Barnabas File

I was listening to a podcast recently that featured a computer systems engineer who had worked with six different tech firms over the last 20 years.   He had some interesting stories, but what struck me most about his presentation were some of the words he used—words like “mission,” “values,”   “making a difference,” and “calling.” These are all terms that I am accustomed to hearing in a religious context.  In the church we affirm that we have a mission—the missio Dei (or “mission of God”), we help believers recognize and act on their values, we encourage congregants to “make a difference” in the world, and we facilitate each person discovering his or her calling. How did this connection or transference originate?  For a number of years, various types of companies have emphasized the need for a clear vision and a mission statement.  These terms could very well have come from other sources such as the military.  The use of more values-laden terms...