From: Steve Petermann (steve@spetermann.org)
Date: Thu Sep 04 2003 - 11:36:31 EDT
Steve wrote:
> > . . . . I believe that
> > process theology is trying to solve the "problem of evil" by limiting
God
> > but that only makes God a cowering wimp.
Howard wrote:
> What does it tell you about a person's position when he/she has to resort
to
> hurling insults at alternatives in order to defend that position?
I see nothing wrong with feeling strongly enough about something to be
forthright about it. This was not a person attack on anyone. I'm sure you
use strong language to oppose an ideology you feel is harmful. I guess I
could have said, "disengaged and weak" but would that have been any less
harsh? Besides, how would you describe a God that accepts impotence in the
face of evil. The picture that process thought presents of God is one who
opts for the tact of lurer. That doesn't really sound all that engaging.
> So, tell me about "eternal life." It looks like the potential for evil is
a
> permanent feature.
Yes, that would be my position. That does not, however, entail a fatalism.
The very things we love about life are grounded in the same features of life
that create the potential for evil. Life entails creation as well as
destruction. Integration into complexity as well as its disintegration.
What is it that we love about life? Growth, change, progress, learning,
challenge? All those are possible because life is designed a certain way,
that also makes evil possible. To me eternal life is not some static
perfection where evil is not possible. It is, instead, the eternal creation
of love, beauty and meaning in the midst of a struggle with all that oppose
those.
Regards,
Steve Petermann
----- Original Message -----
From: "Howard J. Van Till" <hvantill@chartermi.net>
To: "Steve Petermann" <steve@spetermann.org>; <asa@lists.calvin.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: lame creation concepts
> >From: "Steve Petermann" <steve@spetermann.org>
>
> > . . . . I believe that
> > process theology is trying to solve the "problem of evil" by limiting
God
> > but that only makes God a cowering wimp.
>
> What does it tell you about a person's position when he/she has to resort
to
> hurling insults at alternatives in order to defend that position?
>
> > That doesn't solve the problem.
> > The solution is to accept that life itself entails the potential for
evil.
> > No potential for evil, no life.
>
> So, tell me about "eternal life." It looks like the potential for evil is
a
> permanent feature.
>
> hvt
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