The kingdom of God; Await it, or Create it?

This blog is based on something James K. A. Smith, professor of philosophy of Calvin College, wrote in the Christian Century, October 10, 2018.

Based on 92 years of experience and reading, I conclude that the majority of the American church believes in some version of the following.  In an otherwise excellent article, Smith writes,"But the kingdom of God is something we await, not create."

The six Messianic Passages from Isaiah -- 9:7; 11:1-4; 16:5; 28:16-17; 42:1-4; 61:1-4 -- flatly contradict this interpretation.  The church, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is called to release the oppressed poor by doing Jubilee Justice here and now; this is a present and social message about the kingdom of God.

For fifteen years in my retirement, 1994-2010, I volunteered at the Perkins' Center in West Jackson, Mississippi.  Many groups came to the center to learn about justice, reconciliation, and Christian Community Development from John Perkins.  Over these fifteen years, I asked hundreds of people, ranging from Presbyterian to Pentecostal, from Methodist to Mennonite, to write down a one sentence definition of the kingdom of God.  Most definitions were future and spiritual in nature, often vague and imprecise.  Only about 1 percent even mention justice.  NONE manifested a clear understanding of Isaiah's six Messianic passages.

A Princeton Seminary grad was in one of my workshops.  I distributed a handout which included all the Messianic Passages.  He found this the most valuable part of my workshop because he had not been exposed to Isaiah's Messianic passages in seminary.  To me, this is theological malpractice.  In every seminary, in the freshman year, all students must be exposed to these Messianic passages from Isaiah.

But, before you read the Messianic passages, first read Isaiah 10:1-2; then you will understand why these Messianic passages are so crucially important.