Johannes van Der Ven: Resurrection & Theodicy Theme (PhD Edit)

Fraser River, British Columbia-trekearth

Theology and Suffering

Professor van der Ven explains that his theodicy is an enlightened attempt in philosophy and theology to explain and justify the existence of God in an evil world.[1]  An aspect of his work in theodicy is an effort to understand why the problem of evil and suffering are a human problem.[2]  Professor van der Ven explains that his theodicy project was motivated by a desire to make sense of certain pastoral praxis concerning Christian ministers struggling with how to assist people who are suffering.[3]  It seems that many pastors have a deep sense of frustration and desperation in trying to provide hope to people,[4] even though Christianity theoretically and theologically, is a faith and philosophy that provides ultimate salvation from suffering.[5]  To assist in understanding suffering practically, van der Ven establishes certain religious symbols and reviews their interpretations.[6] 

According to Eric Vossen (1993), Jürgen Moltmann, has had major influence in the development of theodicy concepts and symbols.[7]  Moltmann appears to be commenting on this issue when he asks if the fatal problems of modern humanity will be apprehended and solved with critical interaction with the gospel,[8] or will other sources, that are less problematic, be sought.[9]  It seems that Christian ministers and leaders must provide theoretically sound explanations for evil and suffering, and provide practical ways for the God of the Bible to be of comfort.[10]  As sufferers seek the power of the gospel, these persons must have something tangible to rely on for support.[11]  If Christianity and the gospel is seen as theoretically and practically corrupt and useless,[12] then the Church may be rejected as an option for providing the explanation for evil and suffering.[13]

For example, within the Christian community,[14] if someone has lost a loved one, theological explanations of why sin and death exist in the universe can be useful in helping the sufferer make sense of the death.[15]  God’s justice can be understood somewhat,[16] but for the sufferer to realize theologically that death is a result of human sin and a corrupt world system,[17] it is not really all that comforting, although the concept is Biblically and theologically correct.  The helpful traditional practical explanation that the resurrection awaits those who trust in Christ, is both theoretically and practically sound, and may be of comfort to a believer.[18]  

Yes, God is a creator who demands justice,[19] but through the atoning work and resurrection of Christ, his love and grace is also shown to followers.[20]  The resurrection of Christ, from a traditional perspective, is also not purely a theological concept, as the Kingdom of God is progressing towards its culmination.[21]  It can be pointed out practically that the resurrection of Christ as King has to take place for a culminated Kingdom of God to ultimately occur.[22]  An actual Kingdom would require the resurrection of a historical Christ.[23]  The historicity of Christ in detail is obviously out of the scope of this thesis, but my point is that it is vital to ground Christian practical theology in the historicity of Christ.[24]  If Christ was not a real person, and his supernatural resurrection untrue, then the Biblical doctrines concerning his resurrection cannot be trusted.[25]  Christ’s resurrection validates his ministry, according to Erickson.[26]  There would be no hope, from a traditional Christian perspective, for everlasting life and salvation for those who have died without the resurrection.[27]  Death would thus end all hopes of ultimate reunion between those who remain and those who have died.[28]

           

Benefits of an Empirical Study of Theodicy

Professor van der Ven suggests that an empirical study would be useful in finding connections between a rational belief in God,[29] and faith in that same God,[30] in regard to theodicy.[31]  It is important for van der Ven to understand what people experience, and how they deal with the meaningfulness or meaninglessness of these experiences in a religious sense.[32]  It would seem valuable, through empirical research, to gain an understanding of how people within the Church deal with the problem of evil.[33]  This research may provide ministers and leaders with insights on how to better serve their attendees and members.[34]  It would be important to find out if people within the Church primarily deal with suffering in faith, believing that God is just and good, or is there also reason at work?[35]  It would seem to be important for persons within the Church to have at least a basic rational understanding of theological reasons for the problem of evil.[36]  Simultaneously, there should be a faith in place that can trust in a God that has intervened in history through his prophets, apostles and, of course, the atoning and resurrection work of Christ.[37]

Related to this issue, according to van der Ven, is the tension between divine omnipotence and divine love.[38]  Christ is seen as both a representative of the divine judge,[39] and the expiatory sacrifice and sufferer for humanity.[40]  Expiation is the idea that Christ’s atoning death covers sin in believers and cleanses followers from corruption, according to Erickson.[41]    Professor van der Ven is wise to suggest that an empirical analysis of how the ideas of God’s justice and love work together would be useful.[42]  Understanding these concepts may be a struggle to many within the Church that are suffering, and ministers and leaders need to be aware of these difficulties in order to be of greater assistance.[43] 

Theodicy Theme

In developing the theodicy theme, van der Ven states that there are three criteria needed.[44]  These are scientific relevance,[45] practical relevance,[46] and researchability.[47]  Scientifically, the project uses both descriptive and hypothesis testing forms,[48] and therefore theological attitudes and practices are described and insights are sought for why certain beliefs exist.[49]  Professor van der Ven calls this approach explorative-explanatory research as he attempts to understand typical attitudes and how they influence pastoral work.[50]

In regard to practical relevance, van der Ven attempts to examine experiences in order to make observations concerning central theological tenets, and the concepts of pastoral care that result.[51]  The scientific study should produce observations that may show certain theological assumptions lead to a certain way of performing pastoral care.[52]  It may be that some inadequate theology leads to less than adequate care,[53] or possibly that the theology is adequate,[54] but it is not being correctly reflected in pastoral work for those within and outside of the Church.[55]  It is also possible that certain societal views cause difficulties in the acceptance of controversial traditional Christian doctrines.[56]  Researchability attempts to find information concerning the intensity of certain human sufferings,[57] and to find out how sufferers view their situation.[58]  These three criteria are put together, the theodicy theme and a question is formulated as to what kind of attitudes exist concerning religious suffering,[59] what factors can determine these viewpoints,[60] and what kind of practical, pastoral understanding can be gathered from this research.[61]  Professor van der Ven is attempting to take certain philosophical and theological concepts, which he calls ‘explicit theodicy’,[62] and examine how these concepts are dealt with by sufferers, which he then calls ‘implicit theodicy.’[63]

ANDERSON, RAY S. (2001) The Shape of Practical Theology, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.

BALLARD, PAUL AND JOHN PRITCHARD (2001) Practical Theology in Action, London, SPCK.

BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1987) Freedom for Obedience, San Francisco, Harper and Rowe Publishers.

BLOESCH, DONALD G. (1996) ‘Sin, The Biblical Understanding of Sin’, in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

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

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

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

PATTON, JOHN (2000)(2007) ‘Modern Pastoral Theology in the United States’, in James Woodward and Stephen Pattison (eds.), The Blackwell Reader in Pastoral and Practical Theology, Oxford, Blackwell Publishing.

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.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (1993) Practical Theology, Translated by Barbara Schultz, AC Kampen, Netherlands, Kok Pharos Publishing House.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (1998) God Reinvented?, Leiden, Brill.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2005) ‘Theodicy Items and Scheme’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2006a) ‘Dates of Nijmegen authors’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES (2006b) ‘Symbols versus Models’, in a personal email from Johannes van der Ven, Nijmegen, Radboud University, Nijmegen.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES, PAUL VERMEER, AND ERIC VOSSEN (1996) ‘Learning Theodicy’, in Journal of Empirical Theology, Volume 9, pp. 67-85. Kampen, The Netherlands, Journal of Empirical Theology.

VAN DER VEN, JOHANNES AND ERIC VOSSEN (1996) Suffering: Why for God’s Sake? Grand Rapids, Eerdmans.

VOSSEN, H.J.M. ERIC (1993) ‘Images of God and Coping with Suffering’, Translated by S. Ralston, in Journal of Empirical Theology, Volume 6, pp. 19-38. Kampen, The Netherlands, Journal of Empirical Theology.

WINQUIST, CHARLES E. (1987) ‘Re-visioning Ministry: Postmodern Reflections’, in Lewis S Mudge and James N. Poling, Formation and Reflection: The Promise of Practical Theology, by Lewis S Mudge and James N. Poling, Philadelphia, Fortress Press. 

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[1] van der Ven (1998: 207).

[2] van der Ven (1993: 157).

[3] van der Ven (1993: 157).

[4] van der Ven (1993: 157).

[5] van der Ven (1993: 157).

[6] van der Ven (1993: 159).

[7] Vossen (1993: 21).

[8] Moltmann (1993: 9).

[9] Moltmann (1993: 9).

[10] Ballard and Pritchard (2001: 5).  Pattison in Woodward and Pattison (2000)(2007: 137).

[11] Browning (1985)(2005: 2).

[12] Moltmann (1993: 9).

[13] Moltmann (1993: 9).

[14] Or perhaps outside of the Church as well.

[15] As with the four theoretical viewpoints presented in this thesis.

[16] Brown (1984: 34).  Adams (1996: 794).  Mounce (1990: 365-366). 

[17] Bloesch (1987: 16). 

[18] Anderson (2001: 54).  Moltmann (1993: 171-172).

[19] Brown (1984: 34).  Adams (1996: 794).  Mounce (1990: 365-366). 

[20] Thiessen (1956: 132).  Whale (1958: 124). 

[21] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).

[22] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).

[23] Moltmann (1993: 171-172).

[24] Anderson (2001: 37).  Erickson (1994: 661-682).

[25] The Apostle Paul admits this would be the case in First Corinthians 15: 12-19.

[26] Erickson (1994: 691-693).

[27] Thiessen (1956: 332).

[28] Anderson (2001: 54).

[29] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[30] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[31] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[32] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[33] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[34] van der Ven (1993: 159).

[35] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[36] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[37] Anderson (2001: 54).

[38] van der Ven (1993: 161).

[39] van der Ven (1993: 161).  Mounce (1990: 365-366). 

[40] van der Ven (1993: 161).

[41] Erickson (1994: 811). 

[42] van der Ven (1993: 160).

[43] van der Ven (1993: 159).

[44] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[45] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[46] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[47] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[48] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[49] van der Ven (1993: 169).

[50] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[51] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[52] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[53] Winquest (1987: 1).  Self-consciousness and care must be brought to ministry through practical theology.

[54] In particular in the context of theodicy.  Phillips (2005: xii). 

[55] Bloesch (1987: 12).

[56] van der Ven (1993: 170).  This could include free will and sovereignty theodicy approaches.

[57] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[58] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[59] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[60] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[61] van der Ven (1993: 170).

[62] van der Ven (1993: 170).  Explicit theodicy would be closer in association with concepts similar to theoretical theodicy such as free will, sovereignty and soul-making perspectives than would implicit theodicy which would be dealt with more by practical and empirical theology and statistics.

[63] van der Ven (1998: 208).