From: igevolution@earthlink.net
Date: Tue Apr 15 2003 - 11:49:33 EDT
There has been much banter recently about the "tinkering" required to get the universe to the place we find it, organized as it is, with the controling principles, and possessing life. I have read much of Howard Van Till (his _Fourth DAY_ was a required text in college) and of deisgn theorists, and I have a cautious suggestion to make.
Dipping into the other side of my college training, I am reminded that there are three types of action which God performes in scripture:
1) Normal povidence: He behaves in such ways as we expect, causing various "natural" events, such as grass growing and the sun rising. We might not think of these as the actions of God, but the scripture affirms that they are.
2) Extrodinary providence: He "stacks the deck" in certain circumstances and then still be haves in normal ways. By arranging a certain starting reality, the functioning of natural laws (normal providence) brings about a desired end state.
3) Miracle: God chooses to act in ways unusal, and in so doing we are struck with the awesomeness and grandure of his power. The reality is not that he has "broken" or "suspended" natural law. Natural laws do not exist; they are human constructs that explain normal providence. God choosing to act in a different way in particular cases when He chooses to is not impossible any more than my taking a different route to work one day is impossible.
In my own view of things, it is God's actions of normal providence that science studies, and His actions are consistent enough that this study is realistic and practical. However, we must not get so enamoured by normal and extrodinary providence that we become uncomfortable with miracle. I'm sure that many who read and post on this list could share examples of miracles in their life. It saddens me to read of those among us who not only have not experienced it but would explain away the testimony of those of us who have witnessed the actions of God described as "miraculous." I will not extend an already lengthy post with my accounts, but let me assure you that I have seen, personally, and on multiple occasions, events not consistent with normal or extrodinary providence. God has acted miraculously in my life.
Mr. Van Till's RFEP, which I assume to be an update of the "fully-gifted creation" with which I became familiar in college, plants its flag firmly on normal and extrodinary providence actions, while not allowing for the miraculous. The ID camp would differ with him by allowing God to "tinker," which I take to mean act miraculously. I would agree with this, as a consequence of my own experiences and theology.
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