What Is The Kingdom of God? A Test
Scot McKnight turned me onto this test, which I was curious to take. I have to say that I was VERY dissatisified with the questions, so I am not sure my results are accurate. I have no apparent leaning in any direction, at least not strongly, but here’s what came up. So what IS the Kingdom? Any thoughts?
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You scored as Kingdom as a Christianised Society. Christians shouldn’t withdraw from the world, but by being present in it they can transform it. The kingdom is not only spiritual, but social, political, and cultural.
What is the Kingdom of God?
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Posted by in 17:36:53
Hey Jamie,
I took the test. I scored 100% Kingdom as a Christianized Society. I find the quiz terribly flawed as I think you did. The wording, and therefore the thinking is wrong. I agree with the wording under the catregory, i.e. I believe that Christians should actively live in the world to transform it and that it is social and political, but that action is not the kingdom of God itself. Therefore, I don’t see the Kingdom AS a Christianized society. That would equate the Kingdom with the Church which is I think is dangerous. We act in accordance with the Kingdom not for it or to bring it about. God’s kingdom will come regardless. It’s not like he needs our help. The Kingdom is God’s work, we anticipate and participate, not build or control.
Equating a Christianized society with the Kingdom is what people tend to accuse the Christians under the COnstantine of doing (though many of them didn’t see it this way and spoke against the idea, i.e. Augustine “City of God”). The Kingdom of God is his work, not ours. The Church anticipates and participates, but not does not create, build or help the coming of the Kingdom. It will come, regardless. His Will will be done.
How would you change the questions in the quiz?
(P.S. Is it possibly time to take another crack at O’Donovan? I know, I know, it’ll hurt like hell.)
Don,
I agree. The test is flawed. However, it is a good jumping off point for discussing the ideas. Thanks for weighing in. Great thoughts!
Peace,
Jamie
Ok, look at how tight a “tie” there is among the top four. I think that is a description of what your are working toward in your ministry, as well as your view of life in God.
always on the lookout for “the big picture”-
Dana
Dana,
Excellent point. Seen in that light, it makes perfect sense.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie,
I just finished a series on the gospel, which concluded with a detailed description of what I think the Kingdom of God is. I wrote that the kingdom signifies God’s <i>sovereign rule</i>—God is king over all Creation. It denotes God’s <i>dynamic rule</i>—he is interactive with his Creation. It means God’s <i>eschatological rule</i>—God’s rule has come to climax in His Son, and Christ has inaugurated the Kingdom and has become King through his death & resurrection, and Christ will consummate the Kingdom when he returns at the Parousia. It means God’s <i>saving rule</i>—He is the King who delivers his people from the evil empire of the devil and from the bondage of sin and death. And it means God’s <i>perichoresis rule</i>-the Kingdom restores relationships (between God and humanity and the rest of creation) to the way they are meant to be.
I haven’t taken the test yet (I’ll do it later today), so I wonder where this multi-faceted definition would fit!
Hey Little brother,
You know my buisness, I surf and build websites all day. So I just wanted to say, that every time I visit this site I am impressed.
Thats all.
T.
P.S. maybe put a link to this comment form closer to the top so its easier for blog rookies to find it.
Bob,
Thanks for the thorough reply. I think my own uneven scores reflect a similarly broad and inclusive understanding. Thanks for the link.
Peace,
Jamie
Hey Troy,
Thanks! Actually, I’ve been a tad lazy with formatting the longer posts so that the comment button isn’t so far down. Alas!
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie,
I too was in a quandary about some of the questions. I put my results on Scot’s blog, “Jesus Creed”. But that’s the kind of test that could vary for me, depending on my reflections, I suppose, and on how I interpret a question at the time. Sometimes (or at least one time, I recall), just one word in the question would make me respond in an entirely different way than I would have. Very subjective to how different people answer, I think.
Ted,
That is exactly how I felt, as though half the question led to one answer, but the the other to another. Grrrr… I guess I shouldn’t complain unless I want to create my own test! (wink)
Peace,
Jamie
Bob Robinson, Troy, that is awesome! (Have you been reading N.T. Wright?)
Dana
friend of your bro’s
I took that test a way s back and found it flawed. Well I come from a Laddian Kingdom framework so that wasn’t captured at all. Don’t remember what I scored anymore. That is the funny thing about the Vineyard, our primary theological contribution is applied Laddian Kingdom Theology so we get pretty picky about it. If you are not familiar with this framework it all has to do with the reign of God and the eschatological tension of the now and not yet of God’s Kingdom. It is in no way tied to a geography, but to a presence of the King.
Kenny,
Interesting. I’d say I have been fairly influenced by that perspective myself. Thanks for articulating it here.
Peace,
Jamie