In this engaging conversation, Tom Oord, a leading theologian and scholar, dives into the intriguing concept of a non-controlling God. He challenges traditional views on miracles and explores the relational dynamics of divine love and human agency. Oord reflects on unanswered prayers in the face of suffering and discusses how authentic relationships require mutual consent and risk-taking. With a unique perspective on divine power, he offers hope and emphasizes the importance of community in navigating faith and uncertainty.
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God's Action Like Proposal
Tom Oord compares God's action to a marriage proposal where both parties must consent for engagement to happen.
God acts and desires outcomes but needs creaturely cooperation to bring these outcomes about.
insights INSIGHT
Love Requires Freedom
God can't control but always influences us with love and commitment, respecting human agency.
This allows authentic relationships with genuine risk and cooperation rather than forced outcomes.
insights INSIGHT
Redefining Miracles
Miracles are unusual, good events involving both God’s action and creaturely response.
The Bible does not require miracles to be God’s unilateral acts overpowering nature.
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The book, commissioned by the Club of Rome, uses the World3 computer model to simulate the consequences of interactions between human systems and the Earth. It examines five basic factors: population increase, agricultural production, nonrenewable resource depletion, industrial output, and pollution generation. The authors conclude that if current growth trends continue, the Earth's resources will be depleted, leading to a sudden and uncontrollable decline in population and industrial capacity. However, the book also offers a message of hope, suggesting that forward-looking policy could prevent such outcomes if humanity acts promptly to reduce inefficiency and waste.
God can't
God can't
Thomas Jay Oord
In "God Can't," Thomas Jay Oord explores the limitations of God's power and knowledge within the framework of open and relational theology. He argues that a truly loving God would not be all-powerful or all-knowing in the traditional sense, as such attributes could be used to control or manipulate creation. Oord emphasizes God's self-limitation in order to respect the free will of individuals and the inherent unpredictability of the universe. The book delves into the implications of this perspective for various theological issues, including the problem of evil and the nature of divine action. It offers a nuanced and challenging perspective on the nature of God and the relationship between God and humanity.
We talked with Tom Oord again about a lot of questions that came up in light of our conversation about his book God Can’t: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils: If "God Can't" determine outcomes unilaterally, what can God do? What about miracles? What about the renewal of all things? Can we be confident that God's love will "win" in the end? This was another mind-stretching conversation on open and relational theology.
Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. Oord is a best-selling and award-winning author, having written or edited more than thirty books. Academic Influence ranks him among the most influential theologians in the 21st century. Oord directs doctoral programs at Northwind Theological Seminary and directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He is known for his research and writing on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, evil and power, and the implications of freedom and relationships for transformation.
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