The High Calling

The High Calling, penned by beloved author Charles Sheldon, was written for the young people of his church. It's aim is to illustrate the struggle between spiritual ideals and material attractions. The characters in the story demonstrate this struggle, and their subsequent victory to respond to the call from above is meant to greatly encourage the reader. About the Author Charles Monroe Sheldon (1857-1946) was educated at Brown University and Andover Theological Seminary. He became an advocate of the late nineteenth century school of thought known as Christian Socialism. His theological outlook focused on the practicalities of the moral life, with much less emphasis on the doctrinal traditions of personal redemption from sin in Christ. In the winter of 1896, Sheldon developed a sermon story that he read as a weekly series from the pulpit of Central Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas. The unifying theme of these sermons was based on posing the question, "What would Jesus do?" when facing moral decisions. He viewed this question as traditional within Christianity.