In theology class the other night we were discussing the doctrine of God. Who is God? What can we know about God? How do we know God? Where is God? How does God relate to the world?
In our discussion group during class I posed a question along these lines: What if the future has not happened yet?
Some of us who live and think within a Christian context have the idea that the story has already played itself out (at least in the mind of God). What happens tomorrow in my life, in the events of the world, God has already seen/allowed/willed/ordained/known.
But what if it has not happened yet? Rather than starting a philosophical/theological argument over this issue (What must God know, in order to be God, etc...I also find is fascinating to examine the affects of doctrines/beliefs on people and communities as opposed to simply discussing what is "true" or "untrue"), how is your imaginative/creative impulse affected by the notion that the future has not happened yet. The story has not yet been written. Anything can happen.
Furthermore what if we thought of the eschatological visions of scripture as God's redemptive trajectory. How does that affect our imaginative/creative impulse?
One of my imaginative/creative impulses: When Tolstoy wrote a novel did God read along with anticipation? When Monet painted did God gasp at the beauty of the finished project? When Mozart composed his first symphony did God listen with wonder?
5 comments:
but it has, Jordan, it has.
Well, then you have to answer my question from that prespective. What is the affect on our imaganitive/creative impulse if the future has already happened?
my only question is where do these thoughts come from????? As your mom your blogs boggle my mind, and I just scratch my head and say where do these thoughts come from!!!! What the heck does eschaetological (sp) mean?????
But I have to admit I never wondered if God did those things and it truly is a cool thought.
Damn, Jordan, you are making me think, and I'm not sure if I like it. (not sure if i like thinking that is, not your question)
I expand your question to pose a bigger one; So how do I understand God within and beyond time and space simultaneously? I have some ideas but i admit i am resistant to the notion that God is completely open to the future, but i think that God has to be open in some way... Let me know the answer because that would be a great thesis!
the beautiy of the world in my mind is that God takes his greatest joy in seeing what his creation can create. Clearly go has an idea of what is possible and within each human being, animal, sunset, and tree...but the truly amazing part is that God is so full with joy when something new is created. Is it a suprise to him/her? Probably not. Surely God has come idea of the beauty that is possible through the creative mediums of literature, art, song, etc... In fact I would speculate that God understands how much more amazing those feeling and thoughts are then we can ever experess in earthly form. But I am certain that God finds each book, painting, play, song immensly interesting and is filled with joy as we each try to grasp a part of the bigger reality. And I hope we are all able to take joy in this adventure as well.
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