Stories of Vocation: Education for Vocational Discernment

Abstract

Women's stories often have unplanned vocational twists. In oral histories with thirty-four women from diverse contexts, Moore discovers the power of narration to reveal and shape women's vocational journeys. Analysis uncovers qualities of the women's journeys: facing unexpected turns; trusting spiritual-intuitive knowing; analyzing and responding to social contexts; standing for justice; committing to make a difference; helping others be who they can be; building bridges; practicing hospitality; valuing women's communities; caring for self; and practicing humor. By clustering these qualities, five narrative processes emerge. The corresponding educational practices are valuable for religious educators who engage with people in vocational discernment.

Notes

¹The Oral History Project was initiated in 1999 by the Women in Theology and Ministry Program of Candler School of Theology, collaborating with the Pitts Theology Library Archives Department, Emory University. We are grateful for generous funding from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, which has made the OHP possible by supporting action-research on teaching through oral history and oral history resources. Note: The complete transcripts will be available through Pitts Theology Archives, with excerpts available online at http://www.candler.emory.edu/OHP

²Analysis was done with the ethogenic method, a form of ethnography described in Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore (2006).