Over the holidays, PBS aired an ambitious four-hour documentary “The Calling,” an exploration of how seven young people of differing faiths pursued their entry into ministry. Aside from its imposing length, the documentary is both fascinating and frustrating.
On the human level, we meet a group of engaging individuals who are exploring what it means to care for the faithful, either as pastors, priests, rabbis or imams. Still, even after four hours, what we gain in breadth we miss in depth. I found myself wanting to know more about these individuals and their journeys than time permitted. Beyond that, viewers are left to surmise what might be meant by “calling” because there’s little direct discussion of the concept.
(As a side note, it is interesting to see how much reviews in The New York Times and World Magazine tend to agree on this point.)
The result: While it is enriching to observe these journeys, one is not likely to gain a deeper understanding of vocation or calling. We are left with mystery amid the concrete circumstances of real lives. Perhaps that’s what the creators of “The Calling” intended.
But don’t stop with watching the documentary — go to the film’s website. Better yet, go to a related but separate website called whatsyourcalling.org. There you will find additional mini-profiles of people who feel a “calling” to pursue a range of vocations.
That’s where I found the video at the top of this post: Mark Horvath of invisiblepeople.tv, who has devoted himself to documenting the lives of homeless people through new media. He and others don’t necessarily remove the sense of mystery that surrounds the idea of calling, but they do talk more directly of their experiences and struggles with the idea.
It’s interesting, but in these short pieces I find more reflection on the idea of calling than I do in the four-hour documentary. Moreover, these vignettes expand the topic beyond that of ministry, exploring what calling means within lines of work both sacred and secular — reminding us that such a distinction is dubious at best.
If you want to explore the notion of calling and don’t have the time to watch the documentary, go to the web site. In this case, less feels like more.
And if you want to see more about the documentary, you can go to the web site. Here’s the trailer:
Signs of Grace 