God can control the outcome of stochastic events. This control is one
of the means God has of interacting with his creation. Does God control
the outcome of *every* stochastic event, or is it God's will to withhold
that control some of the time? If God sometimes withholds control, He
is still sovereign. Stochastic events cannot take a pathway outside of
God's will. But could it be that God's will, sometimes, is to give
those events a kind of freedom within limits? I think it might be.
Consider an analogy. Suppose I have the ability to shuffle cards with
such skill that I can precisely determine their order in the deck. Now
suppose I want to play some rousing games of bridge with some good
friends. Will I stack the deck when I shuffle? I will not, not if I my
goal is to play enjoyable and challenging games. So instead of stacking
the deck, I randomize the deck without keeping track of where the cards
are. Suppose I dealt the cards and my opponents happened to get hands
which let them easily take a 6-no-trump bid. Did that happen according
to my wishes? In a matter of speaking, it did. For although I like to
win, I have a more important goal which keeps me from stacking the deck.
It is my desire that the deck is randomized.
I'm not sure if God does something similar. I think it's reasonable
(and theologically sound) to suppose so. It may also be that God really
does control the outcome of every stochastic and contingent event --
while we creatures are, in some way we don't understand, still
responsible for our choices. I don't think God's revelation (or church
tradition) is perfectly clear on that. They are, however, clear about
God's sovereignty.
Sometimes I wonder if the way to synthesize these two views is to
seriously contemplate the implications of God's omnipotence and
omniscience. Other times I worry that such contemplations would just
muddle our thinking further. :-)
Whatever the doubt may be about control over specific stochastic events,
there is no doubt about God's ability to achieve his goals via
stochastic systems. There are, in fact, multiple ways in which a
stochastic system can be designed and used to achieve specific goals.
But that's an issue for other posts.
Loren Haarsma