Howard Redmond: Providence addresses the question of ‘natural evil’
We sit in our chapels or classrooms discussing the values in the Christian faith.
As we explore the basic tenets of our theology – the trinity, Jesus’ deity, man’s ultimate destiny, our ethical responsibilities – we may disagree with each other at times, but enjoy coffee and cookies together.
While we may not have perfect unity of thought, we feel that we are engaged in helpful and interesting discussion. At the end of our session we smile, shake hands and slowly make our way out.
But nobody notices the immense creature sitting quietly in the corner, or if some are aware of its presence, they try to ignore it.
That elephant in the chapel is human suffering, or “natural evil” – the embodiment of human disappointment and aimlessness. Believing that God is good, people seem to ignore evidence that may point in the other direction.
Early in Christian history, theologians were troubled by facts that seemed to raise questions about what Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier was later to call “the eternal goodness.” Indeed, the Bible itself, especially in books such as Job and Ecclesiastes, occasionally considered such matters.
It remained for the greatest of early Christian thinkers, Augustine, to address the problem and try to answer it. His ideas came together in a Christian doctrine, new at least in its restatement. Its essence was that God plans, sees ahead, and even through dark valleys and areas of trouble will bring that plan to fruition; this is his famous doctrine of providence (pro-videre, “seeing ahead”).
Two biblical examples well illustrate the concept of providence.
One is the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). Rejected and sold as a slave by his brothers, Joseph overcame enormous difficulties and became prime minister of Egypt.
When he finally confronted his brothers he told them that though their act was evil, “God meant it for good.” What they did became part of God’s plan.
The other biblical passage is Paul’s letter to the Romans, in which he says, “In all things God works for good” (Romans 8:28).
I like to think of this as God “tilting” the world toward the good. God does not force the world to achieve good, but, allowing man his freedom, “tilts” the world toward higher values.
This tilt requires human cooperation, which, unfortunately, it often does not get.
Two serious questions come to mind here.
One is the nature of God’s victory over evil. We are not for a moment questioning that victory, but we still must ask if there is a struggle to achieve that goal.
In places the Bible hints at a cosmic confrontation, either with the Devil (if there is one, as I believe) or with the “fallen angels,” perhaps referred to in Isaiah 14:12-20.
I am not arguing for belief in the Devil or devils, only that God’s ultimate victory, while sure, is not seen in Christian theology as a universe-wide chess game that the Great Master easily wins.
The other question, closely related to the first, is the nature of omnipotence. We may say God can do anything, but do we really mean that?
Can he make a square circle? Obviously not, for the term defies logic.
Command love from his children? No, because love by its very nature must be voluntary (though loving acts, as C.S. Lewis suggests, can lead to love itself).
Like a human father, as Jesus reminds us in Luke 11:11-13, God has chosen to be limited by the responses of his children. As our heavenly father, he does not force his will upon us.
If we disobey or ignore him, there are consequences we bring upon ourselves. But he always wishes our good.
I know I have not absolutely proved anything here; the subject is too massive for “proof.” The elephant is still in the chapel, but he is tame now, and for me, at least, he can be lived with.
I still have questions, but remember the words of a hymn: “Trusting Him whate’er befall, trusting Jesus, that is all.”