Citizendia
Your Ad Here

"Kingdom of Heaven" redirects here. For the 2005 film, see Kingdom of Heaven (film). Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 Epic film, directed by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan.

The Kingdom of God or Reign of God (Greek: Βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ - Basileia tou Theou,[1]) is a foundational concept in the three Abrahamic faiths, and most notably within Christianity, where it constitutes the central theme of Jesus of Nazareth's message in the synoptic Gospels. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest The synoptic gospels are the first three Gospels of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. The phrase occurs in the New Testament more than 100 times,[2] and is defined almost entirely by parable. A parable is a brief succinct story in Prose or verse, that illustrates a Moral or Religious lesson According to Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God is within (or among) people[3], is approached through understanding,[4] and entered through acceptance like a child,[5] spiritual rebirth,[6] and doing the will of God. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. [7] It is a kingdom peopled by the righteous[8] and is not the only kingdom[9].

Contents

English translation of the term

Part of a series
of articles on
 
Jesus Christ
Virgin birth · Crucifixion · Resurrection
Foundations
Church · New Covenant
Apostles · Kingdom · Gospel · Timeline
Bible
Old Testament · New Testament
Books · Canon · Apocrypha
Christian theology
Trinity · (Father · Son · Holy Spirit)
History of · Theology · Apologetics
History and traditions
Early · Councils · Creeds · Missions
East-West Schism · Crusades · Reformation
Denominations
Topics in Christianity
Preaching · Prayer · Ecumenism
Relation to other religions · Movements
Music · Liturgy · Calendar
Symbols · Art · Criticism
Christianity Portal
This box: view • talk • edit

In the synoptic Gospels (which most scholars believe were all written in Greek), Mark and Luke use the Greek term "Basileia tou Theou," commonly translated in English as "Kingdom of God," while Matthew prefers the Greek term "Basileia tōn Ouranōn" (Βασιλεία τῶν Ουρανῶν) which has been translated as "Kingdom of Heaven. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The virgin birth of Jesus is a religious Tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era ( AD) to the present Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Books of the Bible are listed differently in the canons of Jews and Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Georgian Armenian Apostolic A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious The biblical apocrypha (from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφος meaning hidden) are books published in an edition of the Bible whose canonicity Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance This is an overview of the History of Christian Theology from the time of Christ to the present Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Christianity and other religions appear to share some elements Christian movements are theological, political or philosophical interpretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Christian symbolism is defined as the investing of outward things or actions with an inner meaning the expression of Christian ideas Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Throughout the History of Christianity, a wide range of Christians and non-Christians alike have offered criticisms of Christianity, the Church, and Christians The synoptic gospels are the first three Gospels of the New Testament in the Christian Bible. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond " Biblical scholars speculate that the Matthean text adopted the Greek word for "heaven" instead of the Greek word for "God" because, unlike Mark and Luke, it was written by a Jew for a Jewish audience so, in keeping with their custom, avoided using God's name as an act of piety. In Matthew, "heaven" stands for "God. "[10] The basis for these terms being equivalent is found in the apocalyptic literature of Daniel 2:44 where "the 'God of heaven' will set up a 'kingdom' which will never be destroyed. "

The word “kingdom” is a translation of the Greek word “basileia” which in turn is a translation of the words "malkuth" (Hebrew) and "malkutha" (Aramaic). These words do not define kingdom by territory but by dominion. Jesus said of the Kingdom of God that one cannot say, “Look here it is!” or “There it is!” Luke 17:21. According to C. H. Dodd, the common translation of “malkuth” with “basileia” in Greek and hence “kingdom” in English is therefore problematic; a translation with “kingship,” "kingly rule," “reign” or “sovereignty” should be preferred. This page is not about Clement H Dodd of SOAS, author on Turkey and the Middle East nor is it about Hugh Tootell who wrote an eighteenth-century [11].

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that the word basileia can be translated as "kingship," "kingdom" or "reign" (CCC 2816). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two

From a purely etymological viewpoint, the word "basileia" is believed to have derived from the Greek word for base or foundation. Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time [12] Some writers prefer this root definition because it eliminates the confusion with monarchy.

Scholars during the current third quest for the historical Jesus have translated the phrase "Kingdom of God" as "God's imperial rule", or sometimes "God's domain", to better grasp its sense in today's language. This article is about the history of academic Jesus research For the book "The Quest of the Historical Jesus A Critical Study of Its Progress from Reimarus to Wrede"

The Jesus Seminar has chosen to translate basileia as ‘empire. The Jesus Seminar is a group of about 150 individuals including scholars with advanced degrees in Biblical studies, Religious studies or related fields as well as ’ John B. Cobb points out that this has the disadvantage of implying a hierarchical nature to the realm of God, a concept clearly lacking from Jesus thought, in Cobb’s view. John B Cobb Jr (born February 9, 1925) is an American United Methodist theologian who played a crucial role in the development [13]

Fr. Richard Chilson, C.S.P., suggests the term "Love's Domain," "Love's Dominion," or "Love's Rule" because the Kingdom of God is where the God who is Love rules. The Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle, better known as the Paulist Fathers, is a Roman Catholic religious society for men founded in New York City [14]

Even with the debate over the translation of the term, modern scholars see the concept of the kingdom of God as the main message of Jesus.

Parallel views in the other Abrahamic faiths

See also: Abrahamic religion#The coming

Certain writers assert that the Kingdom of God is a concept detailed in all the three Abrahamic religions— Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

The Kingdom of God within Islam

For Muslims, belief in the Kingdom of God may refer to the belief in Allah's absolute dominion over all things. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' Thus in Islam every place -all creation- may be considered God's Kingdom if those that live there "hold onto good qualities and good actions". For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. [15]

The notion of God's kingdom on Earth, however, constitutes the establishment of and adherence to Allah's laws within human society, in order to maintain a lasting peace and unity within the lives of the devout, at all levels. These include personal, criminal, state and international levels. As such, some Muslim groups hold the view that the Kingdom of God constitutes a caliphate/Imamate -a geo-graphical region unified under the faith of Islam- and even Matt. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history 13:31-33 has been suggested by Islamic scholars to be in fact referring to a caliphate which will be spread across 3 continents. According to mainstream Islamic beliefs, the Second Coming of Jesus and the arrival of the Mahdi will usher in this ideal caliphate/Imamate, which will put an end to the "tyranny of the Antichrist", and this reign will ensure tranquility and peace for the world. In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic In Islamic eschatology the Mahdi ( ar مهدي, also Mehdi; "Guided One" is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay on earth For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office

A third perspective among Muslims is that the Kingdom of God is a spiritual concept entirely, rather than a possibly material one. After the Day of Judgment, when Allah judges all mankind based on their deeds, one either goes to hell or to heaven; the latter being the Eternal Kingdom. In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgment or Day of the Lord is the judgment by God of every human who ever lived Hell, according to many Religious beliefs, is a location in the Afterlife, which may be described as a place of suffering Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond

The Kingdom of God within Judaism

The Kingdom of God is referred to frequently in the Tanakh (see 1 Chronicles 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 and Daniel 4:3 for example). See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is The Books of Chronicles ( Hebrew Divrei Hayyamim, דברי הימים Greek Paraleipomêna) are part of the Hebrew Bible (Jewish It is tied to Jewish understanding that God will intervene to restore the nation of Israel, and return to rule over them. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Kingdom of God was expressly promised to the patriarch and prophet, King David, because he was a man "after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22); and God made the Davidic Covenant with King David, promising him that he would "never lack a man to sit upon His throne, forever" (1 Kings 9:5). Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family In Religion, a prophet (or prophetess) is a person who has encountered the Supernatural or the divine and serves as an intermediary David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible Covenant, meaning a solemn contract oath or bond is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith ( ברית,

Meaning of the term in Christianity

Discussion of the basileia dates back for centuries. Eusebius identified basileia with monarchy while Augustine foresaw a merger of the church and basileia. Aquinas, however, ignores the concept and, considering its prominence in Jesus' dialectic, it was relatively little discussed by Christian theologians until Johannes Cocceius (1660) and Hermann Samuel Reimarus in the 18th century, during what has become known as the "first quest" for the historical Jesus. In classical Philosophy, dialectic (διαλεκτική is controversy the exchange of arguments and counter-arguments respectively advocating Propositions [16][17]

The premise of a Kingdom is integral to both Jewish and Christian Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible (the same biblical books as the Protestant Old Testament) contains a set of laws, known as The Law, which governed the nation of Israel as a Theocracy. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler Prophecies throughout the Old Testament refer to this kingdom as eternal, later revealed to be fulfilled through King David's lineage. The Christian view of Jesus as the Messiah (or Anointed One) is more than organized religion, but rather stems from the original Hebrew theocratic belief in a Kingdom of God.

Jesus assumes his audience understands the Kingdom foundation that was laid in the Hebrew Scriptures. When Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God he speaks of the time of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants. Abraham ( Ashkenazi   Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible A covenant, in its most general sense is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action A time of a restored earth where the faithful will worship and serve their God forever under the rulership of a righteous leader of the Davidic line. This was the Messianic hope of the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures and was carried over and echoed in the words of John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Paul and others in the Greek Scriptures.

Jesus would attach the theme of the gospel message itself with this Kingdom idea. Luke 4:43 tells the reader that Jesus' very purpose for being sent was to "preach the gospel about the Kingdom. " He then would send out his disciples to speak this message even before they understood anything about his death and resurrection. Compare Luke 9:1-6, Matthew 9:35, Matthew 10:7, Matthew 16:21-23, etc. The initial seed that must be sown in the hearts of men was also identified as the word of the Kingdom by Jesus in Matthew 13:19. Shorthand for the word of the kingdom was given in Mark and Luke's version of the parable of the sower as "the word" (Mark 4:14) and "the word of God" (Luke 8:11).

Jesus often spoke of the Kingdom of God as the theme of his gospel as well as the destination for the righteous in the end of days [18]. Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount shows that those who follow the "beatitudes" are rewarded with the Kingdom of God/inheriting the earth/comfort etc. Matthew 19 gives an account of Jesus equating popular terms such as "eternal life" and "saved" as the same thing as entering the Kingdom of God when it is established upon the earth. Jesus even taught his disciples to pray: "Let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. " Some believe this defines the Kingdom as the time when God's will is done on the earth as it is done in heaven. Others contend that the two petitions are separate in the prayer, leaving the Kingdom of God to be more than simply a perfect execution of God's will on earth.

The Kingdom of God as spoken of by Jesus carried with it more than a picture of the wolf and the lamb dwelling together and the end of war (see Isaiah 11:1-9). In fact Jesus used the Kingdom as the reason why men should repent (see Mark 1:14-15). There was a good side as well as a judgment side of this Kingdom that was communicated in many of the parables (ex: tares and wheat of Matthew 13 and the sheep and goats of Matthew 25, etc). Paul and others would continue this theme in their preaching of the same gospel (Acts 17:30-31 - Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to the world that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead). When they spoke of Jesus coming to judge the living and the dead they were saying the same thing as the Kingdom coming because he was in fact appointed to be the King of the Kingdom.

The coming of God's Kingdom, described as Judgement, is also described in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Revelation, as a military conquest over the opponents of the Kingdom. (See Rev. 20:7-10) Revelations 21 speaks of the Kingdom of God in the new heaven after the establishment of His eternal reign. [19]

Viewpoint of historical Jesus scholars

The method of historical Jesus scholars essentially aims at investigating the social, religious, political and cultural climate of the early first century in order to place the human figure of Jesus within and around these structures. The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) One of the major areas of conflict among Jesus scholars is the proximity of Jesus’ “Kingdom”. Some believe it is wholly manifested in the presence of Jesus’ words and deeds, others believe that it is completely in the future, and some acknowledge the arguments of both these camps and place Jesus’ “Kingdom” somewhere in between being manifested in the present and also more completely manifested in the future.

C. H. Dodd and John Dominic Crossan argued that the “Kingdom” was fully manifest in the present teaching and actions of Jesus. This page is not about Clement H Dodd of SOAS, author on Turkey and the Middle East nor is it about Hugh Tootell who wrote an eighteenth-century John Dominic Crossan (b Nenagh Co Tipperary, Ireland, 1934 is an Irish-American religious scholar known for co-founding the controversial Jesus Seminar Through his words and deeds the “Kingdom” was brought into the present reality of Palestine. Dodd coined the term “realized eschatology” [20] and largely based his argument on Luke 11:20, and Luke 17:21 claiming that “the kingdom of God has come to you” and “the kingdom of God is within you”. Realized eschatology is a Christian eschatological theory popularized by C Crossan imagined Jesus as a cynic-like peasant who focused on the sapiential aspects of the “Kingdom” and not on any apocalyptic conceptions [21].

Albert Schweitzer, Rudolf Bultmann, Norman Perrin and Johannes Weiss argued that Jesus’ “Kingdom” was intended to be a wholly futuristic kingdom. Albert Schweitzer, MD, OM, (January 14 1875 &ndash September 4 1965 was an Alsatian theologian, Musician, Philosopher Rudolf Karl Bultmann ( August 20, 1884 – July 30, 1976) was a German theologian of Lutheran background who Norman Perrin (1920-1976 was Associate Professor of New Testament, at the Divinity School University of Chicago. Johannes Weiss ( December 13, 1863 - August 24, 1914) was a great German Theologian and Biblical exegete. These scholars looked to the apocalyptic traditions of various Jewish groups existing at the time of Jesus as the basis of their study [22], [23], [24], [25]. In this view, Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher who would bring about the end times and when he did not see the end of the cosmic order coming Jesus embraced death as a tool in which to provoke God into action.

The most common view of the “Kingdom” in recent scholarship is to embrace the truths of both these parties – present reality and future manifestation. Some scholars who take this view are N.T. Wright and G. Nicholas Thomas "Tom" Wright (born 1 December 1948) is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and a leading New Testament R. Beasley-Murray. In their views, the “Kingdom” that Jesus spoke of will be fully realized in the future but it is also in a process of “in-breaking” into the present. This means that Jesus’ deeds and words have an immediate effect on the “Kingdom” even though it was not fully manifested during his life. Even greater attention has been paid to the concept of the “Kingdom of God” by scholars during the current third quest for the historical Jesus (of which N.T. Wright is associated). Nicholas Thomas "Tom" Wright (born 1 December 1948) is the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and a leading New Testament Another important recent observation on the meaning of the “Kingdom” was made by Rudolph Otto who took a feminist approach to the study of Jesus. Rudolf Otto ( September 25 1869 – 6 March 1937) was an eminent German Lutheran theologian and Scholar He claimed that “it is not Jesus who brings the kingdom; on the contrary; the kingdom brings him with it…”[26]. This approach attempts to take Jesus out of the Jesus movement that followed after his death and resurrection; by doing this the communal aspects of the “Kingdom” become emphasized and not just the focus on Jesus as a man.

Viewpoint of evangelical Christian scholars

The Gospels describe Jesus as proclaiming the Kingdom as something that was both "at hand" and a future reality (see Mark 1:15). The phrase "inaugurated eschatology" has achieved near consensus among evangelical interpreters as expressing the essence of the present/future tension inherent in the teaching of Jesus regarding the kingdom of God. "Inaugurated eschatology" posits that Jesus Christ, through his incarnation, death, resurrection, and exaltation, has ushered in the messianic age so that the kingdom of God may be understood to be present in an incipient fashion, while at the same time awaiting consummation in the future age following the second coming

The present aspect of the Kingdom refers to the changed state of heart or mind (metanoia) within Christians (see Luke 17:20-21), emphasizing the spiritual nature of His Kingdom by saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within (or among) you. Metanoia (from the Greek, metanoia, changing one's mind, Repentance) is a word which has a few different meanings in different contexts " The reported activity of Jesus in healing diseases, driving out demons, teaching a new ethic for living, and offering a new hope in God to the poor, is understood to be a demonstration of that Kingdom in action. Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure is the practice of evicting Demons or other evil In the Gospel of St Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus' sayings epitomizing his moral teaching.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church accepts the doctrine of the Kingdom of God dividing it into two phases. The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance These are, the Kingdom of Grace which was established immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, and the Kingdom of Glory which will be fully established when Christ returns to earth for the second time.

For Further Reading

Roman Catholic interpretations

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that the coming Reign of God will be a kingdom of love, peace, and justice (CCC 2046). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, or CCC, is an official exposition of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and the twenty-two Justice is defined as a virtue whereby one respects the rights of all persons, living in harmony and equity with all (CCC 1807). The Kingdom of God began with Christ's death and Resurrection and must be further extended by Christians until it has been brought into perfection by Christ at the end of time (CCC 782, 2816). The Christian does this by living the way Christ lived, by thinking the way Christ thought (CCC 2046) and by promoting peace and justice (CCC 2820). This can be accomplished by discerning how the Holy Spirit (God) is calling one to act in the concrete circumstances of one's life (CCC 2820). Christians must also pray, asking God for what is necessary to cooperate with the coming of His Kingdom (CCC 2632). Jesus gathered disciples to be the seed and the beginning of God's Reign on earth, and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide them (CCC 541, 764). Jesus continues to call all people to come together around him (CCC 542) and to spread His Kingdom across the entire world (CCC 863). However, the ultimate triumph of Christ's Kingdom will not come about until Christ's return to earth at the end of time (CCC 671). During Christ's second coming, he will judge the living and the dead. Only those who are judged to be righteous and just will reign with Christ forever (CCC 1042, 1060). Christ's second coming will also mark the absolute defeat of all evil powers, including Satan (CCC 550, 671). Until then, the coming of the Kingdom will continue to be attacked by evil powers as Christians wait with hope for the second coming of their Savior (CCC 671, 680). This is why Christians pray to hasten Christ's return by saying to him "Marana tha!" which means "Come, Lord Jesus!" (CCC 671, 2817).

According to Fr. William Barry, S.J., we can understand the Kingdom of God as God's intention for the universe. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order God has revealed that His intention for our world is that all humans live as brothers and sisters, as sons and daughters of God (Is 2:2-5, Is 11:6-9, Is 40:4-5, Eph 1:3, 9-10). Our thoughts and actions can either be in tune with God's intention or not. Only by being in tune with God's intention will we ever know true fulfillment or happiness in this life. Prayer, discernment and knowledge of God's revealed Word are needed to discover how one can be in tune with God's intention. [27]

According to Fr. Daniel J. Harrington, S. J. , the Kingdom of God primarily refers to the era when Christ comes again to bring the final establishment of God’s rule over all creation, which will include a final judgment where the righteous are rewarded and the wicked are punished. The concept of the Kingdom of God offers the goal for Christian life: those who follow the example and teachings of Jesus will be vindicated when the Kingdom of God comes and will reign with Christ forever. [28]

In Biblical scholar John P. Meier's Mentor, Message, and Miracles (A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, v. John Paul Meier is a Biblical scholar and Catholic priest. He attended St John Paul Meier is a Biblical scholar and Catholic priest. He attended St 2, 1994, pp. 235-506), the 'Message' is the kingdom of God. The book examines that the subject as found in:

  • the Old Testament and Pseudepigrapha and at Qumran
  • Jesus' proclamation of a future kingdom
  • the kingdom proclaimed by Jesus' words and deeds as already present in his ministry (pp. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Pseudepigrapha (from Ancient Greek ψευδής For the country that features in Yes Minister, see here. Qumran (خربة قمران חירבת קומראן Khirbet Qumran Kerygma ( Greek: κήρυγμα kérugma, pronounced "kay-roog-ma" is the Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching (see Luke 451-53).

Pre-millennial approaches

A number of groups take a political/eschatological approach to the Kingdom of God emphasizing a physical reign of Jesus Christ on earth after the parousia. Eschatology (from the Greek, Eschatos meaning "last" and -logy meaning "the study of" is a part of Theology In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven to earth an event that will fulfill aspects of Messianic These groups often place special emphasis on the role of a restored kingdom of Israel.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers the church itself as the Kingdom of God on the earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known However, this is limited to a spiritual or ecclesiastical kingdom until the Millennium when Christ will also establish a political Kingdom of God. A millennium (pl millennia) is a period of Time equal to one thousand Years (from Latin la mille, thousand and la annum This will have worldwide political jurisdiction when the Lord has made "a full end of all nations" (Doctrine & Covenants 87: 6). The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the However, Latter-day Saints believe that this theocratic "kingdom" will in fact be quasi-republican in organization, and will be freely chosen by the survivors of the millennial judgments rather than being imposed upon an unwilling populace. See Council of Fifty; Theodemocracy. The Council of Fifty (also known as the Living Constitution, the Kingdom of God, or its name by revelation The Kingdom of God and His Laws with the Keys and Theodemocracy is a political system theorized by Joseph Smith Jr

Jehovah's Witnesses extend the idea of the Kingdom of God to more than just a state of mind or heart. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination The belief is that the Kingdom is a government headed by Jesus Christ as King, ruling in heaven since 1914. Jehovah's Witnesses come to the year 1914 by two lines of reasoning: Bible chronology dealing with the end of the Times of the Gentiles[29] and observed world conditions[30]. The miracles and preaching of the Kingdom that Jesus carried out while on earth is a work that gave hope, illustrated the benefits the Kingdom would bring, and urged efforts to gain God's favor. Jehovah's Witnesses try to imitate that preaching work in their door-to-door work by highlighting the Kingdom of God[31]. In fact, the full name of the Watchtower is "The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom. The Watchtower ( is a monthly illustrated religious Magazine, printed and published by Jehovah's Witnesses via the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society " In short, the Kingdom is the means through which God vindicates His name and sovereignty [32] and accomplishes His will through Christ, and restores conditions on earth to those similar in the Garden of Eden. Not to be confused with Eden Gardens.The Garden of Eden ( Hebrew "pleasure" גַּן עֵדֶן Arabic: جنات عدن, Additional information on the Kingdom in relation to the Last Days and Jehovah's Witnesses. End time, End times, or End of days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other End time, End times, or End of days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other

Christadelphians believe in an end time political kingdom. Christadelphians (from the Greek for Brothers of Christ / Christ's Brethren: Christou Adelphoi; cf This viewpoint says that in the last days Christ will return to rescue Israel (the nation), judge all who are responsible to God's judgment, and make an immortal administration for the Kingdom of God re-established on earth. It will be based in Jerusalem, and will provide the faithful of all generations with the land promised to them because they are heirs of the land of the middle East, with Abraham. The Kingdom will grow to rule over all other nations, with Jesus as the King and with his administration (immortal saints) ruling over the nations with him. Those ruled over will firstly be the Jews who are alive then (although mortal) and the survivors of all other nations (also mortal). During that time, lifespans of mortals will be greatly increased, and justice will be carefully maintained. Thus the world will be filled with peace and the knowledge of God.

Other viewpoints

Leading feminist theologians, especially Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza emphasize the feminine gender of the word basileia and the feminist nature of the early teachings of Jesus and the important and counter-cultural role and contributions of women in the Jesus sect. Feminist Theology is a movement generally in Christianity, Judaism and New Thought, to reconsider the traditions practices Scriptures Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza (born 1938) is a leading feminist theologian. [33]

Jesus use of the phrase "Kingdom of God" is believed by the liberation theologists to have been a deliberate but indirect criticism of the Roman system of domination. Liberation theology is a school of Theology within Christianity, particularly in the Roman Catholic

Some scholars (most notably P.D. Ouspensky, in his book A New Model of the Universe, chapter 4) propose that "The Kingdom of Heaven" could actually be an esoteric group, that one should 'seek' within our own society. Peter D Ouspensky ( March 4, 1878 – October 2, 1947) ( Pyotr Demianovich Ouspenskii, also Uspenskii or Uspensky A New Model Of The Universe - Principles of the Psychological Method in its Application to problems of Science Religion and Art was P

Some universalists believe that God will use the Kingdom to bring about the salvation of all mankind. Universal reconciliation, also called universal salvation or sometimes simply universalism, is the Christian doctrine or belief that all will receive Salvation [3]

See also

References and notes

  1. ^ Strong’s Greek Dictionary, webpage, retrieved June 24, 2006
  2. ^ The exact phrase above occurs not at all in the Hebrew Bible and only once in the deuterocanonical/apocryphal Wisdom of Solomon (10:10) (John P. Summary of Christian eschatological differencesIn Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the study of its religious Beliefs concerning all Future and This article discusses the title of Jesus Christ Christ the King. Eschatology (from the Greek, Eschatos meaning "last" and -logy meaning "the study of" is a part of Theology Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond The Kingdom of God Is Within You (Царство Божие внутри вас Bozhiye vnutri vas'' is the Non-fiction Magnum opus of Leo Tolstoy In the Gospel of St Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus' sayings epitomizing his moral teaching. Tikkun olam ( תיקון עולם) is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world" or "perfecting the world Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic " Deuterocanonical books " is a term used since the sixteenth century in the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity to describe certain books and passages Book of Wisdom or Wisdom of Solomon or simply Wisdom is one of the Deuterocanonical books of the Bible. Meier, A Marginal Jew, v. 2, 1994, p. 248).
  3. ^ Kingdom is within: "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within [or among] you. " Luke 17:20-21
  4. ^ Kingdom approached through understanding: "When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him "You are not far from the kingdom of God. " Mark 12:34
  5. ^ Kingdom accepted like a child: "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. " Mark 10:15
  6. ^ Kingdom entered through spiritual rebirth: "no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit" John 3:5
  7. ^ Kingdom entered through doing the will of God: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. " Matthew 7:21
  8. ^ Kingdom peopled by the righteous: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?" 1 Corinthians 6:9
  9. ^ Other kingdoms: "If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand?"Luke 11:18
  10. ^ John L. McKenzie, Dictionary of the Bible, Simon & Schuster, 1995, p 480
  11. ^ Dodd, C. Simon & Schuster Inc, a division of CBS Corporation, is a Publisher founded in New York in 1924 by Richard L H. , "The Parables of the Kingdom," (Fontana 1961), p. 29. (public domain)
  12. ^ Strong’s Greek Dictionary, webpage, retrieved June 24, 2006
  13. ^ Cobb, John and David Tracy, Talking About God: Doing Theology in the Context of Modern Pluralism, Seabury Press, 1983, webpage, retrieved June 24, 2006
  14. ^ Chilson, Richard (2001). Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Yeshua of Nazareth: Spiritual Master. Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books
  15. ^ “As long as we hold onto good qualities and good actions, this world will be the hereafter, and our life here will be a life in heaven, a life of grace”. M. R. Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, Islam & World Peace: Explanations of a Sufi, The Fellowship Press, 2004, p 34
  16. ^ Kevin Hart, The Experience of the Kingdom of God, webpage, retrieved June 24, 2006
  17. ^ "Von dem Zwecke Jesu und seiner Junger. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. " Noch ein Fragment des Wolfenbuttelschen Ungenannten. Herausgegeben von Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Braunschweig, 1778, 276 pp. (The Aims of Jesus and His Disciples A further Instalment of the anonymous Woltenbiittel Fragments. Published by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Brunswick, 1778. )
  18. ^ For references of the Kingdom as gospel, see Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:43, 9:2, 6, & 11; 16:16, etc. For evidence of the destination for the righteous see Matthew 7:21, 25:31-34; Luke 13:28-29. Also compare Jesus equating "eternal life," "entering into life," the "kingdom of heaven," "kingdom of God," "being saved," and "eternal life" in Matthew 19:16-30.
  19. ^ What Does the Bible Tell Us about Heaven? , Dr. Ed Young. Retrieved on 2007-11-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land
  20. ^ Dodd, C. H. , "The Parables of the Kingdom," (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1961) (public domain)
  21. ^ Crossan, John Dominic, "The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant," (Harper, 1991) (public domain)
  22. ^ Schweitzer, Albert, "The Quest for the Historical Jesus," (Black, 1910) (public domain)
  23. ^ Bultmann, Rudolph, "History and Eschatology: the presence of eternity," (Harper & Row, 1962) (public domain)
  24. ^ Perrin, Norman, "The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus," (SCM, 1963) (public domain)
  25. ^ Weiss, Johannes, "Jesus’ Proclamation of the Kingdom of God," (Scholars, 1985) (public domain)
  26. ^ Beavis, Mary Ann, "Jesus & Utopia: Looking for the Kingdom of God in the Roman World,” (Fortress Press, 2006) (public domain)
  27. ^ Barry, William (1990). Eschatology (from the Greek, Eschatos meaning "last" and -logy meaning "the study of" is a part of Theology Paying Attention to God. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press
  28. ^ Harrington, Daniel J. , "The Now and Future Kingdom," American Catholic (May 2006), online at http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/JHP/aq0506.asp, accessed August 26, 2006. Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  29. ^ "What Does the Bible Really Teach" pp. 215-218 '1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy'
  30. ^ "Do You Recognize the Sign of Jesus' Presence?" [1]
  31. ^ "The Good News They Want You to Hear" [2]
  32. ^ ‘The Great Crowd to Live in Heaven? Or on Earth?' "Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1984, p. 167.
  33. ^ [Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins, Crossroads, New York, 1992

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic