RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Calling Calmet
term comprehends within itself the further divine activities. If now the call embraces the whole of salvation in its relation to us, it is plain that its content is the Gospel; as the old writers rightlyperceived. But since " law " and Gospel stand in close connection, the law also must be indirectly included in the call. R. Seeberg.
CALLING, EARTHLY: The position in life occupied by each individual, and the duties toward society which appertain to such a position. These duties are primarily social rather than ethical, and may be hedonistic in motive, as when they are performed for the sake of livelihood. The calling may be ethicized, however, if the ends of the social organism be served expressly for the glory of God, thus transforming the calling into divine worship. Since the calling conditions the class of services rendered to society, it must form the basis of an ethical activity. Each function resulting from the divinely created nature of man may develop into a calling, although the variety in callings does not necessarily imply a distinction in the value of personalities. Nor is it unethical to have no calling, but only to desire to have none, since those who are so conditioned that, through no volition of their own, they are without a calling do not become unethical for that reason.
In the rich development of Christian ethics in the New Testament the earthly calling is comparatively neglected, yet, from the point of view of love toward one's neighbor, he who disregards his duties to his family, and toward society and the Church, must be considered unethical. The earthly calling is, accordingly, individualistic rather than universal in its obligations to society, and represents one of the forms of Christian ethics. Wilful neglect of the calling is immoral, since it is the only means of intercommunication in society, which would otherwise be incoherent and disorganized. The bodily and mental gifts of man are fruitless unless they are devoted to the welfare of society through a definite calling, and their neglect is not only contrary to nature but also to the will of God-
The ethical signification of the earthly calling forms an important chapter of philosophical ethics. Through it« recognition of the dignity of labor and the worth of the individual, Christianity revolutionized the ethics of the pagan world, although the full ethical evaluation of the calling began only at the Beformation. Since God is served less by self-ehoeen cults than by the ethical obedience which He himself has commanded (Isa. i. 11-17; Hos. vi 6; Matt. ix. 13, xii. 7), the believing Christian performs a true worship corresponding to his estate as a child of God in his faithful performance of his calling. In a certain sense the principles of the ethical value of the fulfilment of the calling are merely a renewal of the New Testament doctrine ths»t the Christian confirmation of faith through love bears a distinct and active relation to society (I Cor. vii. 20-24; Eph. vi. 5 sqq.; I Pet. ii. 12 ^qq.), even though nowhere in the New Testament ""? earthly calling specifically mentioned. The distinction of callings begins in the family, whence
it develops successively into the acquisition and control of temporal benefits and into the charge over intellectual and spiritual blessings in religion, science, and art, the culmination being the constitution of society as a whole. Yet the individual can not make free choice of his own calling, but is restricted by certain social limitations; still, other things being equal, that calling should be chosen which is most in harmony both with talents and inclination. External conditions, however, frequently render impossible the development of the most gifted talent, yet in such cases there is no reason for the formation of a religious and moral personality to suffer injury, since such adverse circumstances demand full and complete fidelity to the calling, and thus strengthen true Christian piety, instead of impairing it. (L. Leiijie.)
CALMET, AUGUSTIN: French Roman Catholic theologian and author; b. at Mesnil-la-Horgne (a village near Commercy, 25 m. e. of Bar-le-Duc) Feb. 26, 1672; d. at Senones (7 m. n.e. of St. Die) Oct. 25, 1757. He was a Benedictine monk of the congregation of St. Vannes, and studied at the priory of Breuil, while he learned Hebrew from the Protestant clergyman Favre. After 1698 he instructed the pupils of the order in theology and philosophy at the abbey of Moyen-Moutier in the Vosges, and in 1704 was appointed subprior at Minister. Fourteen years later the general chapter of his order made him abbot of St. Leopold at Nancy, whence he was transferred in 1728 to Senones, and there he passed the remainder of his life. His numerous works give evidence of extraordinary reading and erudition, but lack critical ability and insight. His best writings are devoted to the interpretation of the Bible according to the principles of the Council of Trent. Tothis category belongs his La Sainte Bible en latin et en franqais avec un commentaire litU'ral et critique (23 vols., Paris, 1707-16), the French translation being that of Sacy and the commentary giving simply a grammatical exegesis. The excursuses on each book, dealing with chronology, history, antiquities, and similar topics, were the most valuable portion of the work, and were published separately under the title Dissertations qui peuvent servir de prolegomenes a I'Ecriture Sainte (3 vols., 1720), and the Tresor d'antiquites sacrees et profanes des commentaires du P. Calmet (13 vols., Amsterdam, 1722) is the same work with a different arrangement. The notes scattered in the commentaries are collected in alphabetical order in the Dictionnaire historique et critique, chronologique, geographique et litteral de la Bible (2 vols., Paris, 1722, supplement, 1728; Eng. transl., 3 vols., London, 1732), which long remained the quarry for similar works. Less important are the Histoire sainte de I'Ancien et du Nouveau Testament et des Juifs (2 vols., 1718) and the Histoire universelle sacree et profane (17 vols., Strasburg, Senones, and Nancy, 1735-71). Calmet's works are now little read, with the exception of the Histoire ecclesiastique et civile de la Lorraine (4 vols., Nancy, 1728), which is based on archives and accompanied witV valuable documents. (C. Pfendetc.)
Calovius Calvin