Theologian Greg Boyd Challenges Everything We Think We Know About the Kingdom of God,
Greg Boyd — is a theologian who doesn’t just dip his toes into the waters of thought but cannonballs right into the deep end. I first became aware of Greg and his words a few years back. I found them very challenging, yet convincing.
So, let’s wade through some of what I’ve found are his most thought-provoking quotes:
1. First up, Boyd challenges our cozy little kingdoms:
“Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare themselves to be ‘under God’ or not.”
Translation: If you’re trying to mix the kingdom of God with worldly empires, you’re blending oil and water — good luck with that smoothie.
2. He doesn’t stop there.
Boyd throws down the gauntlet on our sword-wielding tendencies:
“Participants in the kingdom of the world trust the power of the sword to control behavior; participants of the kingdom of God trust the power of self-sacrificial love to transform hearts.”
So, next time you’re tempted to strong-arm someone into agreement, maybe consider swapping that sword for a hug. Just a thought.
3. And for those who think laws can mend moral failings, Boyd has a reality check:
“Laws, enforced by the sword, control behavior but cannot change hearts.”
In other words, you can legislate until you’re blue in the face, but true change? That’s an inside job.
4. Boyd also calls out the church’s occasional identity crisis:
“The evangelical church in America has, to a large extent, been co-opted by an American, religious version of the kingdom of the world.”
It’s like showing up to a costume party dressed as yourself — missing the point entirely.
5. He reminds us that love isn’t just a noun; it’s a verb with some serious action:
“We are to manifest God’s unconditional love by ascribing unsurpassable worth to all people at all times in all conditions.”
6. Boyd isn’t shy about calling out the church’s historical hiccups:
“In the name of the one who taught us to love our enemies, the church often burned its enemies alive.”
Talk about a plot twist! It’s like hosting a peace rally and serving punch spiked with hot sauce.
7. He also has a bone to pick with the church’s power plays:
“The best way to defeat the kingdom of God is to empower the church to rule the kingdom of the world — for then it becomes the kingdom of the world!”
Imagine giving a monk a machine gun; suddenly, the vow of peace gets a tad murky.
8. Boyd doesn’t mince words about our role in the grand scheme:
“Our central job is not to solve the world’s problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life to others.”
So, before you don your superhero cape, maybe check if it’s actually a prayer shawl.
9. On the topic of love, he gets downright poetic:
“With reckless abandon, therefore, we are to manifest God’s unconditional love by ascribing unsurpassable worth to all people at all times in all conditions.”
Think of it as Oprah’s giveaway but with love — you get worth! And you get worth! Everybody gets worth!
10. Lastly, Boyd gives us a reality check on our finite nature:
“We pray as we live: in a sea of ambiguity. This is not because we are fallen but because we are finite.”
Greg Boyd doesn’t just think outside the box; he crushes it, recycles it, and builds a philosophical monument in its place.
What quotes, if any, causes you to think the most. Or, do you see Greg Boyd as a woke heretic?
