January 21, 2004
What kind of Word is "Shalom"

My church has taken to using the term "Shalom" in their mission statement, as shown below.

"For this living Body of Christ to seek the shalom of God's Kingdom in the world
through reconciliation and justice."

At least, I find the use of this term silly and ignorant; at worse a bit insensitive and racist.

For those who didn't grow up in an area where there was a preponderance of Jews. "Shalom" is a Hebrew greeting meaning hello, goodbye, and peace. use it as a way above to me in which to live out your life is to assume a distinctly Judeo-Christian, if not particularly Jewish view.

Thus if "shalom" meaning "God's Peace" is the essence of being Jewish, and then it's polar opposite would be "jihad" which is the Arabic term for "struggle."

If we're comfortable Jihad is a valid way of looking at life. Because it's meaning is not purely in reference to an external, political or religious crusade. Jihad is the stuggle against life, it's an inner struggle against the indfidel inside us all. It's the stuggle in life, reconciling the demons inside, when they are tempered against a world constantly pulling in separate directions. Jihad is to pursue after the prescence of God.

Posted by justin at January 21, 2004 12:22 PM
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