Week 3: Theodicy - the why behind suffering
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Matthew 6:9-13
9b “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
“Putin’s ‘Mass Strike’ on Ukraine Draws Furious Condemnation”
“Attacks on Jewish School Set Off Outcry Over Antisemitic Signaling”
“Worst is yet to come for the world economy”
Is God in Control?
Theodicy
Epicurus - Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Sovereignty
Blueprint Worldview - In every occurrence in human history, there ought to be a divine rationale - a reason behind it.
Matthew 6:10 - Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
In the first - Genesis 1:1-2:3 - Transcendent
In the second - Genesis 2:4-25 - Immanent
Genesis 2:19 - 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
Free Will - the ability to go this way or that way.
Matthew 6:9 - 9b “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
John 8:44 - You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
1 John 3:8 - “Jesus came to destroy the works of the evil one.”
Acts 10:38 - God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
David Bentley Hart - “If it is from Christ that we are to learn how God relates himself to sin, suffering, evil, and death, it would seem that he provides us little evidence of anything other than a regal, relentless, and miraculous enmity: sin he forgives, suffering he heals, evil he casts out, and death he conquers. And absolutely nowhere does Christ act as if any of these things are part of the eternal work or purposes of God.”
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Each Sunday we come together we offer an open invitation into the way of Jesus. An invitation to enter into sacred rhythms - to draw near to God through singing, giving, learning, and praying.
As a community that desires renewal in Des Moines as it is in Heaven, we recognize that we cannot offer what we ourselves do not have. We cannot lead where we ourselves have not been led; in turn, these questions aim at reflection. Reflecting on God’s word and making space for his leadership.
After watching or listening consider the following discussion questions as a large group or in groups of three to four:
What stood out from the teaching?
What might your “gut-level” response to the statement, “God is not in control,” tell you about your conception of God?
How does the creation account - specifically Genesis 2:19 - shift how you see God’s participation with humanity?
How does praying the Lord’s prayer help you shift your view on evil in the world? Does it?
How might Jesus help us reimagine our role in joining God in the renewal of all things?