Greetings from the Editor
Dear Friends,
Many of our religious traditions have become silent or subdued regarding the once-robust theme of divine justice. Some of us might recall the days of the Great Awakening, which gave us the passionate preacher Jonathan Edwards, whose sermon inspired the fear of the Lord in the assemblies of worship. Today, Edwards’s sermons receive attention not so much in theological schools but in classes in English literature or the philosophy of aesthetics. The preacher thundered down images of fire and brimstone upon the congregation. His sermons indeed are saturated with vivid scenes of the sublime and the grotesque, which are rightly valued by students of beauty. Nonetheless, it is a loss that today’s pursuit of understanding has all but forgotten the theology of divine justice that originally fueled Rev. Edwards’s preaching.
In this last issue of the year of 2020, our authors offer a plenty of examples of what may warrant God’s just intervention in our times. When the current century is about to enter its third decade the world should be ready to grow out of childhood into the stage ready for intimacy. Yet, in the days that should have given the world a new sense of wonder, the twenty-first century has shown that our generation is no stranger to pain and suffering. There is little wonder that we resonate with our preachers and teachers, who remind us that reports of hurt and malice continue to demand our attention and zeal of ministry.
While brokenness persists in the contemporary world, the communicators of the reign of God remind us that divine justice is not without the promise of hope and renewal. We are glad that we have managed to include in this issue a few articles that underscore that point. The complex mixture of hope and despair is a distinct part of the biblical tradition as well as of many religious traditions. Those of us whose ministry is rooted in the Bible would immediately point to the apocalyptic, which pronounces not only the terrifying collapse of the world but also God’s redemptive plan. I am confident that our issue contributes to the apocalyptic thinker’s craning prayers for hope.
Regarding hope, I must share that the ministry team at The Living Pulpit has sought to have this issue on divine justice illustrate the prophet Isaiah’s voice in the wilderness. The Gospel writers appropriated Isaiah’s oracles for their message that anticipated what is now known as Advent and Christmas. Our world, which includes people of many faiths, affirms the same aspiration of hope and peace.
As the issue goes to print, many parts of the world continue to be under lockdown due to the pandemic. I join my staff in offering prayers of shalom and health for the world—particularly for everyone whom our issue reaches in this frightful time. May God be with you!
With Advent prayers,
Jin H. Han, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
