Part 7: Is God Alive and well?
 

Past

Creation and the health and activity of God go together. Christian theology rejects the astrological assertion that the stars control our destiny [fatalism] and also rejects the notion that God did once create, but now is sleeping on the other side of the universe, not involved with us at all. Instead, Christianity asserts that we all live in the context of a divine providence that…does what? and how? and includes whom?

The how question was considered in the previous chapter. How does God get things done? Didn’t know fifty years ago and still don’t know. But I was more certain about the what issue. What God was doing was working to create equality and justice on this planet, but the success of the plan seemed in question. The Kingdom of God on earth did not appear to be a realistic and achievable goal, but I wasn’t in favor of the alternative idea that individual souls would fly off to heaven. Some theologians in the day spoke of a hope or intention of God that set history in a direction toward justice for all, and at the time that seemed to be about all one could assert. The mechanics of this process were unclear and it was also unclear who would be included in this future. Certainly God loved everyone, but not everyone accepted the gift.

Today

There are two key elements in my new and current thinking. In earlier chapters I have referred to the fact that I cannot accept that we live in an amoral universe, and that the logical implication is that somehow, sometime, and someway, God makes undeserved suffering right. The tag along idea is that God makes everything right, and this includes everyone. So the thought is that the justice for all idea will prevail, although most likely not on this planet. These are two major changes: full universalism and an afterlife for all. It solves a few conundrums and is appealing. So why not?

 
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Dr. Carl Krieg received his BA from Dartmouth College, MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in NYC and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He is the author of What to Believe? the Questions of Christian Faith,   The Void and the Vision and  The New Matrix: How the World We Live In Impacts Our Thinking About Self and God. As professor and pastor, Dr. Krieg has taught innumerable classes and led many discussion groups. He lives with his wife Margaret in Norwich, VT.