Washed in Time: An Invitation to Participation in the Divine Work through the Rhythms of Sabbath
Loading...
Authors
Thompson, Deidra
Date of Issue
2026-05-01
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION::Religion/Theology::Church studies , Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION::Religion/Theology::Systematic theology
Other Titles
Abstract
On any given day, one glance at the news headlines reveals that the world we live in is no utopia. We find ourselves embroiled in political and cultural polarization, crises of environmental and social injustice, wars, and facing many other incredibly complex problems. Followers of Christ are meant to be a people oriented toward an eschatological hope that enables them to live according to God’s vision, bringing the Biblical concept of shalom into their historical moment in the midst of all these complexities. However, Christians today struggle to live out this hope. We find ourselves complicit in the chaos in a way that distorts our own understanding of God’s vision and loses sight of the invitation to participate in the abundant peace God offers us and the world. At its core, the Biblical concept of Sabbath rest offers a pattern of formation that can help reorient Christians to the reality of God’s vision and empower us to become agents of shalom. While the language of “Sabbath rest” can evoke images of stillness and calm, Sabbath is intended to be, in fact, active, not only for a moment, but throughout the movement of time. Looking at the history and development of the Sabbath in the Hebrew scriptures and the gospel of John, we will seek to connect what could become abstract ideas, namely Sabbath rest and the concept of time, with the visible actions of Jesus Christ and offer a vision for dynamic participation by the faithful in our cultural moment.