Re: Vast Majorities...

Murphy (gmurphy@imperium.net)
Fri, 14 Feb 1997 20:38:37 -0500

Gene Dunbar Godbold wrote:
>
> George also wrote:
> "There's a close correspondence with the way God works providentially in
> creation. In the _vast majority_ of cases, God works mediately, through
> natural processes." (emphasis added)
>
> ----
> George, how do you _know_ that God works _mediately_ "in the vast
> majority of cases." Is this a presupposition? Do you have a firm
> theological basis for this view?
>
> This is "faith seeking understanding."
> Don DeGraaf
>
> I second this question. :-)

I responded to this in Don DeGraaf's post & just repeat briefly:
As far as _knowing_ is concerned, I reply simply that science works. We
can understand the "great majority" (99.99...%) of things that happen in
the world in terms of natural processes obeying rational laws. If we
believe that God is doing these things, we must understand the divine
action somehow to be in/with/through those processes.
This is the way traditional doctrines of providence have spoken
of God's actions in the world, & that view is strongly suggested by the
theology of the cross.
George