The idea of negation within God reminds me of the account of Augustine and Fortunatus going head to head. Augustinian theodicy walks the tightrope between God’s sovereignty, man’s free will, and the problem of evil pretty elegantly, but Fortunatus argued that God was complicit with bringing evil into the world by bestowing free will upo…
The idea of negation within God reminds me of the account of Augustine and Fortunatus going head to head. Augustinian theodicy walks the tightrope between God’s sovereignty, man’s free will, and the problem of evil pretty elegantly, but Fortunatus argued that God was complicit with bringing evil into the world by bestowing free will upon mankind. Augustine’s arguments have certainly won the theological popularity contest through the ages, and have been refined by John Calvin, and defended notably by Alvin Plantinga.
Regarding the Christian views on the unfolding of history, there are obviously many, and many opinions on what the role of a Christ follower is in the present age. In general, I think there’s consensus that God’s plan for His creation is restorative. It’s to do away with all evil, and to reflect His omnibenevolence. The end result isn’t a manichaeistic balance between good and evil, but the ultimate and final triumph of good over evil. The hope of the Christian isn’t to find harmony with the universe as it is, but of a radical restoration of the universe to its ideal state. Jesus’ proclamation of the arrival of the kingdom of God is the announcement that the gears are in motion to bring this about.
Thanks again! I hope that Christian theology can be part of the near-term restoration that appears to be necessary for our civilization to avoid some number of catastrophic outcomes.
Thank you, my friend. Always a pleasure to bump into you in these parts.
I have serious doubts that Christian theology for all its charms (and there are many) is the answer to society’s problems in the near term. At least not all by itself. The shooter in Uvalde was in a community filled with pious people, and yet did anyone reach out? Did anyone just put their arm around this kid? I don’t know for sure, but I suspect not, and that makes me angry. And it makes me ashamed that I probably would have done the same thing were that guy in my orbit. If Christianity is to make a serious dent in society’s ills, it won’t be primarily from masses of people acting on newfound theological information or spiritual enlightenment. It would be from the people who already profess Christ to be people of His character, following Him with more sincerity and earnestness.
The idea of negation within God reminds me of the account of Augustine and Fortunatus going head to head. Augustinian theodicy walks the tightrope between God’s sovereignty, man’s free will, and the problem of evil pretty elegantly, but Fortunatus argued that God was complicit with bringing evil into the world by bestowing free will upon mankind. Augustine’s arguments have certainly won the theological popularity contest through the ages, and have been refined by John Calvin, and defended notably by Alvin Plantinga.
Regarding the Christian views on the unfolding of history, there are obviously many, and many opinions on what the role of a Christ follower is in the present age. In general, I think there’s consensus that God’s plan for His creation is restorative. It’s to do away with all evil, and to reflect His omnibenevolence. The end result isn’t a manichaeistic balance between good and evil, but the ultimate and final triumph of good over evil. The hope of the Christian isn’t to find harmony with the universe as it is, but of a radical restoration of the universe to its ideal state. Jesus’ proclamation of the arrival of the kingdom of God is the announcement that the gears are in motion to bring this about.
Thanks again! I hope that Christian theology can be part of the near-term restoration that appears to be necessary for our civilization to avoid some number of catastrophic outcomes.
Thank you, my friend. Always a pleasure to bump into you in these parts.
I have serious doubts that Christian theology for all its charms (and there are many) is the answer to society’s problems in the near term. At least not all by itself. The shooter in Uvalde was in a community filled with pious people, and yet did anyone reach out? Did anyone just put their arm around this kid? I don’t know for sure, but I suspect not, and that makes me angry. And it makes me ashamed that I probably would have done the same thing were that guy in my orbit. If Christianity is to make a serious dent in society’s ills, it won’t be primarily from masses of people acting on newfound theological information or spiritual enlightenment. It would be from the people who already profess Christ to be people of His character, following Him with more sincerity and earnestness.