Envisioning Shalom as harmony and wholeness in the created order
Presenters:
T. Lalniropuia, Laldanmawia, Lalawmpuia Chinzah, F. Ngursailova,
K.
Lalrammawia. 22nd January, 2013
Introduction
Wars, famines, exploitations,
murders, rapes, oppressions etc have become a household language for this
generation. The search and the longing for peace, a perfect shalom, has always
been one of the prevalent quests of humans for ages. Greek philosophy does not
satiate the real need, the Democracy of the Romans and their pax Romana did
little for an individual and even the present scientific advancements also
seems to bring more disorder than peace. The search goes on while the need for
shalom has been ever increasing. In such a situation we want to ask “should we,
the Christians, just wait for the UNO or other peace keeping force to carry the
Olive branch? And is there anything that we could do to inspire and shake up
the world around us? This depends so much on our understanding of the term Shalom. Shalom is not merely the absence
of political aggressions but includes the serenity of the whole human being
both physically and mentally. Our understanding of the term will draw us to
different directions. What is the implication of the term Shalom as a church, as an individual Christian and as the committed
body of believers? This is what we wanted to bring out through this paper. And
we hope that this would not only educate us but motivate us to take up the
challenge to be the instrument of peace.
1. Terminology:
Shalom is a well-known term very much liked by many
people as it connotes an important quality of life in human relationship. The
Hebrew ‘Shalom’, comes from the verb ‘shalem’ meaning complete, sound, and it
is equivalent to Greek eirene in the
N.T. Shalom/eirene is used in
different dimensions in the OT and NT, in relation to God and to human beings.[1] The
noun shalom occurs 237 times in the Hebrew OT. According to Von Rad, the basic
meaning of Shalom is ‘welfare’, with
a clear bias to the material side: bodily health, prosperity, contentment.[2]
1.1. Meaning of Shalom:
Ø Shalom
means peace and reconciliation to God in covenant relations (Is 53:5, 54:10,
Ezek. 34:25, Eph. 2:4-17).
Ø Peace,
tranquility, contentment in reference to the situation or condition of peace (Gen.
15:15, 2 Kgs 2:6, Is 32:17, P 4:9).
Ø Safety,
soundness, welfare, health and prosperity when referred to the physical body of
a person(Gen 43:27, Ex. 18:7, Judge 18:15, Ps 38:3, Rom. 15:13).
Ø Welfare,
peace and harmony in human relations, peace with one another (Gen. 28:21, 37:4,
Isa. 59:8, Ps 23:3b, 35:20, 38:22, Jer. 20:10).
Ø Absence
of physical war and strife, hence it refers to living in peace and harmony with
people (Joshua 9:15, Lev. 26:6).
Ø Shalom
is also used as eschatological salvation when the world would be free from
conflict, when human and other creatures are live together in peace and harmony
as there would be no more war or conflict.(Is. 11:6-9, Rev. 21:4).[3]
2. Envisioning Shalom as harmony
and wholeness in the created being.
2.1. Shalom between
man and woman.
Shalom in all their senses is an important and
urgent need in gender relationship. God’s purpose and plan in maintaining the
peaceful relationship between man and woman was distorted and disrupted as
man’s claim superiority and woman’s inferiority thereby subjecting woman in the
patriarchal order of life appeared from time immemorial. This results in the
condemnation of woman as ‘miscreation of man’, ‘half human being’, and as not
having God’s image and likeness’, less value than man’. [4]
God designed man and woman to live together in peace
and harmony, the first created beings to whom God entrusted the continuing work
of the creation, to take care and look after other creations and civilize the
earth. Without each other human beings are not full human being, the two
genders complete God’s intended human beings.[5]
When man look upon woman as his equal counterpart and women are treated in the
same level as men disregarding all forms of injustice and oppressions, when the
meanings of shalom in different senses mentioned above are realized between man
and woman shall there be a real shalom between man and woman, that will result
in peace and harmony of all nations and of the whole earth.[6]
Shalom between man and woman is the urgent need of the day. God of the Exodus
exemplifies that human beings are not to oppress each other claiming
superiority or authority regardless of races and gender.
2.2. A
Cosmotheandric Shalom.
The question of relationship
between the earthly (cosmos), God (theos) and human (andro), therefore, has elicited more and more interest as the roots
of the ecological crisis have been traced to religious sanctions to manipulate
nature. Genesis 1:26 affirms that human beings are created in the image of God
with a responsibility of care and concerning God’s creation. God entrusted
human being to give glory through caring and concerning his creations rather
human exploited. To have dominion over the earth is a trusteeship, a sign that
God cares for creation. Our stewardship of all the world’s resources is always
accountable to God who loves the whole of creation and who desires that it
exist in shalom. The intention of
creation was that all should experience shalom,
to know the goodness of creation. In the Old Testament, "fullness of
life" means having enough, sufficient, to experience the goodness of
creation.[7] All creation is under the authority of God and all
creation is interdependent. Our covenant with God requires us to be stewards,
protectors, and defenders of all creation. The use of natural resources is a
universal concern and responsibility of all as reflected in Psalm 24:1:
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."
Another theme of shalom particularly in the creation that
human and other creations are related. Human are not self-sufficient and we
need God, others, nature, etc. The story of Eden garden depicts the complete
harmonious inter-relatedness of all creation. The Garden of Eden is the place
where cosmotheandric shalom had been
enjoyed. We do not have a clear description of life in Eden, but we know that
God, human and creation were in harmony with each other. It is apparent in the
Bible that God and human used to walk together, enjoying fellowship with each
other, but the Garden of Eden is not an empty space but teeming with flora and
fauna.[8]
Actually human being stands between God and World and acts as a mediator
between the two. [9]
There is shalom only when we recognized that inter-relatedness and care for the
whole. If there is any violation of the rule of Eden garden there will
certainly be suffering in terms of environmental damage. Therefore,
responsibility, trust and security are indispensable ingredient of
God-Human-World Shalom.
2.3. Shalom for Church unity.
One
of the reasons for the existence of the church is to demonstrate God’s love to
the other people and equip them for future ministry. Peace and unity go
together as they are characteristics of the life of believers who belong to the
Kingdom of God. A true mark of church is exhibited when the peace of Christ
rules in the heart and life of the people and that they are at peace with one
another. The church of God is to live in
peace and be at peace with one another so that the God of peace will be with
them. The eternal purpose of God for the church is that there will be Shalom between God and His people, all
other creations and with each other.[10]
Today peace and unity between churches has become the immediate need of the
church. Ecclesiastical separation, sectarianism, clannishness and sheep
stealing are quite common among the believers. The proposal of church union of
different types fell flat as there was no positive response from the church
leaders.[11]
Denominationalism, communalism, doctrinal or theological differences and
disputes over some church matters plagued their relationship in certain ways. Shalom is the real need of the hour
among these God’s communities.
Concluding Remarks
We
do not need to read the book of Genesis very long to see that Shalom as God intended was out of shape
and out of order. The vital link, the relationship between God and His creation
was broken by sin. The results of which is that God’s desire has also become
his purpose due to the fall. God’s desire, Shalom,
was severely deformed and damaged in every aspect by the fall, necessitating a
restoration of relationship between God and human being, between human being
and human being and between human being and other creation. To restore Shalom, God sent his son Jesus Christ,
who by His coming inaugurated the Kingdom of God. In order to fill the absence
of Shalom in the society, church and
individual lives, we all are responsible today. It is also a continuous
corporate search to find appropriate ways to translate shalom to our changing world where poverty, killings, oppressions,
corruptions and various calamities are happening day after day.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Botterweck, G.Johannes. Helmer Ringgren. Eds,. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament.
Michigan: Grand
Rapids, 2006.
Chhakchhuak,
Rev.Dr. Raltawnga. ‘Shalom: The Essential Need of the Church’ Shekina
(2005 – 2006).
Hnuni, R.L. Vision
For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and Society.
Bangalore: Asian Trading
Corporation, 2009.
Tochhawng, Rosiamliana. ‘A Cosmotheandric Shalom’ Shekina ( 2005 – 2006).
Vanlalchhuanawma,
General Editor. Kum Sangbi Thara Mizo
Kohhrante Inpumkhatna leh
Thawhhona.
MTA
Series No. 3 (2004).
INTERNET SOURCE
[1] R.L. Hnuni, Vision For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and
Society (Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 2009),105-106.
[2] G.Johannes Botterweck, Helmer
Ringgren et al,. eds,. Theological
Dictionary of the Old Testament (Michigan: Grand Rapids, 2006), 18.
[3] R.L. Hnuni, Vision For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and
Society…, 106.
[4] R.L. Hnuni, Vision For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and
Society…, 107.
[5] R.L. Hnuni, Vision For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and
Society….
[6] R.L. Hnuni, Vision For Women In India Perspective from The Bible, Church and
Society…, 109.
[8]
Rosiamliana Tochhawng, ‘A Cosmotheandric Shalom’ Shekina ( 2005 – 2006), 44.
[9] Rosiamliana Tochhawng, ‘A
Cosmotheandric Shalom’ Shekina ( 2005
– 2006) ….
[10] Rev.Dr. Raltawnga Chhakchhuak,
‘Shalom: The Essential Need of the Church’ Shekina
(2005 – 2006), 47.
[11] Vanlalchhuanawma, General Editor,
Kum Sangbi Thara Mizo Kohhrante
Inpumkhatna leh Thawhhona, MTA Series No. 3 (2004), xvi.
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