According to Dr. John B. Cobb, Jr., the central message of Jesus was the theos basileia, which is the Greek term "God's Kingdom." Cobb argues that Jesus's proclamation of the kingdom of God was a call to "seize an alternative" to systems of power that lead to self-destruction. In this special lecture, he situates the message of Jesus in its ancient setting, and explores its relevance to our own situation.
John B. Cobb, Jr., Ph.D. is Professor of Theology Emeritus at the Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, California, and Co-Director of the Center for Process Studies there. His many books currently in print include: Reclaiming the Church (1997); with Herman Daly, For the Common Good; Becoming a Thinking Christian (1993); Sustainability (1992); Can Christ Become Good News Again? (1991); ed. with Christopher Ives, The Emptying God: a Buddhist-Jewish-Christian Conversation (1990); with Charles Birch, The Liberation of Life; and with David Griffin, Process Theology: An Introductory Exposition (1977). He is a retired minister in the United Methodist Church. His email address is cobbj@cgu.edu..