Kingdom of God (Christian denominational variations)

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19th century Russian icon of Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of Heaven icon (19 c. S-Peterburg).jpeg
19th century Russian icon of Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of God has different meanings in different Christian denominations and they interpret its meaning in distinctly different ways. [1] [2] While the concept of Kingdom of God may have an intuitive meaning to lay Christians, there is hardly any agreement among theologians about its meaning in the New Testament, and it is often interpreted to fit the theological agenda of those interpreting it. [1]

Contents

As new Christian denominations have emerged, experiments linking personalism with ideas about the sharing of property found in the Acts of Apostles have produced eschatological perspectives that include social and philanthropic issues in the religious interpretation of the Kingdom of God. [2]

Overview

Given no general agreement on the interpretation of the term "Kingdom of God", significant diversity exists in the way Christian denominations interpret it and its associated eschatology. [1] Over the centuries, as emerging Christian denominations introduced new concepts, their teachings and experiments with the linking of personalism with new notions of Christian community often involved new interpretations of the Kingdom of God in various socio-religious settings. [2] [3]

Thus the denominational attempt at incorporating the ideals expressed in the Acts of Apostles regarding the sharing of property within the Christian community came to interact with the social issues of the time to produce various interpretations regarding the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. [2] [3] Eschatological perspectives that emphasized the abandonment of the utopian visions of human achievement and the placement of hope in the work of God whose Kingdom were sought thus resulted in the linking of social and philanthropic issues to the religious interpretations of the Kingdom of God in ways that produced distinct variations among denominations. [2]

Specific interpretations

Anabaptists, Early Unitarians, Dissenters

In the Reformation the Radical Reformation of Anabaptists and Early Unitarians, and later Dissenters combined Christian mortalism with eschatological views emphasizing the future aspect of the kingdom of God and the Second Coming. For example, John Disney in his Reasons for quitting the Church of England (1873) speaks of "the future everlasting kingdom of God". [4] [5] Anabaptist descendants including the Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and Conservative Mennonites believe in the two kingdom concept which "essentially" views the Church as the Kingdom of God.

Catholics

The emblem of the Holy See includes the Keys of Heaven which Catholics interpret as those given to Saint Peter in Matthew 16:18 Emblem of the Papacy SE.svg
The emblem of the Holy See includes the Keys of Heaven which Catholics interpret as those given to Saint Peter in Matthew 16:18

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that the coming Reign of God will be a kingdom of love, peace, and justice. [7] Justice is defined as a virtue whereby one respects the rights of all persons, living in harmony and equity with all. [8] 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. [9]

Catholics do this by living the way Christ lived, by thinking the way Christ thought, [7] and by promoting peace and justice. [10] This can be accomplished by discerning how the Holy Spirit (God) is calling one to act in the concrete circumstances of one's life. [10] Christians must also pray, asking God for what is necessary to cooperate with the coming of God's kingdom. [11] 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. [12] Jesus continues to call all people to come together around him [13] and to spread the kingdom of God across the entire world. [14]

However, the ultimate triumph of Christ's kingdom will not come about until Christ's return to earth at the end of time. [15] 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. [16] Christ's second coming will also mark the absolute defeat of all evil powers, including Satan. [17] 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. [18]

Eastern Orthodoxy

Within the theological tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church the kingdom of God is the present and future of all mankind and the created world. Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that the Kingdom of God is present within the Church and is communicated to believers as it interacts with them. [19]

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the kingdom of God is the central theme of the Bible, of Jesus' message while on earth, and of their own door-to-door preaching. They believe their door-to-door preaching is part of a "sign" before God's kingdom destroys the world's governments, in order to have God's will done on earth as it is in heaven. [20]

God's kingdom is said to be an actual government, set up by God in heaven, that will rule over the earth after removing all human governments at Armageddon. Jesus Christ initially rules as king of the kingdom, with all authority in heaven and on earth delegated to him by God, with only God himself having more authority. Jesus rules along with 144,000 humans raised to heaven. These are said to be part of the "First Resurrection", as immortal spirit creatures. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus began ruling as king of God's kingdom in 1914. [21]

Jesus' rule of the kingdom is to last for one thousand years, during which time earth will be transformed into a paradise. [22] During that time, righteous and unrighteous humans—excluding those who died at Armageddon or other specific judgments by God—will be resurrected in perfect human bodies, which they call the "Second Resurrection". Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Satan will be imprisoned during the thousand-year reign, unable to influence humans. Perfect humans on earth will not get sick or age, but will not be immortal, and will need to eat and breathe in order to keep living. [23]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) takes a combined political/eschatological approach to the kingdom of God, emphasizing a physical reign of Jesus Christ on earth after the Second Coming of Christ. [24] [25] It also places special emphasis on the role of a restored kingdom of Israel. [26] [27]

The LDS Church considers the church itself as the kingdom of God on the earth. [28] However, this is limited to a spiritual or ecclesiastical kingdom until the Millennium when Christ will also establish a political kingdom of God. [24] This will have worldwide political jurisdiction when the Lord has made "a full end of all nations". [29] However, Latter-day Saints believe that this theocratic "kingdom" will in fact be quasi-republican in organization (theodemocracy), and will be freely chosen by the survivors of the millennial judgments rather than being imposed upon an unwilling populace. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

Christian eschatology Branch of study within Christian theology

Christian eschatology, a major branch of study within Christian theology, deals with "last things". Such eschatology – the word derives from two Greek roots meaning "last" (ἔσχατος) and "study" (-λογία) – involves the study of "end things", whether of the end of an individual life, of the end of the age, of the end of the world, or of the nature of the Kingdom of God. Broadly speaking, Christian eschatology focuses on the ultimate destiny of individual souls and of the entire created order, based primarily upon biblical texts within the Old and New Testaments.

Eschatology Part of theology concerned with the final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity

Eschatology concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions, which teach that negative world events will reach a climax. Belief that the end of the world is imminent is known as apocalypticism, and over time has been held both by members of mainstream religions and by doomsday cults. In the context of mysticism, the term refers metaphorically to the end of ordinary reality and to reunion with the divine. Various religions treat eschatology as a future event prophesied in sacred texts or in folklore.

Second Coming Belief regarding the return of Jesus

The Second Coming is a Christian and Islamic belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messianic prophecies and is part of most Christian eschatologies.

Rapture Eschatological concept of certain Christians

The rapture is an eschatological theological position held by some Christians, particularly within branches of American evangelicalism, consisting of an end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, will rise "in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." The origin of the term extends from Paul the Apostle's First Epistle to the Thessalonians in the Bible, in which he uses the Greek word harpazo, meaning "to snatch away" or "to seize," and explains that believers in Jesus Christ would be snatched away from earth into the air.

Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the Earth before the Millennium, a literal thousand-year golden age of peace. Premillennialism is based upon a literal interpretation of Revelation 20:1–6 in the New Testament, which describes Jesus's reign in a period of a thousand years.

Kingship and kingdom of God Concept in Abrahamic religions

The concept of the kingship of God appears in all Abrahamic religions, where in some cases the terms Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are also used. The notion of God's kingship goes back to the Hebrew Bible, which refers to "his kingdom" but does not include the term "Kingdom of God".

Amillennialism Belief there will be no millennium

Amillenarism or amillennialism is a type of chillegorism which teaches and believed that there will be no millennial reign of the righteous on Earth. Amillennialists interpret the thousand years symbolically to refer either to a temporary bliss of souls in heaven before the general resurrection, or to the infinite bliss of the righteous after the general resurrection.

Matthew 6:10

Matthew 6:10 is the tenth verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse is the second one of the Lord's Prayer, one of the best known parts of the entire New Testament. This verse contains the second and third petitions to God.

Futurism is a Christian eschatological view that interprets portions of the Book of Revelation, the Book of Ezekiel, and the Book of Daniel as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context.

Confession of Peter Episode in the New Testament in which the Apostle Peter proclaims Jesus to be the Christ

In Christianity, the Confession of Peter refers to an episode in the New Testament in which the Apostle Peter proclaims Jesus to be the Christ. The proclamation is described in the three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 16:13–20, Mark 8:27–30 and Luke 9:18–21. Depending on which gospel one reads, Peter either says: 'You are the Messiah' or 'the Christ' ; or 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God',, or 'God's Messiah' or 'The Christ of God'.

Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief) End time remnant of believers who are faithful to God

In Seventh-day Adventist theology, there will be an end time remnant of believers who are faithful to God. The remnant church is a visible, historical, organized body characterized by obedience to the commandments of God and the possession of a unique end-time gospel proclamation. Adventists have traditionally equated this "remnant church" with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

God in Christianity Christian conception of God

God in Christianity is believed to be the eternal, supreme being who created and preserves all things. Christians believe in a monotheistic conception of God, which is both transcendent and immanent. Christian teachings on the transcendence, immanence, and involvement of God in the world and his love for humanity exclude the belief that God is of the same substance as the created universe but accept that God's divine nature was hypostatically united to human nature in the person of Jesus Christ, in a unique event known as "the Incarnation".

Mormon cosmology Cosmology of Mormonism

Mormon cosmology is the description of the history, evolution, and destiny of the physical and metaphysical universe according to Mormonism, which includes the doctrines taught by leaders and theologians of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mormon fundamentalism, the Restoration Church of Jesus Christ, and other Brighamite denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement. Mormon cosmology draws from Biblical cosmology, but has many unique elements provided by movement founder Joseph Smith. These views are not generally shared by adherents of other Latter Day Saint movement denominations who do not self-identify as "Mormons", such as the Community of Christ.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other adherents in the Latter Day Saint movement, believe that there will be a Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth sometime in the future. The LDS Church and its leaders do not make predictions of the actual date of the Second Coming.

Mormonism and Nicene Christianity Comparison of Mormonism and Nicene Christianity

Mormonism and Nicene Christianity have a complex theological, historical, and sociological relationship. Mormons express their doctrines using standard biblical terminology and have similar views about the nature of Jesus Christ's atonement, bodily resurrection, and Second Coming as traditional Christianity. Nevertheless, most Mormons do not accept the Trinitarian doctrine of Nicene Christianity, codified in the Nicene and Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creeds of 325 and 381. Although Mormons consider the Protestant Bible as scripture, they do not believe in biblical inerrancy. They have also adopted additional scriptures that they believe to have been divinely revealed to Joseph Smith, including the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Mormons practice baptism and celebrate the sacrament, but they also participate in other religious rituals. Mormons self-identify as Christians.

Christian theology Study of Christian belief and practice

Christian theology is the theology of Christian belief and practice. Such study concentrates primarily upon the texts of the Old Testament and of the New Testament, as well as on Christian tradition. Christian theologians use biblical exegesis, rational analysis and argument. Theologians may undertake the study of Christian theology for a variety of reasons, such as in order to:

Heaven in Christianity Heaven as understood by Christianity

In Christianity, heaven is traditionally the location of the throne of God and the angels of God, and in most forms of Christianity it is the abode of the righteous dead in the afterlife. In some Christian denominations it is understood as a temporary stage before the resurrection of the dead and the saints' return to the New Earth.

Eternal life (Christianity) Concept of continued life after death

Eternal life traditionally refers to continued life after death, as outlined in Christian eschatology. The Apostles' Creed testifies: "I believe... the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting." In this view, eternal life commences after the second coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead, although in the New Testament's Johannine literature there are references to eternal life commencing in the earthly life of the believer, possibly indicating an inaugurated eschatology.

Kingdom of God (Christianity) Phrase in the New Testament

The Kingdom of God is one of the key elements of the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. Drawing on Old Testament teachings, the Christian characterization of the relationship between God and humanity inherently involves the notion of the Kingship of God. The Old Testament refers to "God the Judge of all" and the notion that all humans will eventually "be judged" is an essential element of Christian teachings. Building on a number of New Testament passages, the Nicene Creed indicates that the task of judgment is assigned to Jesus.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Divine Government: God's Kingship in the Gospel of Mark by R.T. France (10 Mar 2003) ISBN   1573832448 pages 1-3
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Encountering Theology of Mission: Biblical Foundations, Historical Developments, and Contemporary Issues by Craig Ott, Stephen J. Strauss and Timothy C. Tennent (May 1, 2010) ISBN   0801026628 pages 139-141
  3. 1 2 The Eastern Orthodox Church: Its Thought and Life by Ernst Benz (Jul 31, 2008) ISBN   0202362981 page 158
  4. ↑ Tracts: Volumes 1-2 - Page 92 Unitarian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Practice of Virtue, Joseph Priestley, Richard Price - 1791 - "... lives and conversation by it, as I also will strive to do; so shall we secure a meeting again in the future everlasting kingdom of God, the father of all the families of the earth; To whom be glory, both now and for ever. Amen. "
  5. ↑ James R. Jacob Henry Stubbe, Radical Protestantism and the Early Enlightenment 2002 Page 161 "Disney took a serious interest in the mortalism of Richard Overton"
  6. ↑ The Routledge Companion to the Christian Church by Gerard Mannion and Lewis S. Mudge (Jan 30, 2008) ISBN   0415374200 page 235
  7. 1 2 CCC 2046
  8. ↑ CCC 1807
  9. ↑ CCC 782, 2816
  10. 1 2 CCC 2820
  11. ↑ CCC 2632
  12. ↑ CCC 541, 764
  13. ↑ CCC 542
  14. ↑ CCC 863
  15. ↑ CCC 671
  16. ↑ CCC 1042, 1060
  17. ↑ CCC 550, 671
  18. ↑ CCC 671, 680
  19. ↑ Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader by Daniel B. Clendenin (Oct 1, 2003) ISBN   0801026512 page 197
  20. ↑ "The Good News They Want You to Hear". The Watchtower: 15. 15 March 2009.
  21. ↑ What Does the Bible Really Teach. Watch Tower Society. pp. 215–218.
  22. ↑ Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom. Watch Tower Society. p. 167.
  23. ↑ "Questions From Readers". The Watchtower: 31. 1 April 1984. We do know that mortal humans—even perfect humans having the prospect of endless life on earth—must eat and drink to maintain life, or they die and their bodies experience corruption.
  24. 1 2 "Chapter 24: The Kingdom of God", Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor, Teachings of Presidents of the Church, LDS Church, 2001, pp. 219–228
  25. ↑ "Chapter 44: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ", Gospel Principles, LDS Church, 2011, pp. 257–262
  26. ↑ "Chapter 42: The Gathering of the House of Israel", Gospel Principles, LDS Church, 2011, pp. 245–250
  27. ↑ "Israel, Kingdom of", LDS Bible Dictionary, LDS Church, 1979
  28. ↑ "Kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God", LDS Bible Dictionary, LDS Church, 1979
  29. ↑ Doctrine & Covenants 87:6
  30. ↑ "Chapter 45: The Millennium", Gospel Principles, LDS Church, 2011, pp. 263–267
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