Mission and Development – Part 2

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

So here’s part 2 of a paper that I am reproducing every Sunday over 10 weeks. For the introduction to the paper, and for part 1, see this post. Suffice to say, that we looking at integrating mission and development (or social justice) by grappling with 10 theological thesis. Don’t be put off that word (we all do theology even if we don’t think we do!) – it is really looking at how we understand who God is (we looked at that last time) and what in the world He is doing!

God’s work in the world – missio Dei – is the work of Shalom.

We believe that God is at work in the world. God did not create the world and then abandon it, but rather chooses it as the arena for God’s work. We understand that the love of God that is known within the Trinity reaches out to embrace the cosmos in creation, and particularly to draw all the living creatures of our earth into a covenant of love and justice with God and themselves. Now this work of love and embrace we understand to be God’s mission – the missio Dei – and while it is witnessed to in many part of Scripture, such as the covenant with Noah and the Law of Moses, it finds its most profound expression in the vision of shalom that is found throughout the Bible.

Shalom is often translated as ‘peace’, but this is a very thin translation. For shalom is not just the absence of hostility, but ‘peace with justice’. It means dwelling at peace in all our relationships at four levels: with God, with creation, with other people, and with ourselves. And this being at peace is not just at an external uninvolved level, for it really involves an enjoyment of one’s relationship. It means to delight in serving God, to delight in our physical surroundings, to delight in community, and to delight in what it means for oneself to be a child of God. It is clear that at the heart of shalom is the life that God has brought into being, and the desire to ensure that it is respected, nurtured and enjoyed. God’s work in the world, the missio Dei, is therefore about creating and sustaining, and restoring it when it is absent. It is an integrated and holistic mission.

My Comment: Well, I could say that I have posted about this before. I could say that I have actually said it again here. But I won’t. I will content myself, in saying “I wholeheartedly agree”. I do think we need to widen our understanding of the scope of the good news to the whole cosmos. I think God’s plan is about the restoration of the whole of creation: animals, birds, fish, weather, environment, the earth, cities, nations, and of course individual people. But we have traditionally focused on the individual and their need for ’salvation’ and lost sight of this wider, broader, bigger focus that is found here. And I think Shalom is a good word … you could restoration maybe … I fact I have used that for a long time, but now I think Shalom more completely sums up this restoration and redemption of all creation.

I find the levels of shalom presented here really helpful. It broadens my understanding of what God is doing and what He is wanting. All are needed, not just a focus on shalom in our relationship with God. The two that are not usually taught in our churches are dwelling in shalom with creation and myself. Am I at peace with my surroundings? with the environment? with all that I have? with my job? money? weather? And am I am peace with myself? Do I like myself? Or am I disappointed with myself? Or ashamed? Or hidden?

What do you think?

Tags: Development, Emerging Church, Gospel, Micah Network, Missio Dei, Mission, Missional Church, Social Development

Tags: Development, Mission, Mission Dei, Shalom, Social Justice