The Old Testament Roots of Nonviolence

by Friesen, Philip E.

• ISBN13: 9781606089361
• ISBN10: 1606089366
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-02-01
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Pub

Summary

The Old Testament Roots of Nonviolence brings together a number of issues, showing how they fit together in one exciting story. These issues are: 1. War and Peace 2. The Great Commission (being missional) 3. Social justice and social change over time in the biblical setting This book reveals the continuity of the Old and New Testaments in the development of these three major themes over millenniums of time in the unfolding biblical story of God's creation, tough love, and redemption of the social order. It presents biblical faith as a providentially guided process in the community of faith resulting in global social change that can be observed and described as yeast in bread or seeds in soil as Jesus taught.

Author Biography

Philip E. Friesen is a life-long teacher and missionary with experience on four continents in a variety of cultures. He serves at Stadium Village Church in ministry to the international community of scholars and their families at the University of Minnesota. Philip is also the Global Perspectives Fellow and Co-director of the Galilean Fellows, a meeting of scholars in Minneapolis committed equally to scholarship and mission.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
List of Abbreviations	p. xvii
Introduction	p. xix
The Soil
Paul and the Fallen Social Order	p. 3
The Reason for Social Decline
The Basis for Social Renewal
The Place of Human Government in Romans
The Genesis Story Parallel to Paul's Description	p. 11
The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
Locus of Authority
Knowing Good and Evil
The Laws of God and the Laws of Men	p. 24
The Law of God
Patriarchy, the Law of Men
Monarchy, the Law of Men Expanded
The Seed
The Faith of Abraham	p. 37
God's Trustworthiness in a Violent World
Confronting Patriarchy-One man/one woman
Ishmael and Isaac-An Issue Unresolved
Hagar and the Justice of God
Human Sacrifice
Preparing to Confront the Monarchy-Brothers in Harmony
The Root
Moses' Social Vision	p. 59
A Nation of Priests
Kingship Regulations
Warfare in Israel
Conclusion
The Stem
Moses' Vision and the Other Prophets	p. 71
Judges, David, and the Monarchy
Peace and Justice in the Prophets
Elijah
Isaiah
Jeremiah
The Flower
Jesus' Fulfillment of the Vision	p. 83
Implementation of the Vision and Peace on Earth
New Rules for Engaging the Enemy
Becoming a Nation of Priests: Real Social Change
Growing Seeds
An Adequate Social Gospel of the Kingdom for Mission	p. 99
Slavery, Race, and War
The Historic Anabaptist Contribution
Believable Evidence
A Different Game by Different Rules
Peace Belongs to the Gospel: Why and When to Be a Pacifist
One Gospel, Many Peoples	p. 127
All Is One: Believable Evidence for Buddhists
God Is One: Believable Evidence for Muslims
Appendix: Who Said that Jesus Didn't Understand Politics?	p. 141
Bibliography	p. 147
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