God's Providence and Contemporary Idolatries
In this brief article, I focus on developing a notion of Divine Providence that does not nullify personal freedom and I contrast it with what I consider to be two expanding contemporary idolatries: the absolutization of causality/judgement in moral matters and the absolutization of human agency in s...
| Published in: | Concilium |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
SCM Press
2023
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| In: |
Concilium
Year: 2023, Issue: 3, Pages: 81-88 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Providence
/ Causality
/ Love
/ Holy Spirit
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| IxTheo Classification: | NBC Doctrine of God NBG Pneumatology; Holy Spirit |
| Further subjects: | B
Divine Providence
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| Summary: | In this brief article, I focus on developing a notion of Divine Providence that does not nullify personal freedom and I contrast it with what I consider to be two expanding contemporary idolatries: the absolutization of causality/judgement in moral matters and the absolutization of human agency in shaping human experience. I argue that God acts in the world, in each human being via Her Spirit in us, in order that it becomes always possible for each of us to carry on a free loving act. In other words, the capacity each of us has to love comes from the Holy Spirit and is never cancelled, no matter what. No matter how dire one's circumstances, there is always a loving act possible. Even though the law of moral cause and effect seems to reign sovereign in contemporary spirituality, it is not cold automatism what rules the world and restores its balance: It is the free action of a loving God. Recognizing that human agency has limits and we cannot shape ourselves to our liking seems to be a pre-condition to experience God's provident action. |
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| ISSN: | 0010-5236 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Concilium
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