Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

6-2017

Department

Engineering

Keywords

shalom, Kingdom of God, Image of God, stewards, redemption, motivation, community

Abstract

Jesus instructs us to seek first the Kingdom of God. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is no small task. It is a process of striving to show God’s love in every situation by showing love to our neighbors and to the rest of the creation. It is serving in a way that enables them to flourish. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is striving for true progress in all its wholeness; it is seeking shalom [1]. Shalom is an Old Testament word which refers to the restfulness, contentment, beauty, and harmony of a life lived in perfect obedience to God’s will. Shalom is a condition in which everyone and everything is in right relationship all the time. When shalom is the order of the day, human and non-human creation are enabled to flourish by becoming everything God created them to be. Therefore, the call to seek shalom, which includes our work as engineers, is no less than a call to obedient living. With the goal of flourishing the whole of creation, we were made and have been remade to seek shalom as we lovingly meet technological needs around us. God is glorified through our care-filled engineering of the creation when it leads to blessing for all. Our engineering work seeks shalom when it is motivated by love for God and neighbor, is guided by Kingdom knowledge of community and place, and results in holistic flourishing. This paper is a first step toward exploring the practical implications of seeking shalom through our work as engineers. Seeking first the Kingdom of God requires knowledge of that Kingdom and our role in it. I strive to develop a comprehensive, biblically-based, and creationally-informed understanding of flourishing that can serve as a meaningful guide for living before the face of God (coram Deo). While the underlying principles are as broad as all of life, I generally illustrate them using engineering examples.

Comments

Presented at the Christians in Engineering Conference, held June 28-29, 2017 at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.

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