“The first step toward grappling with the problem of evil and why God doesn’t immediately intervene to stop human suffering is to recalibrate what we believe about God’s sovereignty.” Wrong. The first step towards grappling with this question is to ask whether or not “God” as described, depicted, and declared in the Bible exists and is real. If you accept that “He” is not, the entire issue of the “problem of evil” goes away or becomes entirely a problem of “humanity.” As a former christian who once bought into the biblical God hook, line, and sinker, I can now see how the belief in the “God” of the Bible actually perpetuates the “problem of evil” in various problematic ways, some which you mention. The idea of Him having a Heaven for us also means that all the crap that happens here is less important, so who cares? There is a way to continue to engage with the mysterious elements of our existence without personifying some celestial deity whose attitudes and values seem to change with every cultural whim, but continuing to try and rationalize the existence of the Biblical God and “his sovereignty” is not it.
Maybe you misunderstood the article. The answer isn't to look for God to somehow intervene, the answer is for human beings, made in God's image, to actualize and live into the Divine presence in order to bring about justice. Waiting for God to intervene from on high is a fool's errand.
Yes, but my point (perhaps poorly expressed) was more about all the assumptions that are being made simply by continuing to relate everything to "God" (which by its nature and, presumedly, for your audience) has a distinctly christian/biblical connotation. When you say "God's image" what "God" and "image" are you talking about? The reference point still appears to be some kind of christian understanding of "God" and your other quotes imply a certain understanding of Jesus and his act on the cross. Also, this: "We follow a God who doesn’t cause human suffering, but feels and understands human suffering. We follow a God who became incarnate in you and me." This is a beautiful sentiment, but it still begs the question - what do you mean by "God"? What part of me is "God incarnate"? And then this: "We are the Body of Christ sent out in peace to love and serve the world. That is God’s plan. We are God’s plan." How do you know? If God is "experiencing time in the same way we are, and if "[t]his God doesn't know what is going to happen tomorrow anymore than we do..." how could He also "have a plan" that we are part of? One of the issues within christianity is that everything is so self-referential and it's easy to spin yourself in circles, always coming back to some version of the conclusion of "well, that's how God did it..." I was stuck in that circle for decades until I allowed myself to really, deeply start to question the existence of anything that could possibly be considered "God" as described in christianity or the Bible, or anywhere. I have come to my own comfortable place with uncertainty that doesn't require a belief in any sort of "God" but also doesn't establish me as an "atheist." I follow your articles intermittently, so admittedly, all of this may read differently within the context of your other writings. I just know that, as a christian-deconstructed, I am particularly sensitive to assumptions still being made and questions not fully being asked. That said, I appreciate what you're offering here, about not letting humans off the hook for the awful things we are doing to each other and the ways we cause so much suffering by our own in/action, and how we need to see an inherent beauty and value in all humans.
Karen, you're absolutely right in that there seem to be a lot of assumptions made about terms. The thing about understanding the Bible though is that it's NOT simple, or clear. I have actually spent a couple decades letting go of beliefs I was certain I was right about in my childhood, like you. I seem to be hanging on by a thread to the Divine Spirit of Love in all of us. I continue to hang out with people who are searching for ways to make the world a better place, whether they are connected to a religious institution or not. Love is Love. I will say that Tom Oord's book "God Can't" is the only way of thinking that's given me a smidgeon of peace. I can put to rest my feeling that I needed to remind God that there were people down here who needed help or bring to his attention stuff that needed doing. It IS up to US, and the spiritt of Love that unites us.
This is a great essay! I'll add it to the Center for Open and Relational Theology newsletter.
Tom
Wonderful! And thank you for the inspiration for the post! Gary Alan
“The first step toward grappling with the problem of evil and why God doesn’t immediately intervene to stop human suffering is to recalibrate what we believe about God’s sovereignty.” Wrong. The first step towards grappling with this question is to ask whether or not “God” as described, depicted, and declared in the Bible exists and is real. If you accept that “He” is not, the entire issue of the “problem of evil” goes away or becomes entirely a problem of “humanity.” As a former christian who once bought into the biblical God hook, line, and sinker, I can now see how the belief in the “God” of the Bible actually perpetuates the “problem of evil” in various problematic ways, some which you mention. The idea of Him having a Heaven for us also means that all the crap that happens here is less important, so who cares? There is a way to continue to engage with the mysterious elements of our existence without personifying some celestial deity whose attitudes and values seem to change with every cultural whim, but continuing to try and rationalize the existence of the Biblical God and “his sovereignty” is not it.
Maybe you misunderstood the article. The answer isn't to look for God to somehow intervene, the answer is for human beings, made in God's image, to actualize and live into the Divine presence in order to bring about justice. Waiting for God to intervene from on high is a fool's errand.
Yes, but my point (perhaps poorly expressed) was more about all the assumptions that are being made simply by continuing to relate everything to "God" (which by its nature and, presumedly, for your audience) has a distinctly christian/biblical connotation. When you say "God's image" what "God" and "image" are you talking about? The reference point still appears to be some kind of christian understanding of "God" and your other quotes imply a certain understanding of Jesus and his act on the cross. Also, this: "We follow a God who doesn’t cause human suffering, but feels and understands human suffering. We follow a God who became incarnate in you and me." This is a beautiful sentiment, but it still begs the question - what do you mean by "God"? What part of me is "God incarnate"? And then this: "We are the Body of Christ sent out in peace to love and serve the world. That is God’s plan. We are God’s plan." How do you know? If God is "experiencing time in the same way we are, and if "[t]his God doesn't know what is going to happen tomorrow anymore than we do..." how could He also "have a plan" that we are part of? One of the issues within christianity is that everything is so self-referential and it's easy to spin yourself in circles, always coming back to some version of the conclusion of "well, that's how God did it..." I was stuck in that circle for decades until I allowed myself to really, deeply start to question the existence of anything that could possibly be considered "God" as described in christianity or the Bible, or anywhere. I have come to my own comfortable place with uncertainty that doesn't require a belief in any sort of "God" but also doesn't establish me as an "atheist." I follow your articles intermittently, so admittedly, all of this may read differently within the context of your other writings. I just know that, as a christian-deconstructed, I am particularly sensitive to assumptions still being made and questions not fully being asked. That said, I appreciate what you're offering here, about not letting humans off the hook for the awful things we are doing to each other and the ways we cause so much suffering by our own in/action, and how we need to see an inherent beauty and value in all humans.
Karen, you're absolutely right in that there seem to be a lot of assumptions made about terms. The thing about understanding the Bible though is that it's NOT simple, or clear. I have actually spent a couple decades letting go of beliefs I was certain I was right about in my childhood, like you. I seem to be hanging on by a thread to the Divine Spirit of Love in all of us. I continue to hang out with people who are searching for ways to make the world a better place, whether they are connected to a religious institution or not. Love is Love. I will say that Tom Oord's book "God Can't" is the only way of thinking that's given me a smidgeon of peace. I can put to rest my feeling that I needed to remind God that there were people down here who needed help or bring to his attention stuff that needed doing. It IS up to US, and the spiritt of Love that unites us.