Toward a Culture of Freedom

Book excerpt: The Ten Commandments belong to the "classics" of Western culture. They are an authoritative part of the Hebrew and the Christian Scriptures. Since they come to us from an ancient past, it is both necessary and worthwhile to inquire what they may mean for us today. Thorwald Lorenzen contends it is important to hear God's invitation to an alternative lifestyle: "you shall not kill," "you shall not commit adultery," "you shall not covet." His thoughtful reflections on the commandments for today's tumultuous world begin with the God who "speaks" ten word to liberate God's people from oppression. Grounded in God's liberating "yes," the "ten words" are neither laws nor rules. They are elements for a culture of freedom in which people are invited to celebrate life.