Q & R: alternative metaphors for Kingdom of God?

Hi Brian

How are you?

Was wondering – what metaphor would you use today to describe the kingdom of God?

In ’Secret message of Jesus’ you mentioned 6:

what metaphor have you found works best for people in their 20-30s?

Here’s the R:

I think we need a variety of metaphors, and when one wears out (words do that from overuse or misuse), we need to switch to another. Lately, I like “ecosystem of God” best, or movement of God, or movement of the Spirit, or movement of Revolutionary Love, or spiritual movement of justice, joy, and peace (this references Romans 14:7).

Where appropriate, I think the language of connectedness also takes us in the right direction.

One thing is more clear to me now than it was when I wrote Secret Message: the Christian religion and the kingdom of God (by whatever metaphor) are only related by occasional aspiration. The kingdom of God is not the wholly owned subsidiary of any religion. Like God, it is more than any religion can contain. That’s why, I suppose, it’s so hard to pin down in language!

Also – as for people in their 20’s and 30’s, most I know are so repelled by what the Christian religion stands for that no matter of language is going to reach them. People living a new way of life (new kind of Christianity, in this case) are going to have to demonstrate in life, action, and community what it is … before any words will work. But you’re right to be concerned about metaphors, because the “kingdom” metaphor is so linked with patriarchy that it is more problematic every year. There is much to be said about Jesus deconstructing patriarchy in his life and in his teaching of the kingdom of God, but that’s not easy to explain until people have another reason to be interested – i.e. people living it, making it real, visible, amazing, inspiring – in their lives and communities. Hope that helps!