The Term Κοσμοσ In The Gospel Of John: Exploring Its Implication For The Adventist Church In Africa Engaging In Politics

David Odhiambo

Abstract

The Greek term κοσμος rendered “world” in the English Bible embraces a wide range of nuances that carry diverse responses affecting human experiences. More specifically, in the New Testament (NT), κοσμος conveys a wide semantic range that allows for various conceptions and interpretations that undergirds the relationship between the church and the world. These nuances include κοσμος as the physical world (Acts 17:24), κοσμος as the people of world (John 3:16), and κοσμος as the organized system (John 15:18). The Gospel of John offers the highest number of occurrences of the term κοσμος in the NT. The theology of κοσμος shapes the views on Christians’ engagement in politics. Gleaning from the biblical evidence, antecedents of Christian’s participation and engagement in politics by other Christian denominations. Should the Adventist Christians engage in politics? With this question in the background, this paper addresses the theological framework of κοσμος in the Gospel of John and its implications in the Adventist Church’s involvement in politics. In essence, this paper suggests that the conceptions of the term κοσμος in the gospel of John provide a solid framework for the political engagement of the Adventist Church in Africa and elsewhere.