What is Shalom?

Shalom is a Hebrew term that is rich in history and meaning. In its simplest form, it means peace, prosperity, harmony, wholeness, completeness, tranquility and welfare. However, in the Old Testament it assumed an interconnectedness between people, nature, and God. In the book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, author Cornelius Plantinga described the Old Testament concept of shalom: The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. We call it peace but it means far more than mere peace of mind or a cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness and…