by By Alex Shianda
Daisy had read Dr. D.K. Olukoya’s book, Prayer Rain, which promises “fail-proof” prayers for breakthroughs in diverse challenging life situations — ranging from prayers for spiritual growth, profitable sales, divine favour, marital breakthroughs, the salvation of loved ones, victory in court, success in exams, victory over nightmares, breaking curses — among others. Daisy told me she commanded, rebuked, decreed and declared prayers over her marriage but it failed. She was now disillusioned as to why this promise of fail-proof prayers didn’t work.
Daisy was a believer in Dominion Theology. This refers to a line of theological interpretation and thought that advocates for dominion over every area of life, reclaiming the rule of Christ on earth as inspired by Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
On one polar end of the dominion theology spectrum is “folk” dominion theology, practised by the Charismatics. Practitioners believe dominion is achieved through the metaphysical means of confessing the Word. Like Daisy, they see their tongues as weapons, speaking things into existence and cancelling things out of their life with their words.The theology is characterised by the repeated use of words like dominion, dynamos, bema, mamlaka, kairos, chronos, manifestation, the economy of God, spiritual dimension, encounter…
In the middle of the spectrum is “systematic” dominion theology — expressed here has some organised reflective theology on the practitioners’ beliefs. They believe God has given human beings dominion over the things he has made. These things have often been systemised into seven mountains/sectors: 1) Education, 2) Religion, 3) Family, 4) Business, 5) Government/Military, 6) Arts/Entertainment and 7) Media.
This theology, also called Kingdom Now Theology, states that although Satan has been in control of the world since the Fall of man, God is looking for people who will help him take back dominion over the nations. They also believe that dominion over every area of life has been restored by the first coming of Jesus Christ. Since we are in the Kingdom Now, the church is to call believers to reclaim the rule of Christ on planet earth because Christ will only return after the Kingdom has been established on earth through conversion and discipleship and conformity of nations to the Law of God.
A favourite verse for dominionists is Rev 5:10 which in some translations says that we have been made kings and priests. They thus contend that we are to rule, in the now, as kings in our various circles of influence.
Some believers in systematic dominion theology believe certain countries have special mandates from God. For example, some have said Kenya is in the heart of God’s prophetic revival even for the last days.
These theologians give material that is often used by folk dominion practitioners.The third category of dominion theology is academic in nature. This is a highly reflective and speculative expression of dominion theology. Practitioners propose aspects such as theonomy where governments and economies are run using biblical Mosaic laws. They give eschatological explanations to the seven mountains’ mandate to capture its postmillenial nature.
The whole à la carte of dominion theology is polarising.
First, believers have no ability to speak things into existence. Only God can create things ex nihilo. Believers like my friend Daisy are told to speak to their situations in prayer and take authority over them. This concerns me most because prayer is a conversation with God. When we stop addressing God in our prayers and start talking to things in the name of prayer we are engaging in idolatry. The Bible makes it plain that an idol is nothing (Jeremiah 2:11, 16:20). Talking to nothing about your desires and expecting results is idolatry.
Secondly, Gen 1:28 does not give believers dominion over other human beings.
Third, Rev 5:10 is better translated as believers being a kingdom of priests. Christ is the King and we will rule with him, but this kingship is for a future literal time, when he returns. Today we are ruling with him spiritually. The Church is not yet in the consummation of ages. The current age between Christ’s ascension and his return kingdom we reign spiritually. We are not on paradise on earth. Believers are yet to literally reign with Christ in their resurrected glorified bodies.
Fourth, the New Testament presupposes the current age as a time of tribulation and humiliation for the church, a time of living like sojourners who are looking toward a heavenly home. The world will reject Jesus and his people, not accept them. Earth is not getting better. We are not to try and make it more hospitable so we want to stay.
Fifth, we cannot equate a Christian government with the Kingdom of God. Even where governments and institutions have not been Christianised, Christ still rules.
How Jesus did it
While dominion theology offers hope in changing society to a better place, it fails in being biblically faithful to how Christ was engaged in social transformation. Luke records Jesus’ first sermon in his gospel account. In it, we see the twin nature of social transformation and how we can engage as believers. Jesus taught from this passage in Isaiah.
“The Lord’s Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers, and to say, ‘This is the year the Lord has chosen.’ ” After reading the text from Isaiah, Jesus sat and told the congregation, “What you have just heard me read has come true today.”
Luke 4:18-19,21 CEV
Good News to the poor
The poor refers to the materially and spiritually poor. Human beings are psychosomatic unions. They have felt needs and psychological needs. Christ came to give good news to the materially and spiritually poor. Poverty is the state of lacking money to live a life deemed comfortable in society. Material poverty dehumanizes. Poor people experience psychological stress to find their daily bread as they. Spiritual poverty is lacking the right relationship with God. It is being unable to please God thereby remaining in a state of lostness of the soul.Good news to the materially poor is being given the strength and opportunity to be meaningfully productive to make a living. Good news to the spiritually poor is being accepted by God. This good news is what Christ proclaimed and demonstrated was now available because of his ministry. We are to be engaged in efforts to empower and give opportunities to people with meaningful means of production not speaking to our situations.
Freedom for prisoners
This also has a twin nature. There are those literally in prison and those metaphorically bound. The gospel is able to transform both people’s groups.Those who had been imprisoned unjustly by the Roman government could find hope in Christ. Prisoners live in isolation as punishment. Human beings are created to live in a community. Inmates are denied this full free experience as a way of punishing them. Those metaphorically bound could be addicts of substances, bad or destructive habits and basically unfruitful living because of spiritual or some kind of oppression. Christ’s teaching, which amazed the listeners, was authoritative that he would deliver the prisoners from captivity. Opportunities to visit those bound and supporting recovery programs ought to be embraced by believers. Addicts are to be helped, not told to deny their reality as some folk dominion theology believers.
Sight to the blind
This again has a twin nature. There are the physically blind who Jesus touched and healed or simply spoke and were healed of various medical conditions and the spiritually blind who needed to be shown their need of a saviour.
People need to be helped with their health challenges. Whether it is getting affordable insurance to ensure quality health care or allowing rich people to share their medical cover with groups of needy people. Such progressive health policies ensure that physical health needs are met.
The spiritually blind need to hear the message of the gospel. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Without the proclamation of the gospel, many will remain in spiritual blindness.
Free everyone who suffers
Suffering can be because of a lack of physical resources or mental/spiritual challenges or both. Some people have brought suffering upon themselves. As the scriptures teach, this is not commendable. What is praiseworthy is suffering for the LORD for doing what is right. In this world, we will all suffer in one way or another. The freedom that Christ teaches here to those suffering is for his believers in the eschaton and for those doing right. In the eschaton, only the wicked and unrighteous will be justly punished for their evil deeds. Ideas in Jesus’ textual highlight of Isaiah are therefore two fold: physical and spiritual. Simply a person’s personal transformation leads to societal transformation.
This is a brief reflection on Jesus’ first sermon. If we were to consider his life and other teachings, we would not see him advocating for theonomy, or for the seven mountains of society to be taken over by believers as a way of ushering his kingdom. Neither does he teach what many folk dominion theologies practise. Jesus calls us to participate in his fulfilled work of sharing good news to the poor, freeing prisoners, giving sight to the blind and freeing everyone who suffering.
Alex Shianda is the author, Celebrating Christ
