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Happy Thanksgiving
My questionnaire data does not demonstrate a complete rejection of
Reformed, Calvinistic, sovereignty theodicy, which is not accepted on key
points in contrast to the acceptance of free will theodicy.[1]
It can be reasoned that Reformed compatibilistic concepts have been
primarily rejected.[2] With the very important Question
22, if God does not cause evil according to the majority of respondents, the
reasonable conclusion would be an acceptance of the idea from free will
theodicy that human beings alone cause evil and corruption.[3]
A compatibilistic model, as noted within the work, views both God and humanity
as the cause of evil[4] with God as the primary cause,[5] but with sinless motives.[6]
There is also the important non-support of the ideas of God causing human
actions, and deciding who shall follow him in election,[7] which are essential within a
compatibilistic framework for God to fulfill his purposes and turn certain
sinful human beings into members of his everlasting Kingdom.[8]
Sovereignty theodicy is not as publicized as free will theodicy,[9] is not taught as much in
post-secondary education, and is not as culturally relevant in Western society
as free will concepts, which support libertarianism.[10]
In order for Reformed concepts of compatibilism and theodicy to gain increased prominence within the Christian Church,[11] sovereignty theodicy needs to be correctly explained, but theoretical theodicy is not sufficient in itself as its practical ramifications must be explained. A major reason why a sovereignty theodicy explains God wills all things, including evil and sin or the greater good,[12] is that with this and in particular, through the results of the atoning work and resurrection of Christ, God will ultimately rid his creation of the problem of evil.[13]
[1] It can reasoned from the results that
Reformed theology in the context of theodicy is not dominating Christian
theological thought.
[2] This is
significant enough to demonstrate that Reformed theology in regard to theodicy
and free will and determinism has been overshadowed by the free will/incompatibilistic
research and work of those such as Augustine and Plantinga.
[3] Augustine (421)(1998: Chapter 13: 8). Plantinga (1982: 184-189).
[5] Erickson (1994: 361).
[6] Calvin (1543)(1996: 37-40).
[8] Calvin mentions in his Acts Commentary
that people who were strangers to the Kingdom of God, were purchased by Christ
and flourished within. Calvin
(1552)(1995: 415).
[9] This is quite clear from several years of
academic research.
[10] Blackburn (1996: 218).
[12] Cranfield (1992:
204). Mounce (1995: 187). Admittedly human beings often greatly
struggle to see and understand this theoretical greater good. Davis (1981: 23). Roth reasons some evil willed by God is
simply and only that and should be repented for by God. Roth (1981: 10).
[13] Moltmann (1993: 256). Calvin (1552)(1995: 415). Feinberg (1994: 141). Mounce (1990: 369-397).
Bibliography
AUGUSTINE (388-395)(1964) On Free Choice of the Will, Translated by Anna S.Benjamin and L.H. Hackstaff, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.Bibliography
AUGUSTINE (398-399)(1992) Confessions, Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
AUGUSTINE (400-416)(1987)(2004) On the Trinity, Translated by Reverend Arthur West Haddan, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 3, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia.
AUGUSTINE (421)(1998) Enchiridion, Translated by J.F. Shaw, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia.
AUGUSTINE (426)(1958) The City of God, Translated by Gerald G. Walsh, Garden City, New York, Image Books.
AUGUSTINE (427)(1997) On Christian Doctrine, Translated by D.W. Robertson Jr., Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.
AUGUSTINE (427b)(1997) On Christian Teaching, Translated by R.P.H. Green, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
CALVIN, JOHN (1552)(1995) Acts, Translated by Watermark, Nottingham, Crossway Books.
CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
DAVIS, STEPHEN T. (1981)(ed.), Encountering Evil, Atlanta, John Knox Press.
FEINBERG. JOHN S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.
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.
MOLTMANN, JÜRGEN (1993) The Crucified God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1982) The Nature of Necessity, Oxford, Clarendon Press.
ROTH, JOHN K. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.
WHALE, J.S. (1958) Christian Doctrine, Glasgow, Fontana Books.
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| Question 22 |
Question 22: God does not cause evil
This free will theodicy based question deals with a crucial and original aspect of my PhD thesis and statistical data. I conclude within a sovereignty perspective that God does cause evil and I will explain this concept in this Chapter from both theological and philosophical perspectives from my theoretical research in the Theology and Application section. One hundred and seventy-nine respondents (84%) selected ‘AS/A’ for this question. Only 17 (8%) persons supported my notion by choosing ‘D/DS’.
Additional
Determinism meaning hard determinism and opposed to soft determinism/compatibilism. God is still the cause of all things, but I am acknowledging a limited free will by Adam and Eve. God does not 'cause' as in force or coerce but is the cause of all things as in first cause being infinite and omnipotent.
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