The Threshold of Shalom
Around 10 years ago, I recognized the significance of the idea of shalom. Where I used to know a Hebrew synonym for “peace,” I now understand a core thread that ties together the Old and New Testament writings, is equally applicable throughout history, and addresses the common existential questions of life.
Shalom as a threshold concept
I began to wrestle with the idea of shalom while working through the concept of transformational development models, as described in Walking With the Poor (Myers, 2011). Myers describes the nature of poverty not as an economic deficit but as a relational deficit, including broken relationships with our Creator, our fellow created beings, creation, and how we relate to or understand ourselves [1]. The response to this deficit is restoring and healing these broken relationships and (re)establishing shalom between and within them.
Welchel [2] describes a summary of the biblical metanarrative that demonstrates shalom as a core biblical concept:
- Creation: God created everything, and his creation was shalom: whole, ordered, complete, not lacking, and absent of harm.
- Fall: Brokenness (a lack of shalom, sin) ensued as a result of the human desire to “become like God,” deciding right and wrong for ourselves.
- Redemption: Throughout the Old Testament, God’s desire and intent for his people was to move toward a restored state of shalom. In Jesus, we have shalom with God, with one another, and with creation (reconciliation).
- Restoration: Jesus’ return will bring about the full manifestation of shalom once again. In the meantime, we are invited to join him in his work of being people of shalom.
However, the word shalom carried an esoteric and unfamiliar character in my thinking because:
- It was from a language in which I was not fluent and for which no direct substitute existed in languages I did know, a form of what Meyer and Land would describe as “alien knowledge” [3].
- Myers’ description of shalom is more complex than my prior understanding of the word as simply a direct synonym for “peace.”
- It is transformative in nature. If Myers’ description were accurate, it would cause the reader to see the entirety of their relationships, work, and other activities differently.
Through carefully reading the subject matter, studying scripture and hermeneutics, and consulting with knowledgeable colleagues, I could work through what Meyer and Land describe as the “liminal” state [4]. Seeing the world with this new understanding had a significant transformative effect on how I think and, consequently, how I act. Since it applies to my relationships with God, myself, others, and creation, and while I am still working to apply it, there was little thinking that was left untouched by this transformative concept once I had broken through. For example, with an understanding of the concept of shalom, how do I behave differently in my relationships? In my work? In my rest? It becomes truly integrative and interdisciplinary.
Shalom as an integrative approach
Because of the existential nature of shalom, not only as a concept but as a human experience, it seems impossible to move beyond a liminal state without a transformation of thinking that is applicable across other domains. For the farmer, how does the concept of shalom change how he farms? For the scientist, how does it change how she views and seeks knowledge? How do students learn, and how do teachers teach? I find this interdisciplinary crossover fascinating, and it is the form of my research question: “How does the concept of shalom apply to the lives of those serving (living and working) together in a highly diverse international development ministry?” How do the concepts and practices of shalom and multicultural communities overlap and relate to one another?
As is common in language, interpretation, and translation, there is often no perfect substitute or synonym for words across languages. This was also the case with the term shalom and, consequently, a contributing factor to its nature as a threshold concept. Working through the source material and understanding the applications was critical because there was no regular reference to or application of it in everyday life. However, the process was slower because I was learning through someone else’s experience. This causes me to reflect: in a multicultural environment, how much of a factor are language, interpretation, translation, context, and culture in the learning and transformative thinking process of threshold concepts?
I look forward to continuing to explore this topic, which I consider highly relevant to followers of Jesus in an increasingly culturally diverse and complex world.
Bibliography
[1] Myers, Bryant L. _Walking with the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development_. Rev. and Updated ed. Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis Books, 2011.
[2] Welchel, Hugh. “Understanding Shalom & the Grand Metanarrative of Scripture,” August 16, 2021. https://tifwe.org/understanding-shalom-the-grand-metanarrative-of-scripture/.
[3] Meyer, Jan, and Ray Land. _Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge_. London: Routledge, 2006. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203966273, 11.
[4] Ibid., 16
About the Author
Joff Williams
I help communities and people discover their identity and purpose by discovering the identity and intent of their Creator. I am a follower of Jesus, husband, father, son, sibling, music nerd, recovering IT nerd, just an all-around nerd nerd, and mediocre but happy runner. My work involves leading and loving the communities of Mercy Ships, an international hospital ship mission deeply rooted in the love of Jesus.10 responses to “The Threshold of Shalom”
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Joff, this is a fantastic post. After reading it, I wondered: Does shalom happen when we fully embrace a threshold concept? Part of liminality is questioning who we are becoming. Is that a lack of shalom internally? Then, is embracing a threshold concept part of shalom when it moves us closer to God, community, and ourselves?
Thanks for the comment, Robert.
I’d say that makes sense to me. I’m still working on integrating what I have learned into my mental models, but I’d say that the liminal space and the “quest” to “break through to the other side” is either analogous to or synonymous with our quest for identity, with God, within ourselves, and with others. We’re coherence-seeking creatures, after all.
Joff, I’ve been thinking about the idea of shalom and liminality. As ministers of the gospel, we are people who lead others through liminality. I read the books this week focusing on how I am in liminality. Yet, as a pastor, it’s just as helpful to help others recognize their own liminal spaces as they process who God is calling them to be.
That sounds really healthy to me, Robert. You can’t lead someone anywhere you haven’t been, or you are not going yourself!
Nice, thoughtful post. I agree with you. Unlocking the broader meaning of Shalom changes the way I read and understand the scriptures.
My wife, Michaela, is a biblical scholar. My understanding of ancient Hebrew comes vicariously through her years of struggling through the liminal state. We just finished a three week sermon series on the Shema. Loving God with the English heart, soul, and strength is a shadow of the meaning behind lev, nephesh, and me’od. Followers of Judaism will dwell on the Shema twice a day, a practice that loses meaning unless Shalom is an integrative pursuit.
Transformative and integrative. Maybe that’s why Biblical Studies students are required to learn ancient languages and we are directed to something dryly titled ‘Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding.’
Thanks for the comment, Rich.
I have some (holy) envy of those who have been able to dive deep into language studies in a way that enhances their understanding of the world and how they live in it. That seems truly integrative!
Joff,
Thank you for the post on Shalom. It has been a topic of contemplation for me as well, even to the point of a tattoo on my wrist. You bring up a good question regarding our liminal assigned meaning of peace. Even the linguistic characters in the Hebrew word point to a much deeper meaning. I am challenged with the “threshold” concept in this case. Seems as though there is a continuum of understanding that happens, but because of the challenges you cited, can we “arrive” at the other side? Or will parts of our understanding always be stuck in liminality?
Thanks for your response, Darren.
I think that’s a very good and valid question for any topic, including those which are existential in nature, like shalom.
I’m currently reading the “Leadersmithing” book. In it, Poole refers to Fischer’s ‘dynamic skill theory’ that proposes that “the more you learn about something, the more complex your understanding of it becomes.” (pp.36-37). This seems realistic to me. I think the peak of my confidence in the extent of what I know came shortly after my undergraduate degree. The time since has been a steady journey of learning more and discovering the extent of my ignorance over and over!
I appreciate your reference to Brant Meyers book on Poverty. I added it to my reference list. I have been working out in my head the economic and social aspects of poverty. I am leaning towards it being a relational/social deficit, as Meyer wrote, and less of an economic problem. Contemplating possible roots of poverty and transformative practices for those with low socio-economic identity, I am in the middle of an expansive and unclear threshold. I look forward to the hope of change in my knowledge and ways.
I, also, resonated with your questions regarding how multicultural and linguistic factors play into transformative thinking. Having lived overseas and within different social groups in the USA cities, it is imperative to be curious and seek understanding of how others think and do their lives. There will, inevitably, be many liminalities encountering each other. I had written in a response to Darren’s story of his Druze friend about how the understanding of a collective culture for an individualistic thinker is nearly impossible to comprehend. This is even true for the deeply held beliefs of our faith, such as salvation. Are we saved as individuals or as our collective community? Having the privilege of interacting with many different cultural communities has transformed my thinking more than about anything else. Even the truth of the Word is interpreted and understood in the context of our cultural understanding, language, time and place. How my Arab friends understand the Bible is mind-blowing to how I had read it. As we come into relationship with others in our world and church, I hope that we can all push through the alien and incomprehensible boundaries and become one in Spirit and truth.
You gave me a lot to chew on- but it is pleasantly flavorful. Thank you!
Brilliant observations, Jess. I remember the day I noticed that when Jesus was asked to teach how to pray (what we often call ‘The Lord’s prayer’) he used communal language: “*Our* Father”, “Give *us* this day *our* daily bread”, “Forgive *us* *our* sins as *we* forgive”. Not a single mention of “me” or “I”. Definitely a threshold-crossing moment for me! I still recognize other moments in his teaching that are individualistic in their nature, and his personal sacrifice was very much *his*, but for *our* gain. The more I learn about his ways, the more amazed I am!