The church as golden calf in history and the meandering processes of the commonwealth of God

Abstract

The idea of the church as a golden calf in history is discussed in terms of three approaches to society: the church-centred (= secularisation) approach which operates on the basis of the dichotomy of divine/semidivine church and ordinary human/natural world, the ghetto approach premised on an array of Christian versus non-Christian institutions and organisations, and the diaspora approach which embraces the diasporical scattering of Spirit-directed God-life-and-world experiences of different institutions, organisations and communities in society. The salvific sense and meaning of the three approaches to society is discussed against the background of First, Second and Third Testament perspectives and the meandering processes of the Commonwealth (Kingdom) of God encapsulated and manifested in the grand acts of God’s creation, reconciliation, renewal and consummation.