About

SHALOM

Shalom is wellness, wholeness, on every conceivable level; peace/justice, service, simplicity abound and guide everywhere; there is health, beauty and permanence.1

Joy, well-being, harmony, prosperity, living as if in a single united family, all these things on a cosmic level, in all areas of historical-political reality, and in the personal sphere are brief snatches of definition by W Brueggemann.2

Material well-being and prosperity, social justice, moral or ethical straightforwardness, things as they ought to be–these definitions come from Perry Yoder.3

All those are attempts to put into words one of the centre-pieces of the nature and the intent of the revelation of God by God. Understanding the promise and the call of shalom is an important part of understanding the meaning and the message of the Word of God.

This is the foundation of the people of God; it has been there from before the beginning of time and will be there after the ending of time.
This is the vision and the hope of the people of God.
This is the mission of the people of God; the world waits to see and hear such living.

1Schumacher, E F. Small is Beautiful. Health Beauty and Permanence is the title of an essay in this book.
2Brueggemann, W. Living Toward a Vision. Philadelphia: United Church Press, 1976.
3Yoder, P. Shalom: the Bible’s Word for Salvation, Justice, and Peace. Newton: Faith and Life Press, 1987.