Subtle Evils

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In my much blogged about problem of evil, theodicy work, which was also the focus of my MPhil thesis and PhD thesis, I have dealt with the ancient classic logical problem, and also the more recent gratuitous problem.

I have also dealt with the problem of suffering, more so online.

I have written on 'problems' in the plural in agreement with John S. Feinberg's book, 'The Many Faces Of Evil'.

Another problem of evil that I ponder on very seriously, so far more so alluded to in posts and comments is the concept of 'subtle evils'.

Subtle according to Oxford being 1 evasive, mysterious...hard to grasp (1390) which is the definition in general that I am using in regard to evils being less obvious in comparison to ones discussed with the logical and gratuitous problems.

Theologically and philosophically this can be explained:

As noted on this blog previously.

John Calvin makes the point in the Bondage and Liberation of the Will that purity is spoiled by a tiny blemish and implies that sin is included in every good work (in this present realm). Calvin (1543)(1996: 27).

From Romans Chapter 3

Due to the universal sinful nature of humanity described in Romans, Chapter 3, where it is mentioned that there are none righteous in verse 10, and none that seek God in verse 11. C.E.B. Cranfield states that this passage (vv. 10-18) indicates that without exception, all people are sinners. Cranfield (1992: 66). Cranfield further writes that the idea being put across is that human beings live as if they have no reckoning with God, and are practical, even if not actual atheists. Cranfield (1992: 67). Robert H. Mounce notes concerning this passage that although some may seek a religious experience, it is not the same as seeking the true God. Mounce (1995: 109). To Mounce, God seeks the Christian believer, and not the other way around. Mounce (1995: 109).

Romans 3:10-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And the path of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

From Calvin's point I reason that even the most obedient Christian has a taint of sin in thoughts and acts and actions and therefore certainly could commit subtle evils.

The regenerate and unregenerate alike could commit subtle evils based on Romans 3 and other Scripture and philosophical deductions and the observations of Cranfield and Mounce.

I had two recent discussions with local intellectual friends on these issues.

One friend, a moderate Mennonite-Baptist conservative, with environmental and missions issues, who has a wife and children and is a very dedicated Christian family man, is concerned that many Christian evangelicals may make an idol of the issues of abortion on demand and homosexuality and same-sex marriage which indeed from a contextual Biblical worldview would be sinful things to be involved in, I agree, and yet poverty and the environment are often ignored by conservatives.

Could that at times possibly lead to subtle evils?

Possibly.

Wrong thoughts could lead to sin and therefore subtle evil and evils.

He also mentioned the possibility that some evangelicals particularly in suburbs place too much emphasis on the family, to the extent of making it an idol and it prohibits one from serving God properly.

Possible at times, although he did state the Christian family was also vital.

Reasonable.

My other friend, interested in local missionary work, mentioned that he knew of some hyper-charismatic evangelicals that believed that if one has enough faith that they should never be sick.

When my friend wisely mentioned to one of the persons that all persons eventually die because of old age and a failing body, and that was indeed because of some type of illness, the one hyper-charismatic person denied this concept vehemently.

My friend stated that God can also use at times some type of suffering for good purposes.

I would suggest Romans 8: 28-30 as a text in this regard.

Romans 8:28-30

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

28 And we know that [a]God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

This concept of God using suffering for good purposes was denied by the hyper-charismatic evangelical, according to my friend.

This is my mind, is a subtle evil in that the person significantly fails to acknowledge the true nature of God and the true nature of fallen humanity and the nature of Biblical salvation and the Gospel, when the theologies could be more apparent with a more open-mind, prayer and study.

The person has an over reliance on faith as in fideism. This is a false philosophy, and not a healthy, Godly, Biblical spirituality.

I am not stating the person is outside of Christ, but I reason the person is in error.

I conclude

Subtle evils, and associated sins, although not as historically notable as many of the evils within the logical and gratuitous problem still need to be covered within the atoning work of Christ and by a future resurrection. All humanity, other than Jesus Christ, are guilty of subtle evils and cannot inherit God's Kingdom in present flesh and blood (1 Corinthians 15) as well as any greater evils committed.

Subtle evils can be as simple as not loving others as we should in Christ (John 13, John 15) and our neighbour (Matthew 22, Mark 12).

As simple as not treating another person as we should and I admit I am sometimes guilty.

Thankfully, there is the grace of the Gospel, John 1, John 3, Romans 5, Ephesians 2, Hebrews 9, Revelation 20-22 for those in Christ.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY, Ninth Edition 1995, Oxford.

CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

MOUNCE, R.H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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The first photo is from the Green Dragon where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films have been made.

Jonathan Edwards And Libertarian Free Will: August 2006

Older work above on the same subject, some of which ended up in the PhD.

Sovereignty and Providence

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)(1729)(2006) writes that God has the power to bestow upon anyone of his creatures good, evil, or indifference for the greater good.[1]  This sovereign control is accepted despite the obvious problem of evil occurring in God’s creation.[2]  Attempts to harmonize strong concepts of God’s divine control over his creation, with the apparent corrupt nature of what he has made in regard to the problem of evil, will be described within this thesis as sovereignty theodicy.[3]  In Law of Nature, Edwards  (1731-1733)(2006) explains that providence is the means by which God governs the world as the supreme judge of the universe.[4]  Reichenbach notes that providence is how God guides and cares for his creation.[5]  He further reasons that God on one hand possesses wisdom in order to direct his creation within his plans, and on the other hand has the power by which he attempts to implement his plans.[6]  Reichenbach deduces that God’s providential plans allow for significant human freedom and choices to occur.[7]

Free Will And Determinism

Edwards thinks there is a major difficulty within libertarian concepts concerning free will.[8]  If the human will determines the will and resulting choices, since every choice must have a cause, then a chain is established where a will and choice is determined by a preceding will and choice. Therefore, if the will determines its own free acts, then every free act of will and choice is determined by a preceding act of will and choice. If a preceding act of will also be of free choice, then that too was self-determined.[9]  What Edwards is stating is that in the act of causing a free choice (choice1), the cause of that choice was also made freely (choice2), and the cause of that choice was made freely (choice3) and so on. 

This theological concept of Edwards would tie into the philosophical concept of vicious regress[10] since with a regress it could not be determined what caused a human choice initially, because every free choice was caused by a previous free choice. Edwards instead reasoned that human choices were a result of human nature originally created by and within God’s will. God therefore wills all things, and is the primary cause of all actions.[11]  I reason human actions, and any angelic or demonic actions would be accepted  as a secondary cause[12] in order to avoid concepts of hard determinism, where only God or the first cause would be morally responsible for acts.[13] 

Blackburn counters that some form of metaphysical libertarianism[14] postulates that free choice is not causally determined, but is also not random.[15]  It is suggested that an agency situated outside of human nature,[16] in regard to making human choice, is possible but likely ‘fantasy.’[17]  It appears human choice should be traced back to human nature.[18] 

Edwards writes that God controls all things.[19]  The sovereignty approach can present the remedy for the problem of evil in a practical sense, not just primarily philosophically.[20]  The approach needs to focus on the idea that the triune God consummates his Kingdom and gives things meaning.  It seems rather meaningless for a Christian to readily accept a notion of God willing all things for a greater good within a theological system when the greater good is not vividly practically explained within the system, at least in general ultimate terms.[21]

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996)  Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy,  Oxford, Oxford University Press.

EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1729)(2006) Sovereignty of God, New Haven, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive/documents/page?document_id=10817&search_id=&source_type=edited&pagenumber=1

EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1731-1733)(2006) Law of Nature, New Haven, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University.

EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1754)(2006) Freedom of the Will, Flower Mound, Texas. Jonathanedwards.com.

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids,  Zondervan Publishing House.

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (2001) No One Like Him, John S. Feinberg (gen.ed.), Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books.

POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.

REICHENBACH, BRUCE (1986) Predestination and Free Will, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.

STACE, W.T. (1952)(1976) Religion and the Modern Mind, in John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger (eds.), Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, London, Collier Macmillan Publishers. 

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[1] Edwards (1729)(2006: 414).

[2] Edwards (1729)(2006: 414).

[3] Feinberg (1994: 124-143).

[4] Edwards (1731-1733)(2006: 553).

[5] Reichenbach (1986: 115).

[6] Reichenbach (1986: 115).

[7] Reichenbach (1986: 118).

[8] Which would correspond to modern concepts of libertarian free will and incompatibilism.

[9] Edwards (1754)(2006 2.1: 1-1-2). 

[10] Blackburn (1996: 324).

[11] Edwards (1754)(2006 2.1: 1-1-2). 

[12] Pojman (1996: 596).  Stace (1952)(1976: 29). 

[13] Pojman and Stace both state a secondary cause must freely commit acts in order to be significantly morally accountable.  Pojman (1996: 596).  Stace (1952)(1976: 29). 

[14] Blackburn (1996: 218).

[15] Blackburn (1996: 218).

[16] It appears Blackburn is discussing a human agency.

[17] Blackburn (1996: 218).

[18] Edwards (1754)(2006 2.1: 1-1-2).  Blackburn (1996: 218).  Within my Reformed world view I reason God created this nature and simultaneously influences and wills all human choice.

[19] Edwards (1729)(2006: 414).

[20] This is where empirical theology can be beneficial.

[21] I can admit this can be a weakness within sometimes overly philosophical Reformed approaches.

Jude (Non-Exhaustive)

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Book of Jude commenter David F. Payne explains that there is a traditional view, widely held, that Jude was the brother of James, both sons of Mary and Joseph, therefore half-brother of Jesus Christ. Payne (1986: 1590).

Many scholars, reason the text was written in the 60s or 70s AD.

Payne states 70s to 80s AD. Payne (1986: 1590). Payne reasons that the free use of non-canonical text (such as Enoch) points to a first-century date. Payne (1986: 1590).

The text was designed to counter particular heretical theologies and philosophical views that arose in the Church. Payne (1986: 1590). Antinomianism was one manifestation and was connected to Gnostic thought. Matter was viewed as evil and in contrast, all spiritual was considered good. Payne (1986: 1590). Payne states that this led to cultivated spiritual lives and misdeeds of the physical nature. Payne (1986: 1590).

Gnosticism describes an early religious movement that placed special emphasis upon knowledge (Greek: gnosis) of God and the nature and eventual destiny of humanity. Knowledge was needed to liberate the soul from cosmic forces. Wilson (1999: 226).

Jude (New American Standard Bible)

4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand [d]marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Payne notes these are pseudo-Christians that deny the Lord Jesus Christ. I agree, and have always held the view since reviewing the text, but it was strengthened by reading the text over and through several audio listens.

This is in contrast to other texts in the New Testament discussed on my blogs which from a Biblical and Reformed perspective may not so much be discussing lack of belief, but lack of repentance and works in salvation, such as 1 Corinthians 3, Hebrews 6, James 2, and 2 Peter 3.

Jude is more similar in context to 2 Peter 2, and Payne makes this connection as well in a discussion of false prophets/pseudo believers. Payne (1986: 1590).

Jude (Continued)

5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that [e]the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h]example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile [i]angelic majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are [j]destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay [k]they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the men who are [l]hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, [m]doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own [n]shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the [o]black darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with [p]many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; [q]they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Groups outlined had previously had favour with God and no longer did because of presuming what was not theirs, lack of faith, immorality. These include those the Lord brought out of Egypt that did not believe and were destroyed. The angels that did not believe, these apparently are fallen angels. and then Jude mentions Sodom and Gomorrah as does 2 Peter.

Everlasting hell the end existence for such as verse seven alludes.

Verse six is quite interesting. Payne explains that the Greek word 'positions' can be translated 'dominion' and so domain would convey the idea of position and status. Payne (1986: 1590).

Bauer writes that the angels, fallen angels in context abandoned their own dwelling/habitation (oikhthrion ). Bauer (1979: 557).

Now they are kept under eternal (everlasting) bonds (desmoiV). Bauer states in the context of Jude 6 it relates to bonds or fetters. Bauer (1979: 176). I agree with Erickson's theological critique that although fallen angels are cast into 'gloom' (zofon) Erickson (1994: 447), that they still have freedom to do evil works. In other words, he mentions the theory that there are two classes of demons, some chained up and some not, but it seems more likely that all demonic beings have been cast out of heaven and have access to the earthly realm and a realm of darkness.

It is the same realm as 'Hades' in Luke 16 where unbelieving human beings reside? That is a subject for speculation, but all outside of Christ, human and angelic, ultimately reside in the metaphorically, symbolically described lake of fire in Revelation 20.

Byzantine Majority Verse 6
aggelouV te touV mh thrhsantaV thn eautwn archn alla apolipontaV to idion oikhthrion eiV krisin megalhV hmeraV desmoiV aidioiV upo zofon tethrhken

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

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

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

MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

PAYNE. DAVID F.(1986) Jude, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.

WILSON, R. MCL (1999) ‘Gnosticism’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press Ltd.

Clarence Darrow (1928)(1973) (In Brief/PhD Edit)

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I spent part of Sunday after church out west in Vancouver advising Mr. Matt on his blogs. I learn more myself and there is always much to learn. Here are his two blogs that he has listed with me presently. Please have a look.

Matthew Smed

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Some of my advice to Mr. Matt was to start off with a humourous blog with good quality images and add in some intellectual, theological, spiritual value.

Once he has one thousand or more pageviews a month he could consider writing a serious religious, theological, spiritual blog also with good quality images.

Of course I did the opposite, but now I also am familiar with the pageview numbers…

Thank you

Once again a post on this blog from my PhD for balance from a different perspective.

I must admit Clarence Darrow also puts a smile on my face…

On the resurrection

Clarence Darrow (1928)(1973) writes that resurrection of the body is purely a religious doctrine.[1]  He reasons that few intelligent persons when faced with evidence would hold to a doctrine of resurrection.[2]  He deduces that those within the New Testament era had little scientific knowledge, and therefore resurrection doctrine is a product of those with blind faith, wild dreams, hopeless hopes, and cowardly fears.[3]   Darrow’s assumption[4] would more likely be correct if the Hebrew Bible and New Testament were written by persons that were clearly writing mythological literature with the primary use of metaphorical language.[5]  However, as noted there are those within both conservative and liberal Christian traditions that would reason the historical writers of Scripture wrote what they saw and experienced, and therefore  many of these modern scholars accept a doctrine of physical resurrection.[6]

On the afterlife

Those such as Clarence Darrow, who wrote ‘The Myth of the Soul’ in The Forum,[7] would disagree claiming belief in the afterlife was a product of blind religious faith, ignoring facts.[8]  Phillips and Roth raised similar objections against Hick’s view, claiming there was no good reason to think that the human condition would become better after death.[9]  For those that deny the existence of the human soul, soul-making would seem untenable and ‘wild dreams’ and ‘hopeless hopes’ as Darrow states.[10]  However, for those within mainline, liberal Christian traditions and other religious systems that believe in a spirit or soul that exists after death, an improved quality of life for all persons after this earthly life,[11] can be a thing to be considered and welcomed. 

Clarence Darrow (1932)(1973) writes that the best one can do is hold on ‘to the same speck of dirt’ as we proceed ‘side by side to our common doom.’[12]  Phillips doubts that there is a God that works things out in the end times in order that there is a reality on earth that consists of happiness[13] and perfection.[14]  Phillips reasons his criticisms will fall on ‘deaf ears.’[15] 

Clarence Darrow doubts there are proofs available for life after death,[16] and states there is strong evidence against the idea of personal consciousness after death.[17]  For Darrow the immaterial soul does not exist and cannot be reasonably conceived.[18]  It is true that a culminated Kingdom of God is not presently empirical,[19] but has been presented as Biblical teaching and theology in academic circles for two millennia.[20]   As noted earlier in this work, Darrow writes the best one can do is basically cling to life on earth as we head toward ‘a common doom.’[21] 

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

ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?  Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

DARROW, CLARENCE (1928)(1973) ‘The Myth of the Soul’, in The Forum, October, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.

DARROW, CLARENCE (1932)(1973) ‘The Delusion of Design and Purpose’, in The Story of My Life,  October, in Paul Edwards and Arthur Pap (eds.), A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.

GEBARA, IVONE (2002) Out of the Depths, Translated by Ann Patrick Ware, Minneapolis, Fortress Press. VERMEER, PAUL (1999) Learning Theodicy, Leiden, Brill.

HICK, JOHN (1970) Evil and The God of Love, London, The Fontana Library.

HICK, JOHN (1978) ‘Present and Future Life’, Harvard Theological Review, Volume 71, Number 1-2, January-April, Harvard University.

HICK, JOHN (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.),  Atlanta, John Knox Press.

HICK, JOHN (1993)  ‘Afterword’ in GEIVETT, R. DOUGLAS (1993) Evil and the Evidence for God, Philadelphia, Temple University Press.

HICK, JOHN (1993) The Metaphor of God Incarnate, Louisville, Kentucky, John Know Press.

HICK, JOHN (1994) Death and Eternal Life, Louisville, Kentucky, John Knox Press.

HICK, JOHN (1999) ‘Life after Death’, in Alan Richardson and John Bowden (eds.), A New Dictionary of Christian Theology, Kent, SCM Press.

MOLTMANN, JÜRGEN (1993) The Crucified God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press.

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.),  Atlanta, John Knox Press.

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005)  The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.

ROTH, JOHN K. ‘Introduction’ (1892-1907)(1969) in The Moral Philosophy of William James, John K. Roth (ed.), Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York. 

ROTH, JOHN K. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press. 

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[1] Darrow (1928)(1973: 266).

[2] Darrow (1928)(1973: 266).

[3] Darrow (1928)(1973: 266-267).

[4] Darrow (1928)(1973: 266-267).

[5] This as opposed to writing historical based religious history with the use of plain literal and figurative literal language.

[6] Moltmann (1993: 160-199).  Erickson (1994: 1194-1204).  Excepting that there are those that reinterpret such as Gebara with her feminist views.  Gebara (2002: 122-124).

[7] Darrow (1928)(1973: 266-267).

[8] Darrow (1928)(1973: 267).

[9] Phillips in Davis (2001: 58).  Roth in Davis (2001: 62).

[10] Darrow (1928)(1973: 267).

[11] Hick (1978: 13). 

[12] Darrow (1932)(1973: 453).

[13] Phillips (2005: 265).

[14] Phillips (2005: 266).

[15] Phillips (2005: 273).

[16] Darrow (1928)(1973: 261).

[17] Darrow (1928)(1973: 261).

[18] Darrow (1928)(1973: 261).

[19] It is predicted to occur within Scripture, but has not as of yet.  Moltmann (1993: 171-172).  A non-traditional and metaphorical understanding of this concept may view a literal Kingdom of God as a reality where all souls eventually evolve to a place of belief and trust in God.  Hick in Davis (2001: 51). 

[20] Moltmann (1993: 166-196).

[21] Darrow (1932)(1973: 453).