Impassibility: Does God suffer?

Bavaria, Hohenschwangau Castle (photo from trekearth.com)

The section from the link below offers interesting advice and relates to why I blog on related PhD material. In my case, on thekingpin68, the material is somewhat altered from what will be presented to Wales. A fear of Universities forbidding publication of material related to theses seems likely unwarranted and is not a good reason to avoid posting, for if one blogs on similar material, one can prove originality and the date published. Blogging on a topic before PhD publication can likely only help the process and I am already publicly sharing the concepts with the questionnaire.

http://rdrop.com/~paulmck/personal/PartTimePhDAdvice.html

Publish as You Go

You must be the first person to cover your topic, otherwise, your work does not qualify as a Ph.D. There are more people pursuing doctorates than there have been at any time in the past, and there is some truth to the old adage that great minds think alike. I have talked to a number of people who worked hard on their dissertation, only to find that someone else beat them to the punch, sometimes by a matter of months. And they were working on it full time!
If you are doing your doctorate part time, you will take longer to get it done. Therefore, you are more likely to be beaten to the punch. But if you publish your findings in an appropriate forum as you go, you have "laid your claim" to that portion of your work before completing work on your dissertation. Once you have published part of your work in a suitable forum, no one can take that part of your work away from you.

University technical reports are one useful tool, as are the relevant conferences and journals, either print or electronic. But check with your committee before going the electronic-publication route, as not all universities recognize electronic publication. In fact, I have heard rumors of universities forbidding publication prior to completion of the dissertation. So make sure that your committee fully supports "publish as you go".

Impassibility: Does God suffer?

Brian Davies explains that impassibility is the traditional understanding that God, the divine nature, cannot experience pain or suffering. Davies believes it is incorrect to assume that God’s impassibility should mean that the creator is indifferent or unconcerned about his creation. Davies (1999: 288). For Millard Erickson, the idea of God’s divine nature as impassible is based upon the influence of ancient Greek thought rather than Scripture. Erickson points out that with the incarnation of Christ, God the Son did experience human suffering. He possessed a human nature that did suffer in life and in death, even though his divine nature coexisted with his human one. Erickson (1994: 737). Kenneth Surin writes that God is considered by some within traditional Christian theology to be unable to experience pain or sorrow. However, others concede that concluding God is impassible is a questionable view within traditional thought. Surin (1982: 97). It seems reasonable God can be both all-powerful and feel negative emotions, but it should be concluded suffering does not alter his divine attributes. Since God is infinite and considered immutable, it is impossible for him to suffer in the exact way that human beings do. Thiessen describes the immutability of God as meaning his divine nature, attributes, consciousness, and will, cannot change. Thiessen (1956: 127). Erickson explains that God does not grow or develop, as there are no variations in his nature at different points within his existence. Erickson (1994: 274). R.C. Sproul and Robert Wolgemuth deduce that as God is eternal he has no beginning or no end. Sproul and Wolgemuth (2000: 2). As God is understood to be eternal and beyond time without a progression in nature, his infinite being would make a change in nature and character impossible.

In contrast, David A Pailin explains that within some process theology approaches, God’s existence may be viewed as absolute, necessary and unchanging. However, God’s character can change and is determined through interaction with his creation. Pailin postulates that God’s character can change, as he loves his creatures. Pailin (1999: 469). Process theology according to Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling is a twentieth-century view based on the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead that presents a God that is involved in the continual process of world through two natures. God has a transcendent nature which contains God’s perfect character and the consequent immanent nature by which God is part of the changing cosmic process. Grenz, Guretzki, and Nordling (1999: 95-96).

I see no need to adopt process theology, as God fully understands evil and suffering. In a divine way that cannot be completely humanly understood, God experiences evil and suffering as the infinite, omnipotent God in spiritual nature, and as the God-man, Jesus Christ. Christ suffered as a human being, and in particular died for the sins of persons, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). God does not have to progress or continue a process to understand anything, but made himself particularly relatable to humanity through a process in which Christ became a human being and completed the atoning and resurrection work. God therefore relates to suffering and provides a remedy for evil and suffering which Scripture promises will be culminated at the end of this age.

DAVIES, BRIAN (1999) ‘Impassibility’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, p. 288. Kent, SCM Press Ltd.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.

PAILIN, DAVID A. (1999) ‘Process Theology’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.

SPROUL, R.C., AND ROBERT WOLGEMUTH (2000) What’s In the Bible, Word Publishing, Nashville.

THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2008/02/stupid-questions.html