From the Creation to the Kingdom of God

What is the Jewish concept of God's revelation like? How does a Jew see the concepts or revelation of Christianity and Islam? Do Christians understand that Judaism is not a thing of the past and that Judaism is not solely the preliminary stage of Christianity? How does a Jew perceive God's judgement and grace today? How does God's dispensation work in the life of a human being? The Reform Jew writer and theologian Schalom Ben-Chorin, was born in Germany, but lived in Jerusalem since 1935 until his death in 1999, based his theological thinking on God's revelation. It begins with God's creation of the world and its ultimate goal is the Kingdom of God in this world. The city of Jerusalem and the cooperation between supporters of the monotheistic religions i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam have a significant position in Ben-Chorin's theology in realising the Kingdom of God. The present study also brings up the philosophical and theological prerequisites for Ben-Chorin's concept of revelation, describes how Ben-Chorin interprets the Biblia Hebraica and furthermore, what-kind of task of witnessing the Jews have for the whole world.

Autorentext

The Author: Timo Vasko was born in Nokia, Finland, in 1948. He studied Theology at the University of Helsinki. In 1974 he was ordinated in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. From 1978 to 1981 he worked for the Evangeliumsdienst in Bavaria, Germany, and from 1981 to 1984 as a Wissenschaftlicher Assistent at the University of Erlangen. In 1985 he obtained a Ph.D. in Theology in Helsinki. Since 1987 he has been an Associate Secretary for Missiology in the Church Administration, Office for Global Mission and a Dozent in Missiology at the University of Helsinki since 1999.

Inhalt

Contents: The philosophical and theological preconditions for the concept of revelation - The Reform Jewish movement - God's revelation in the Word - Faith and love inspired by God's grace - God's dialogue with His people - A prophetic message - The Kingdom of God - Jerusalem - The monotheistic ethics - The existential reception - Judaism's task of witnessing.