Key Terms
Good: In Genesis, the Garden of Eden is not described as "perfect" (which is a concept developed by Plato, not biblical writers) but instead, speaks of God's creation as increasingly "good." Our discussion has led us to describe "good" as the growth in humanity's capacity to demonstrate/reflect God.
East: Throughout Genesis, the bible describes humanity moving away from God's desires and dreams. Often the metaphor of residing in or moving to "the east" is used to describe those who have moved away from God's goodness.
Empire: Theologians have used the metaphor of "empire" to describe what happens when sin, when humanity's movement east, becomes institutionalized and structured. Empire uses violence to keep the poor oppressed by the powerful.
Key Ideas
Blessings: Blessings or gifts from God always have a role to play in God's overall plan for humanity. We have come to the conclusion that all our blessings, like Abraham's in Genesis, are to be used to demonstrate God's goodness to the world around us. With blessing comes the responsibility to direct them in the right direction - toward those in need.