Greg Welty on sinless humanity II (PhD Edit)

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Greg Welty on sinless humanity II (PhD Edit)

PhD text and original Blogger article

Theodicy and Practical Theology (2010), The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David.

Welty March 2014

Welty rejects Plantinga’s idea that God cannot create a world containing moral good and no moral evil,^[1] and raises the objection that God brought Christ into the world as a sinless human being.^[2] Welty’s point here is that every human being could have therefore been sinless^[3] and the world could contain good and no evil with significantly free human beings that would not commit wrong actions.[4] I have a similar objection to Welty’s,^[5] which was discussed in Chapters Two and Three of my PhD thesis.  Within my theodicy, I reason that God could have, if he wished, made significantly free human beings, or human like beings who would have been perfectly morally good and would not commit wrong actions.^[6] God’s choice not to create such beings, in my mind is not a sign of a lack of power, or moral failure, but rather the use of his own perfect and significantly free will for good purposes.  

December 4, 2017

I reason that Welty's argument is very strong for compatibilism versus incompatibilism. Jesus Christ as incarnate was both infinite God and finite man. As finite man he lived in sinless life and yet had significant freedom. Christ completed his atoning and resurrection work for those in Christ, via a divine gospel plan with persons as is within this present realm.

Further

The angels that did not fall (Revelation 12) are non-physical beings reasoned to have remained sinless and yet have significant freedom, as they are judged (1 Corinthians 6, fallen angels in Revelation 20). The divine judgement for thoughts and actions of a secondary cause requires moral accountability, otherwise this is hard determinism, where only God the primary cause would be morally responsible, although with perfect and holy motives. This is not soft-determinism/compatibilism.

God, as infinite and eternal has never contradicted his divine nature (logically cannot) and sinned and yet has significant freedom.

In the cases of the human nature of Jesus Christ, the finite nature of angels that stayed true to God and the infinite nature of God, there is a significant, reasonable understanding of evil (God's being infinite) but not an ontological/nature requirement of embracing evil and sin as an option. If one's nature is perfectly good, finitely or infinitely, it is logically possible and reasonable to stay in that nature while understanding evil.

WELTY, GREG (1999) ‘The Problem of Evil’, in Greg Welty PhD, Fort Worth, Texas. Philosophy Department, Southwestern Baptist Theological  Seminary.  

http://www.ccir.ed.ac.uk/~jad/welty/probevil.htm

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[1] Plantinga (1977)(2002: 30).  Welty (1999: 1).

[2] Welty (1999: 1).

[3] Welty (1999: 1).

[4] Welty (1999: 1).

[5] Welty (1999: 1).

[6] This is an aspect of compatibilism, which shall be primarily defined and discussed in Chapters Two and Three.

Saturday, September 19, 2020 PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD This material used in-part for an entry on academia.edu

Missing the point on human nature?

Australia: Facebook

Missing the point on human nature?

Thanks to Richard McIntosh for posting on Facebook:

The Guardian November 19

Cited

'Facebook Opinion

How a half-educated tech elite delivered us into chaos

John Naughton'

'If our supersmart tech leaders knew a bit more about history or philosophy we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in now'

Cited

'One of the biggest puzzles about our current predicament with fake news and the weaponisation of social media is why the folks who built this technology are so taken aback by what has happened.'

Cited

'So what else could explain the astonishing naivety of the tech crowd? My hunch is it has something to do with their educational backgrounds. Take the Google co-founders. Sergey Brin studied mathematics and computer science. His partner, Larry Page, studied engineering and computer science. Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard, where he was studying psychology and computer science, but seems to have been more interested in the latter.

Now mathematics, engineering and computer science are wonderful disciplines – intellectually demanding and fulfilling. And they are economically vital for any advanced society. But mastering them teaches students very little about society or history – or indeed about human nature. As a consequence, the new masters of our universe are people who are essentially only half-educated.

They have had no exposure to the humanities or the social sciences, the academic disciplines that aim to provide some understanding of how society works, of history and of the roles that beliefs, philosophies, laws, norms, religion and customs play in the evolution of human culture.'

Cited

'We are now beginning to see the consequences of the dominance of this half-educated elite.'
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I have been stating on this website and online for years that the majority of persons in Western society, significantly lack education and knowledge of philosophy, philosophy of religion, religious studies and theology. This is a serious intellectual problem in both embracing a reasonable worldview and analyzing, reasonably a worldview.

As well, a lack of a humanities education can limit the understanding of human nature.

Ontario: trekearth.com

Missing the point on Theology PhD's

Thank you to Ron Unrah for posting by email

Pete Enns 

November 28

Cited

'The Moral Irresponsibility of PhD Programs in Bible and Theology by Pete Enns'

Cited

'Folks, there are TOO MANY people out there with earned doctorates in Bible and Theology. There will never be enough jobs to accommodate the numbers. Schools are cutting or downsizing programs, but the PhD conveyor belt keeps moving along at a steady clip as if everything is just peachy.'

Years ago, the President of the Evangelical Theological Society told me by email that no Christian academic institution in North America would hire me because I had a Wales, PhD. So, intellectual laziness in vetting is also a huge issue.

I could be easily researched online and offline and found to hold Biblical views of the Reformed tradition. When working on my Master of Theological Studies degree at Trinity Western University, considering a PhD, the wisdom from professors to me was to if possible, earn a secular PhD. I was very interested in the thesis only approach of Europe/United Kingdom. I agree with this wisdom as far a accreditation. I am not stating that a secular education is necessarily superior in quality.

Philippians & Ephesians: Thankfulness

Mount Fuji: Facebook

At a TriCity Church bible study of Philippians, the following verse was provided in regard to the Christian walk and the need for thankfulness by the follower.

Philippians 4: 6

English Standard Version (ESV)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Courson theologically connects staying at a place of joy in Christ with staying in prayer. (1292). In context he explains that prayer here is being in communication with God, while supplication is prayer made for specific requests. (1292).

Ephesians 5: 20 also came to mind.

Ephesians 5:18-21

English Standard Version (ESV)

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Courson opines that the believer will be blessed and productive when giving thanks to God for all things in Christ. (1256).

In the last few month especially, I have focused on Matthew 6 and living one day at a time. I attempt to live a day at a time as far as problems are concerned, and I make certain that I focus on past and present blessings, which are substantial.

From a Reformed perspective (and personally my PhD/MPhil research forward) it can be understood that God wills all things as a primary cause, whether by perfect or permissible, divine will. Being thankful during suffering, especially, can be difficult. Biblically a believer needs to trust in the sanctification process as an aspect of salvation (Romans 6-8).

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

A Vicious Regress IV

McSween, British Columbia: trekearth.com

My friend John and I briefly discussed the concept of vicious regress on the phone last night, along with more typical subjects.

(I do not just talk theology/philosophy for those of you opining. If I was a betting man, which I am not, I would bet more than one person has stated that this is all I talk about, as fact.)

Vicious Regress: October 2 2006

Vicious Regress May 21 2016

Vicious Regress January 16 2017

Last night on the phone, I referenced in brief, the three examples below.

A god, is caused by a god, is caused by a god, is caused by a god, ad infinitum, is an infinite regress. It is a vicious regress, because it does not solve its own problem and requires a first cause, without a cause.

(In philosophy of religion, the first cause, can be considered what is necessary and exists by necessity. From a biblical perspective this is Almighty God, infinite and eternal.)

A choice is caused by a choice, is caused by a choice, is caused by a choice, ad infinitum, is an infinite regress. It is a vicious regress, because it does not solve its own problem and requires a first cause, without a cause.

(Human choice is traced back to human nature. Human nature is traced back to its creator, God, that has infinite, eternal nature and will/choice.)

Time is caused by time, is caused by time, is caused by time, ad infinitum, is an infinite regress. It is a vicious regress, because it does not solve its own problem and requires a first cause, without a cause.

(If there is an infinite distance between Maple Ridge and Vancouver, one will never arrive in Vancouver.)

In the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Simon Blackburn discusses ‘infinite regress’ and mentions that this occurs in a vicious way whenever a problem tries to solve itself and yet remains with the same problem it had previously. Blackburn (1996: 324) A vicious regress is an infinite regress that does not solve its own problem, while a benign regress is an infinite regress that does not fail to solve its own problem. Blackburn (1996: 324). Blackburn writes that there is frequently room for debate on what is a vicious regress or benign regress. Blackburn (1996: 324).

An example of a benign regress is infinite numbers both plus and minus, as they in reality represent conceptualized things as opposed to being real things. 'Problem' solved. Therefore: Based on my philosophical reading and Blackburn's explanation, it can be deduced that philosophers would debate whether a particular vicious regress is illogical and whether it is using a logical fallacy. Further: An argument can be logical and not sound, as sound arguments are not the only valid arguments but are those where 'all the premises are true'. (1997: 35).

Whether or not a particular vicious regress, and the examples I raised, are illogical and using a logical fallacy in the sense of invalid argument is of secondary importance. It is of primary importance when a vicious regress is not reasonable and does not solve its own problem and is fallacious as in faulty reasoning. That is the case with my three examples, I reason. Bradley (371) mentions that it is not illogical, and not a vicious regress that each act of free choice is caused by another act of free choice. I agree that it is not necessarily illogical, but disagree that the argument as described is not a vicious regress.

McSween, British Columbia: trekearth.com

BLACKBURN, S. (1996) ‘Regress’, in Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

BRADLEY, RAYMOND D. (1996) ‘Infinite Regress Argument’, in Robert Audi, (ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

CONWAY DAVID A. AND RONALD MUNSON (1997) The Elements of Reasoning, Wadsworth Publishing Company, New York.