What is shalom and how is it like dirt?

The Embedded Church Podcast

In this episode Eric and Sara Joy build a more robust understanding of shalom, reflecting on the meaning of the term beyond the standard definition of peace to include a proactive seeking of flourishing and right relationships with each other, with God, and with our whole community. They even note that shalom can and should be sought and reflected in the built environment of our communities.

Bringing in Josh Yates, the Executive Director of Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School, to expound upon this Eric and Sara Joy find out how his personal and professional quest to define and pursue "thriving" has connected deeply with a biblical understanding of shalom. Yates lays out several things we need to unlearn, relearn, and keep learning in order to embrace this biblical vision of shalom for our communities. In particular, he notes the need to broaden the interpretation of shalom and recognize and reverse the incomplete understanding of shalom that has historically been present in Christian community, contending that shalom brings a coherence and unity to things that we have tended to pit against one another.

Additionally, Yates discusses our current cultural moment and how shalom is worked out in the local context. Recognizing there are compounding crises, such as loneliness, trust in institutions, racism, affecting the deep fractures in our society, he remains hopeful for society more broadly if the Christian church can recognize the emerging opportunities for meaningful, biblical engagement within this cultural context. He outlines three key opportunities, which include: 1) the turn to well-being, 2) the turn to wholeness, and 3) the turn to local. Each of these opportunities are deeply related to shalom and the holistic understanding of how God designed us to develop local culture, seek thriving, and live in community and relationship with one another.

Access Show Notes with pictures and links related to this episode.

More information about this podcast and helpful church and urbanism resources can be found on The Embedded Church.

Related Resources

Sex, Economy, Freedom, & Community: Eight Essays by Wendell Berry

Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom by Walter Brueggemann

The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs

The New Localism by Bruce Katz and Jeremy Nowak

Christianity's Surprise by Kavin Rowe

For the Life of the World by Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun

Jeremiah 29:7 "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (ESV)

Find these Key Terms on The Embedded Church website:

- Built Environment

- Fragmentation

- Localism

- Missional Theology

- Place

- Shalom

- Social Determinants

Show Credits

Hosted and Produced by Eric O. Jacobsen and Sara Joy Proppe

Edited by Adam Higgins | Odd Dad Out Voice Productions

Theme Music by Jacob Shaffer

Artwork by Lance Kagey | Rotator Creative