Years ago, I recall reading a statement that most philosophers are optimists. There have been exceptions--- Arthur Schopenhauer for example. In more recent years, it seems like there is a larger number of philosophers who could be seen as pessimistic--- some existentialists and some nihilists and perhaps others. Does this mean that there is a …
Tag: theodicy
What’s Wrong With a Good Mystery (in Theology)?— Part 2
Continued from Part One As noted before, Conservative Christians tend not to want to say "I don't know" when it comes to Biblical or Theological questions. Some of that may be cultural. Having taught in a rather conservative seminary, I have certainly met my fair share of students who don't like "wishy-washy" answers to questions. …
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Theodicy– The Questions Real People Ask
Here is a quote by Howard Stone from "The Word of God and Pastoral Care" Over the years, while making pastoral care visits and especially hospital visits, I have sadly encountered many people whose well-meaning friends and acquaintances have responded to their why questions with theological answers that left them terribly upset and proved actually …
Can Bad News Still Point Us to the “Good News”?
I read an article recently (not sure I could figure out which one) that said that Pat Robertson of 700 Club/CBN fame would not allow testimony stories on his show where God did not answer the prayer of the testifier. Or to be more accurate, God did not do what the praying person wanted God …
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That Bad Stuff Good People Question
"What is 'I Don't Know'?" That is the best Jeopardy answer I can give to the statement to the answer "Why does bad stuff happens to good people." Some feel this is a "cop-out," or taking the easy way out. Frankly, I have heard a lot of easy-way-out answers to that question: "God's ways are …
Suffering and Viktor Frankl
I am not an expert on Theodicy, on suffering and its underlying meaning (or underlying lack of meaning). That being said, churches (especially the safe and affluent churches, but even the persecuted and vulnerable churches at times) have trouble with suffering. It seems to me that part of the problem is that the church (we …
Mythology and Theodicy in the Visayas
My son is taking a class "Mythology and Folklore" at his university here in the Philippines. They have been studying some creation stories here in the Philippines. Some are etiological, while some are more entertaining. One struck me especially. It is "Tungkung Langit and Alunsina"... a creation story from Panay Island. A number of Philippine …