Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Notes on Righteousness
Righteousness
Sedeq denotes not so much the abstract idea of justice or virtue, as right standing and consequent right behaviour within a community.
The church is to be not only an example of God’s intended new humanity, but the means by which the eventual plan, including the establishment of world-wide justice, is to be put into effect. Lack of emphasis here in older theological writing, due sometimes to individualism and sometimes to a dualistic split between church and world, has led to a reaction (e.g. in some liberation theology) in which Justice as an abstract virtue has been elevated in an unbiblical manner (e.g. at the expense of mercy). This should not prevent a balanced orthodox view of world-wide justice from regaining, and retaining, its place in the church’s teaching and practice.
NT Wright (New Dictionary of Theology)
Bruggemann
Righteousness a key theological motif in OT covers a broad range of meanings and pertains both to God’s character and to human conduct. Understanding righteousness makes sense within the great commandment that obligates us to love God and to love neighbour.
The righteous person is characteristically one who invests in the community, showing special attentiveness to the poor and the needy. Psalms 15, 24 37 112and Job 31sketch this out.
Righteousness is used regularly in Proverbs to mark people who live with integrity and gravitas, who by their presence and their actions lend stability to the community. The prophets use the term specifically concerning the care of the poor, but more generally refers to taking responsibility for the community Isa 5:7 amos 5:7, 24 6:12 Hos 10:12.
Antitheses of righteous are the wicked who are characterised as selfish, greedy and eventually destructive, because the do ho care for the poor (Jer 5:27-28). Ps 10 makes it clear that a rapacious attitude toward the neighbour is intimately connected to a disregard for the character and governance of YHWH
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Sedeq denotes not so much the abstract idea of justice or virtue, as right standing and consequent right behaviour within a community.
The church is to be not only an example of God’s intended new humanity, but the means by which the eventual plan, including the establishment of world-wide justice, is to be put into effect. Lack of emphasis here in older theological writing, due sometimes to individualism and sometimes to a dualistic split between church and world, has led to a reaction (e.g. in some liberation theology) in which Justice as an abstract virtue has been elevated in an unbiblical manner (e.g. at the expense of mercy). This should not prevent a balanced orthodox view of world-wide justice from regaining, and retaining, its place in the church’s teaching and practice.
NT Wright (New Dictionary of Theology)
Bruggemann
Righteousness a key theological motif in OT covers a broad range of meanings and pertains both to God’s character and to human conduct. Understanding righteousness makes sense within the great commandment that obligates us to love God and to love neighbour.
The righteous person is characteristically one who invests in the community, showing special attentiveness to the poor and the needy. Psalms 15, 24 37 112and Job 31sketch this out.
Righteousness is used regularly in Proverbs to mark people who live with integrity and gravitas, who by their presence and their actions lend stability to the community. The prophets use the term specifically concerning the care of the poor, but more generally refers to taking responsibility for the community Isa 5:7 amos 5:7, 24 6:12 Hos 10:12.
Antitheses of righteous are the wicked who are characterised as selfish, greedy and eventually destructive, because the do ho care for the poor (Jer 5:27-28). Ps 10 makes it clear that a rapacious attitude toward the neighbour is intimately connected to a disregard for the character and governance of YHWH
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