Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Psalm 68:4-5 NIV
While the murder of his wife devastated Rev. Anthony Thompson, he and three other relatives of victims chose to privately and publicly forgive the shooter. Years later, the church and community still struggle to understand the family members’ deliberate choice to forgive the racist murderer. But as Charlestonians have witnessed these incredible acts of forgiveness, something significant has happened to the community—black and white leaders and residents have united, coming together peaceably and even showing acts of selfless love.
Do you see the Bible as intolerant, outdated, out of step with societal norms at best, and a tool of oppression at worst? What if you cleared the deck on your preconceptions of this book and encountered it anew? What if you came with the understanding that your questions are welcome? And what if you approached the Bible as less of a system to figure out and more of a story to step into; a story with more surprising plot twists than you might think?
Have Christians domesticated God? Or do we properly see God who is high and lifted up, the Creator rather than the creature, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, and someone than whom none greater can be conceived?
What does the phrase “kingdom of God” really mean? How does it bring profound and practical clarity and coherence to living all of life—identity, work, play, relationships, justice, and character—in this age of distraction?
