When Christians read Jesus’ declaration of “the kingdom of God,” this often serves as an entryway into grasping the biblical concept of holistic, just peace (Hebrew: shalom; Greek: eirene) as God’s vision and peacebuilding as our Christian calling and vocation. As a foundational concept in Christianity, “the kingdom of God” represents God’s ideal state of affairs where God’s rule is realized, which is characterized by this state of wholeness and well-being for all of creation. This vision calls Christians to follow Jesus and co-work with God by actively engaging in peacebuilding in all our relationships and communities.

Discussion questions:

• How was “the kingdom of God” part of your (or of other Christians around you) journey into peacebuilding?

• What are key characteristics of “the kingdom of God” that inspire your ongoing peacebuilding work?

This call is hosted by the Christian Peacebuilding Network, a multi-org group we helped found, and is part of a series of monthly conversations to help connect Christian peacebuilders and discuss themes related to peacebuilding and the Christian faith.