Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Student Workbook, SW16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

Human Life Begins at Creation, not the Fall

Many lament the fact that a number of Protestant theologies on human life seem to put all of their emphasis on the Fall, that tragic event of the voluntary rebellion against the will of God committed by Adam and Eve which spiraled the creation into curse and chaos. The first statements of humankind, however, do not begin with the Fall, but with creation, where God made humankind in his own image, beautiful, creative, and free. What difference does it make if you base your fundamental thinking about humankind on the creation of humankind rather than on the fall of humankind ? How ought we, in our theological discussions, to understand the importance of both of these foundational realities when describing the nature and purpose of humanity in the world?

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Let Justice Roll Down: The Vision and Theology of the Kingdom

Segment 1: Toward a Theology of Justice and Mercy

Rev. Dr. Don L. Davis

As creator and maker of the earth, our God is concerned about the world and those who live within it. Traditionally, Christian communities have taken various positions to the world, including withdrawal from it, living in tension with it, or accepting responsibility to transform it. The Church is both the locus and agent of the Kingdom of God in the world but not of it . As such, the Church affirms that God is the God of all nature as well as the God of salvation, the God of creation as well as the God of covenant, and the God of justice as well as the God of justification. In its own ministry as the representative of the Kingdom of God, the Church is called to display and announce freedom to the world, to express God’s wholeness in the world, and to stand for God’s justice throughout the world. Our objective for this segment, Toward a Theology of Justice and Mercy , is to enable you to see that: • In order to understand the Christian’s responsibility to do justice and love mercy in the world, we must carefully define the relationship of the Church to the world, and both of these to the Kingdom of God.

Summary of Segment 1

• As creator and maker of the earth, our God is concerned about the world and those who live within it.