Life has been too busy and I have not made time for theological reading.
Today, I must make time.
On the subject of God - Hartshorne ("The Divine Relativity" in Readings in Christian Theology) writes about God being perfect - the most perfect. The "self-surpassing surpasser" of all. My immediate reaction is that this sounds like male ego, not God. Self-surpassing surpassor? In competition with whom?
Though I reject the term, I accept the concept. He writes that if we acknowledge that humans are imperfect and think that God is perfect (or, he says, transcendentally excellent), that may lead us to think that God did no good in creating the world. As solution, he proposes that the perfect-and-imperfect together as a whole is superior to the perfect alone, independent of the imperfect.
Hartshorne rejects the notion that God surveys all time, knows everything that will happen, and has set the best possible course. He believes that those who propose that idea are confusing reliability (faithfulness) with absolute constancy. I agree. God does not have to know the future in order to spiritually move us toward the most perfect next step. Think divine wisdom, rather than omniscience and predestination.
I would add two things: 1. The imperfect informs the perfect. We, who do not have divine wisdom, can learn and grow by observing less than perfect actions and outcomes. 2. God loves variety. Creation is filled with variety and is perfect in its entirety. To say that God failed because there are imperfect elements within creation is to view creation microscopically rather than macroscopically. The larger, macroscopic view sees the intertwining complimentarity. Yes, this single flower may be crushed by the rushing waters after a rainstorm, but it is better for the water to go in this direction. Learn from it. Grow elsewhere, as the flowers do.
Tillich (A History of Christian Thought, p 234) writes "Everyone has to be perfect and no one is able to be perfect." We do not have the ability, but we can have the intention. "Luther turned religion and ethics around. We cannot fulfill the will of God without being united with him." This is supported by John Wesley's statements that we must do all the good we can, in all the ways we can, etc. and strive for perfection through the transformational sanctifying grace of God. I couldn't agree more.
God is great. God is good. God, as Holy Spirit, is working in the world.
