Some tend to see this biblical image as demonic forces working against the kingdom of heaven in the church and hindering the individual believer from following Jesus. Others see it as the systematic societal forces like racism, greed, and injustice that hinder God's dream for the world.
Sadly, the powers and principalities that hinder God's dream also happen to work within the very institutions that create the stability of our society. Stability and the status quo has the advantage of being predicable. Plans can be made. Stability is clearly a good thing, worth fighting for. But the current state of equilibrium happens to most benefit those that come from a position of power and privilege. Consequently, they are threatened by the agenda of those who indict it.
And so it is with Scripture, metaphors like the powers and principalities against which we war can have multiple meanings. More often then not, metaphors like these are narrowed down to one meaning that supports a group's world view. This is why individuals and groups can passionately believe in the value of scriptural revelation and yet disagree on priorities. The thing that could unite is the source of division. And, as far as I can see, the division comes from a failure of the imagination.
We naturally begin life with a limited point of view. But it is understood by most people that maturity means that our POV must expand to include a compassionate understanding of other points of view. Further, that this expanded POV is the source of unity without uniformity and the beginning of democratic solutions.
Maybe a part of the inspiration of Scripture is the naturally expansive nature of metaphor. The pictures are meant to excite our imaginations. And as we honor the gift of unique points of view we all grow in our capacity to see and understand and grow into the mind of Christ.
Sadly, the powers and principalities that hinder God's dream also happen to work within the very institutions that create the stability of our society. Stability and the status quo has the advantage of being predicable. Plans can be made. Stability is clearly a good thing, worth fighting for. But the current state of equilibrium happens to most benefit those that come from a position of power and privilege. Consequently, they are threatened by the agenda of those who indict it.
And so it is with Scripture, metaphors like the powers and principalities against which we war can have multiple meanings. More often then not, metaphors like these are narrowed down to one meaning that supports a group's world view. This is why individuals and groups can passionately believe in the value of scriptural revelation and yet disagree on priorities. The thing that could unite is the source of division. And, as far as I can see, the division comes from a failure of the imagination.
We naturally begin life with a limited point of view. But it is understood by most people that maturity means that our POV must expand to include a compassionate understanding of other points of view. Further, that this expanded POV is the source of unity without uniformity and the beginning of democratic solutions.
Maybe a part of the inspiration of Scripture is the naturally expansive nature of metaphor. The pictures are meant to excite our imaginations. And as we honor the gift of unique points of view we all grow in our capacity to see and understand and grow into the mind of Christ.