Divine action in the world is the subject of much discussion in philosophy, theology, and science. Lots of work to do here. For a long time now I’ve had questions about this issue. Here’s one example. Some Christian non-profits are certain that God is behind their funding and they survive, others are confident of the same thing, but go bankrupt. The latter then bemoans an absence of God’s action on its behalf (though somehow this is God’s will), while the former claims that God is acting faithfully to sustain it, (also God’s will). My wager, at the moment, is that God’s action or inaction probably has little to do with the survival or bankruptcy of Christian non-profits.
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Considering all the bantering going on over politics
and the economy in Western democracies, recent reports in the media have
suggested that some Christians and politicians advocate dominionist
theologically authoritative governments. I have been badgered by journalists
for interviews on this subject, but have declined. While the media is not noted
for its accuracy, nor I might add, its credibility, the sheer false
representation of positions reportedly held by certain people in this
discussion is astounding. I’m not out to defend this or that politician or
theologian here, as their writings and platforms speak for themselves. At any
rate, it seems to me that moving in the direction of any kind of a theocracy is
clearly a mistake. To identify the Kingdom of God and country is a travesty.
Simply said, whether it is the fundamentalist form coming from the right or the fundamentalist freedom coming from the left, there has
to be an effort to strike a dialogical balance that avoids extremism. Embracing
the principles of both form and freedom is an inviting way forward. Granted,
working this out is no easy task, but if politicians are committed to this
venture, instead of slander, manipulation, and deception, we might get
somewhere. One key working model should focus on the concept of collegiality
and the acceptance of a diversity of political views, which all have to
interact together in a way that preserves checks and balances. A dialogue where
real positions are put out there to be discussed and analyzed is to be
preferred to mud-slinging, which dubiously aims to cover a myriad of weaknesses
and a lack of fresh ideas. Equal concerns from different quarters are to be
represented in the public square and interactions should take place in a civil
and respectful manner.
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Anxiety is a real problem and
sometimes manifests itself in physiological ways. If you suffer from
anxiety, take some time to look into the “sympathetic nervous system,”
since a better understanding of how this functions can be a helpful step
towards de-anxiety.
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