PhD: Twitter quote 106
Preface
Image: Facebook, October 11, 2021
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
Some theological, philosophical support for the message from the lead image, below. I have made that connection myself through study. I think I heard it in a sermon. By the way, I do hold to TULIP, but consider myself Reformed, with some Anabaptist leanings, as opposed to a Calvinist.
Louis P. Pojman explains the difference between determinism, which is also known as hard determinism, and compatibilism, which is also known as soft determinism. Pojman (1996: 596).
Within determinism or hard determinism, God (or an external force) causes an act and no created being is responsible for his or her moral actions, while for compatibilism or soft determinism, although God causes actions, created beings are responsible where they act voluntarily. Pojman (1996: 596).
It could be stated that human secondary causes, through a chain of human nature and human will, embrace what has been caused and chosen by God, the first and primary cause. The human being could also be influenced by other secondary causes, such as other persons and angelic beings, for example.
W.T. Stace (1952)(1976) explains that moral responsibility is consistent with determinism in the context of soft determinism and requires it. Stace (1952)(1976: 29). If human actions are uncaused at all by the human nature and will, then reward or punishment would be unjustified. Stace (1952)(1976: 29). Stace reasons that there must be at least some human cause within human actions to make them morally responsible. Stace (1952)(1976: 30).
Philosopher Tim Mawson reasons that incompatibilism, which is also known as libertarianism or libertarian free will, in regard to human free will, believes that true human free will must be uncaused by preceding states. Mawson (1999: 324). In other words, no external force must cause a legitimate and truly free act of the human will. Within incompatibilist theory, a human action would never truly be free because God or an another external force (non-deistic view) would have willed and determined it, before being simultaneously willed to a given person. Mawson (1999: 324). Pre-determined before committed by the human being.
The external force could hypothetically be a first cause within non-theistic theory
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PhD: Twitter quote 106
Edited from my PhD footnotes:
Twitter version
I definitely agree with Whitehead that an infinitely good and evil God would be a God of nothingness. Whitehead (1926: 153). I doubt this being could logically exist.
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