, she helps us find both clarity and encouragement to explore the paths before us. God calls all people, yes-but calling is not a monolithic concept. Filled with numerous stories from Christians in diverse communities, Calling in Context invites anyone exploring questions of calling to find fresh possibilities in their own identity and engagement with God's mission. Reflection questions and Bible study prompts are included throughout."-- Back cover.