A reader writes from (appropriately enough) Scotland to say…

Last updated on: November 10, 2016 at 8:22 am by Mark Shea

A reader writes from (appropriately enough) Scotland to say… 2016-11-10T08:22:22-07:00 Mark Shea

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

so Im on a molinism site that discusses different understandings of gods sovereignty, foreknowledge, predestination vs freedom, etc…and are now critiquing the Calvinists who are saying God pre-ordained Trumps win…all sorts of banter going on…the best line I saw? ….”and the open theists are saying “Wow – not even God saw THIS one coming!” (That just about KILLED me!)

Scotland is, of course, one of the great nexi of Calvinism and all the barren and fruitless arguments that surrounded predestination and all that. One reaction to heretical Calvinist predestinarianism (in which God assumes a sort of Islamic function and does *everything* including making sure that sinners sin against him so he can sadistically have somebody to damn in order to fill some bizarre quota for some reason) is something called “open theism” (in which God has no idea what’s going to happen next and is as clueless as you and me about how the billiard balls of history are going to bounce).

Catholic faith, of course, is that God is in control of all of creation. All the hairs of your head are numbered. Not a sparrow falls without the Father’s knowledge. And he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, who was, who is, and who is to come.

At the same time, the tradition insists that God’s sovereignty is not a zero sum game in which it’s either his power or our freedom. On the contrary, Paul says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” So his power is precisely the ground of our freedom and his omniscience does not cancel out our ability to make real (and often sinful and stupid) choices. Our free actions are part of his Providence. He sees us act in his eternal Now. And of course, to see a person doing something is not to make him do it. God has been seeing the election of Donald Trump–and all other human choices–in the Eternal Now from all eternity. This did not take him by surprise. Nor has it thwarted his will any more than the betrayal of Judas did. God orders all things to the good of those who love Christ Jesus and are called according to his purpose. That does not, of course, mean “Let us do evil that good may come of it.” But it does mean that we can have good Hope in Christ that this evil too shall be redeemed.

Meanwhile, we do what we do: seek God’s will and try to do it as best we can. For me, that means going to Mass right now and praying for a friend who is in serious crisis. Please pray for her, will you?

Uncategorized

Mailbag

Previous Post

November 10, 2016

Today's Beautiful Grandchildren Picture

Next Post

November 10, 2016 Proposal to Ban Muslims Disappears from Trump's website

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 September 2006 June 2006 July 2005 April 2005 May 2002 April 2002 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz