"Work is not simply an instrument; it expresses and enhances the dignity of our lives."
Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, no. 149
It's undeniable: The way we view work just isn't working for us. Either we undervalue work, resenting it as simply a job, or we exalt it as the only thing defining our identity. Simply put, we live a divided life.
So what do we do about it? Michael J. Naughton, drawing on his background in both business and theology, offers a remedy so old and so simple it has almost been forgotten: We can't get work right unless we get rest right. The more we participate in authentic rest, the more our work becomes ordered and meaningful.
In Work & Rest, Naughton lays the foundation for understanding what work is and why it is for our good. He then provides real-world examples of how individuals and businesses alike can promote authentic human flourishing and innovation through practices and policies that support leisure.
About the Author
Michael J. Naughton is the director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) where he holds the Koch Chair in Catholic Studies and is a full professor in the department of Catholic Studies. He also taught in the College of Business for over twenty years. Dr. Naughton serves as board chair for Reell Precision Manufacturing. He also serves on the boards of the University of Mary, the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, and Catholic Eldercare. He helped coordinate and write the Vocation of the Business Leader issued by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He is married with five children and ten grandchildren.
