The concept of shalom resonates with...

The concept of shalom resonates with vision of an ideal society in other cultures as well, notably in Asia and Africa. In Asia, sangsaeng is an ancient concept “of sharing community and economy together.” In Africa, the concepts of ubuntu and ujamaa describe respectively the wholeness of life and life in community. Ubuntu involves the sharing of life as a gift from God: “The individual’s identity is inseparable from identity within the wider community, which includes past, present, and future generations, as well as flora and fauna, the physical environment and the spiritual realm.” Ujamaa extends this idea by emphasizing the values of family and relatedness. In each of these concepts the focus is on “life-giving civilization which affirms relationships, co-existence, harmony with creation, and solidarity with those who struggle for justice.”