Dave Andrews

Having critiqued the way Dominion Theology advocates people of faith seek control over society, I was asked what way do I suggest people of faith engage society.

I believe people of faith in the Abrahamic tradition are specifically called to be ‘a blessing to all nations.’ (Gen.22:18) In the ‘Beatitudes’ Jesus of Nazareth teaches us what it means to be ‘blessed’ and to ‘be a blessing’. (Matt.5:3-10)

3″Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled

7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The first part of each verse is a ‘Be-attitude’, or ‘blessed attitude’, that Jesus encouraged people to practice as a way of incarnating ‘the kingdom of heaven on earth’. The second part of each of these verses is a ‘Beatitude’, an ‘actual blessing’ we can experience of the ‘kingdom of heaven on earth’.

The ‘Beatitudes’ start with the phrase, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The Beatitudes finish with the phrase, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Both are present tense, so Jesus is saying that if people practice the Be-Attitudes, they will experience the blessings of the kingdom of heaven on earth here and now!

Jesus envisaged the blessings of the kingdom of heaven on earth as a world where those who mourned would be “comforted” (v. 4), the meek would “inherit the earth” (v. 5), those who hungered and thirsted for justice would be “fulfilled” (v. 6), those who gave mercy would “receive mercy” (v. 7), the peacemakers would walk proudly as “sons and daughters of God” (v. .9), the pure in heart, from all over the world “would see God”(v.8) the physically hungry would be “filled” (Luke 6:21), and those who had wept bitterly would “laugh” happily once more (Luke 6:21). This is surely the kind of world that I imagine most people would hopefully envision for their children and grandchildren

I believe the ‘ekklesia’ are not called to be party political but called to be proto-political, to act as ‘leaven in the dough’, working as catalysts with the communities in which we are located to nurture blessed ‘beatitudinal’ cultures that embody blessed ‘be-attitudinal’ values which include:

1. Focusing on the poor (not status or riches) – Solidarity

2. Grieving over the injustice in the world – Empathy

3. Getting angry but not getting aggressive – Self-restraint

4. Seeking for justice (not vengeance) – Righteousness

5. Extending compassion to all in need – Mercy

6. Being whole-hearted in a desire to do right – Integrity

7. Working for peace in a world in conflict – Non-violence

8. Suffering for just causes (patiently) – Perseverance