Blessed are the peacemakers

As I have mentioned I'm reading Walter Brueggemanns "Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom" and early on he uses a version of Jeremiah 29 to raise the interconnectedness of "church" and context... tied in with exile... Luke 10 talks about the key being peace returned... we offer peace, but is that peace being returned which facilitates connection... entering into the household/family/community... Bruggemann suggests that we can a step further, that our peace/shalom is so intrinsically tied to the people/community we are called/sent into that it is dependant on us discovering our peace within theirs... shalom is found in the action of seeking, praying and working for the peace of the community outside of the building.

But seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you in exile, and pray to the Lord on it's behalf, for in its shalom you will find your shalom Jeremiah 29v7

The only shalom promised is one in the midst of historical reality, which come close to saying "incarnation" - pg 24

It is affirmed that God's shalom is known only by those is inclusive, caring community - pg 23

Perhaps this is another way of saying that as long as the church is concerned with it's own peace, it will never have it?  It is only in seeking to be peace-makers, bringers and restorers that the church receives peace.  Peace comes not from distancing ourselves from the world we find ourselves in but in engaging with it and seeking to bring healing and shalom.

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