The Call to Discipleship (Reconstructions in Lutheran Doctrinal Theology)

In baptism, a person is called to a vocation of discipleship within the community. However, discipleship has traditionally received mixed reviews in Lutheran theological discourse. When seen as a form of works righteousness or a way to earn God's favor, red flags go up. Yet when properly located within God's call in baptism to both individuals and the community, the baptized discover their vocational identity. Understood in light of the Spirit's work of sanctification, discipleship becomes complementary rather than opposed to justification, thus reflecting one of the paradoxes in Luther's theology. By viewing baptism as a life-long vocation, we see God's Spirit working to transform the disciple inwardly through growth in piety, and outwardly through the transformation of society. Discipleship is also the vocation given to all the baptized--not just the "professional" clergy, whether it be in their homes, in the church, or in society. Though there is a cost to discipleship for both individuals and communities of faith because it challenges the baptized to oppose sin, death, and the devil, the focus is on life and God's proclamation of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. By doing so, the baptized live out their vocations in the world.

Gordon A. Jensen is Emeritus William Hordern Professor of Theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His many publications in the field of Lutheran theology include The Wittenberg Concord: Creating Space for Dialogue (2018) and Experiencing Gospel: The History and Creativity of Martin Luther's 1534 Bible Project (2023).