The Role of Theology and the Bible in Building Communities of Peace, Justice and Reconciliation

Dear Colleagues,

Although religion often serves as a catalyst for inequality, abuse, oppression, and violence, it also has the potential for motivating peace, justice, reconcilation, and empathetic actions that can be directed at redeeming a world infected with political corruption, economic imbalance, ecological negligence, gender inequality, racial oppression, and sexual discrimination. In such a bipolar context, theology has historically held a prominent place, not only explicitly in the practical life of various faith traditions, but also implicitly in the functioning of secular communities worldwide. Undoubtedly, its purpose is still to instigate change for the common good. Indeed, theological discourse continues to have the responsibility of providing a prophetic voice for peace and well-being in both sacred and secular contexts, a voice that calls out injustice, corruption, and acts of violence while simultaneously calling for the peaceful and loving realization of hospitality and diversity. In other words, this is the voice that cries out in the sacred and secular wilderness of contemporary cultures and prays that God’s kingdom will come on Earth as it is in heaven.

This Special Issue of Religions concentrates on the ways in which theological study translates into thought, influences, and practices that may transform local, national, and global communities. Included essays should reveal the breadth and depth of theological theory and its influential impact on building communities that promote peace. Contributors may choose from a wide range of topics by which to explore how the prophetic theological voice enhances, advances, and stimulates how one may achieve the “peace that passes all understanding.” These topics may include (but are not limited to) various theoretical approaches to interpeting the prophetic voice of peace, as well as the practical implications of that voice in building irenic communities ecologically, economically, politically, personally, racially, sexually, or psychologically.

Prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors should initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 150–200 words summarizing their intended contribution to the Guest Editor, Dr. Sharon Putt (slputt@messiah.edu), and CC the Assistant Editor, M. Violet Li (violet.li@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Final full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Sharon L. Baker Putt
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• theology
• religion
• ecology
• peace
• reconciliation
• hospitality
• community
• Bible
• love
• politics

Title: Biblical Hermeneutics and the Peaceable Kingdom

Abstract: History provides abundant evidence of biblical texts serving as justification for the mistreatment of people and other living beings. Virtually every form of oppression, whether human, non-human animal, or environmental, can be supported by appeal to one biblical text or another. Indeed, those who would advocate for justice and peace are often required to read the Bible in ways that seem contrary to the “plain meaning of Scripture,” availing themselves of hermeneutic methodologies that many lay readers would find confusing and contradictory. Within Christian communities, however, one cannot avoid either the texts that trouble or the challenges to reading toward a kingdom of justice and peace. The Bible is too harmful to be ignored, and too good not to be utilized. This essay will survey the hermeneutical approaches employed by those who read for justice and peace, explore the theological underpinnings of and motivations for their practices, and consider ways of moving those approaches out of the academy and into broader readership and faith communities.