According to the 2020 Global Peace Index, Canada is currently the sixth-most peaceful nation in the world as it enjoys both positive peace, “the attitudes, institutions, and structures that create and sustain peaceful societies,” and negative peace, “the absence of violence or fear of violence.” In other words, Canada has peace because it has cultural building blocks in place that discourage and prevent significant conflict. And that’s wonderful! However, when Scripture talks about peace—or shalom—it often means something more substantial than a mere absence of violence. Rather, the word carries with it ideas of universal flourishing, sin-free wholeness, and uninterrupted delight. By God’s grace, our country may be one of the most peaceful on earth but few would claim Canada enjoys biblical peace. And the fundamental reason why is that our nation, like every nation, is full of individuals who don’t experience the wholeness and delight of God’s shalom.
Text: Selected Scriptures
Series: Advent 2021
Speaker: Josiah Boyd
