This podcast probes the question posed by Marcus Borg: “Why is it that the importance of God has declined so significantly in Western culture?” His answer explores a widely held misconception of God called “supernatural theism”: a God who is “up there” and ultimately in charge. Marcus reclaims an image of God that provides a compelling and more intimate understanding of the relationship between God and us and the world. The podcast introduces listeners to the “God We Never Knew.”
One thing we know for sure. We have free will. Show me a situation where the creator does not give us the free agency to act IN or OUT of love for God and another! Mankind will forever make horrible choices or loving choices. Hitler did the same. Hitler was a human being, a horrible one at that. Whatever it was that brought him to bring such evil to this earth, our creator only knows. The paradox of unconditional love is that the beloved may not return it. Yet, such love is what our creator offers to us, and it often ends badly. Just part of life, as is the cross. Take up your cross and move one with your life in love.
Wasn’t Hitler a part of the “Isness” just as you are saying everything and everyone is? If so, why did God fail as part of Hitler and succeed as say as MLK Jr. just to pick a good person. It seems to me that all the problems you mentioned with the out there God are still with us even as we think of God as a Presents in our lives. And doesn’t the “en” in Panentheism set up and create a more than the Presents as a God out there? It sounds like word play to save a place for God to be without explaining how God acts in our world. And one final question, who is the better of two people who do exactly the same good thing? The one who is a complete Atheist and operates as he understands love for others and a Panenthiest who acts because of his beliefs in a God of some kind and who has a further belief in an Afterlife that is promised to the good people?
Jim. I am concerned that your response to the podcast misses the message. Or misconstrues it. The presence of God, what we call God, is perhaps akin to Luke /Acts, that in which we live and move and have our being. Consider what we are leaning about our make up and that of the universe. We are made of the same stuff. When it comes to how we live and move and have our being that is our work, our responsibility, or task. And some might be so wounded that their sense of agency is either nil or distorted. God is not the judge. I will go so far as to say God is not responsible. We are. The god of supernatural theism is so imprinted in our imaginations that the issues you have described seem plausible or appropriate when thinking about God. They are not. They are a consequence of bad theology. It is high time we reconceptualize, reimagine God and what we consider worthy of that name if we are to use that name at all.
Grace and Peace to you!
Great job once again! As a Franciscan friar I have related to God through panentheism for years. Reading about that way of seeing God in Marcus’ works has only reinforced what I know to be true. Thank you for continuing the message!
Pace E Bene