28
C. W. Ayre et al.
such, the Church is called to recognise her God-given responsibility as the messenger
of Shalom and sustainable peace. It is clear that the success of this charter has been
limited.
Shalom implies a state of mind that is satisfied and has relationships which are
characterised by harmony. Shalom speaks to the “quality of a person’s life and quality
of their relationships with God, with one another and with the rest of creation”
(Swinton 2000, p. 58; see also Harper 2016). The call of contemporary Christian
faith communities is to translate the concept of Shalom into present day contexts.
The beginning of the answer must lie in the inner recesses of individuals and
communities, rather than in external factors. Deeper exploration into the human
condition is essential, with Jesus’ teachings in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12)
offering a helpful starting point. Central to all faith and mission is a ministry of reconciliation, however the term “reconciliation” must be clearly understood. In popular
understanding within Australia, reconciliation is typically associated with Indigenous
issues. Even so, no one issue, however important, can own this term. In a religious
sense it reflects a full-orbed and holistic concern that can speak to a multiplicity
of dimensions of human life and society. As such, consensus on a concrete understanding or definition of the term ‘reconciliation’ can seem complicated. Perhaps it is
time to re-define the term to include contemporary voices. Katongole and Rice (2008)
offer the following characterisation: “reconciliation is an ongoing spiritual process
involving forgiveness, repentance and justice that restores broken relationships and
systems to reflect God’s original intention for all creation to flourish” (p. 23). This
understanding of reconciliation is relevant to the Pacific Islands context (Rubow and
Bird 2016).
Therefore, from a Christian point of view, the very heart of the ministry of reconciliation is demonstrated in the person of the Christ. Regardless of where it leads,
the process begins with one’s own reconciliation with God, which Christians identify as made possible through Jesus Christ (Harper 2016). For example, the Apostle
Paul exhorts the early Church: “since we have been justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, … through whom we have now
received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:1, 11). If reconciliation is birthed from a spiritual mindset, there is a need, as Hall (1996) posited, to “shift the need for reconciliation from heaven to earth” (p. 595). Thus, “[w]e need to be reconciled with other
human beings, not only personally but socially and politically as well. There is also
a vital need for reconciliation with nonhuman forms of life and to the earth itself”
(Hall 1996, p. 595; see also Harper 2016). An eschatological promise of ultimate
reconciliation carries little weight and meaning if it is unable to impact on sustainable
and peaceful human coexistence in the present (Luetz et al. 2018).
Ten Steps Toward a Practical Ministry of Reconciliation
It is within that very maelstrom of activity and the more immediate context of ecology
and war that we consider a multi-faceted Christian response and contribution that will
C. W. Ayre et al.
such, the Church is called to recognise her God-given responsibility as the messenger
of Shalom and sustainable peace. It is clear that the success of this charter has been
limited.
Shalom implies a state of mind that is satisfied and has relationships which are
characterised by harmony. Shalom speaks to the “quality of a person’s life and quality
of their relationships with God, with one another and with the rest of creation”
(Swinton 2000, p. 58; see also Harper 2016). The call of contemporary Christian
faith communities is to translate the concept of Shalom into present day contexts.
The beginning of the answer must lie in the inner recesses of individuals and
communities, rather than in external factors. Deeper exploration into the human
condition is essential, with Jesus’ teachings in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12)
offering a helpful starting point. Central to all faith and mission is a ministry of reconciliation, however the term “reconciliation” must be clearly understood. In popular
understanding within Australia, reconciliation is typically associated with Indigenous
issues. Even so, no one issue, however important, can own this term. In a religious
sense it reflects a full-orbed and holistic concern that can speak to a multiplicity
of dimensions of human life and society. As such, consensus on a concrete understanding or definition of the term ‘reconciliation’ can seem complicated. Perhaps it is
time to re-define the term to include contemporary voices. Katongole and Rice (2008)
offer the following characterisation: “reconciliation is an ongoing spiritual process
involving forgiveness, repentance and justice that restores broken relationships and
systems to reflect God’s original intention for all creation to flourish” (p. 23). This
understanding of reconciliation is relevant to the Pacific Islands context (Rubow and
Bird 2016).
Therefore, from a Christian point of view, the very heart of the ministry of reconciliation is demonstrated in the person of the Christ. Regardless of where it leads,
the process begins with one’s own reconciliation with God, which Christians identify as made possible through Jesus Christ (Harper 2016). For example, the Apostle
Paul exhorts the early Church: “since we have been justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, … through whom we have now
received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:1, 11). If reconciliation is birthed from a spiritual mindset, there is a need, as Hall (1996) posited, to “shift the need for reconciliation from heaven to earth” (p. 595). Thus, “[w]e need to be reconciled with other
human beings, not only personally but socially and politically as well. There is also
a vital need for reconciliation with nonhuman forms of life and to the earth itself”
(Hall 1996, p. 595; see also Harper 2016). An eschatological promise of ultimate
reconciliation carries little weight and meaning if it is unable to impact on sustainable
and peaceful human coexistence in the present (Luetz et al. 2018).
Ten Steps Toward a Practical Ministry of Reconciliation
It is within that very maelstrom of activity and the more immediate context of ecology
and war that we consider a multi-faceted Christian response and contribution that will