Marijke Hoek
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Media, justice, public theology, arts
Marijke is passionate about equipping Christians to shape culture with the Gospel. She is the coordinator of Forum for Change at the Evangelical Alliance, and works to connect Christians who are involved in business, arts, media, education, politics and sport. She is also a visiting lecturer at Regents Theological College.
Church: South Manchester Family Church
Twitter: @EAUKnews
My Articles
Shalom and the City
Marijke Hoek
Tuesday 7th December 2010
Sunrise Metropolis by tj. blackwell
When Jeremiah tells the people of God to seek the welfare of the city and pray to the Lord on its behalf, ‘for in its welfare you will find your welfare’ (29:7), he inspires them to hold out a vision of wellbeing for the wider society and to bring shalom. Their destiny is woven together with the city’s.
Jeremiah’s instruction takes place in exile. Our witness and work will always be contextual, taking shape in a specific cultural context, time and place. The Christian faith and worldview have the potential to affect every part of life. As the Dutch theologian and politician Abraham Kuyper said:
‘In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, “That is mine!”’
This calls for a Christian imagination, expressed in every sector of society, in which we witness to an alternative vision.
‘Shalom’ is used in the scriptures to refer to God’s creational intention. It includes peace, soundness, wholeness, security and fullness of life, in which our relationships with God, each other and with nonhuman creation are thriving. It is this vision that Jeremiah sets before the exiles.
The question of how we move towards a new horizon and experience the welfare Jeremiah had in mind requires a prayerful approach. Furthermore, it requires a long-term vision: Jeremiah inspires the people to settle in for the duration, in view of many generations.
It is to this end that I co-ordinate Forum for Change, part of a long-term strategy, facilitated by the Evangelical Alliance, to mobilise the Church in influencing culture. Our Culture Footprint email features stories of Christians who are working in the key ‘change drivers’ in our culture: arts, politics, media, sports, education and business; disciples who live out their faith in a secular context. It is sometimes funny, always interesting and often challenging.
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