Terry responded to my post on supernaturalism as follows:
"What is wrong with the term "free agency"? It seems to cover the kind of
action that we're talking about here ("breaking into the causal nexus of
the universe"). The Westminster Confession describes three categories of
secondary causes: necessary, free, or contigent. Sorry to be such a
fuddy-duddy, but I'm reluctant to invent new terminology to deal with
questions that have been around for awhile."
I understand. But the Westminster Confession hardly applies when we are
talking to folks outside that tradition. So that's not going to help.
The issue is simply one that gets glossed over -- either our free agency
is able to "break into the causal nexus of the universe" (I'm getting
used to that phrase) or it is not. If it is, then it represents SOMETHING
that is "not natural." The word "supernatural" fairly describes an action
which BITCNOTU." (ugh). (sorry). The word "extra-natural" does not seem
appropriate; the word "non-natural" is sort of insipid.
John Burgeson (Burgy)
www.burgy.50megs.com
(science/theology, quantum mechanics, baseball, ethics,
humor, cars, God's intervention into natural causation, etc.)
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