when the rubber meets the road...

in my intro to theology class we read a chapter each week discussing a highly debated issue in christian theology, then we have to choose a side of the debate and write an essay supporting our choice. this week was on the foreknowledge debate--essentially, does God know all things that will happen (the classical view), or does He know some things while leaving other things open to be determined by our freewill (the open view)? tough question. i had to realize that this is an issue that has been debated for several years, so the likelihood of me finding the definite answer is pretty slim. and maybe more importantly, the way God works cannot possibly be completely and fully understood by my human, finite mind. however, after wrestling with the issue and being forced to pick a side, i went with the classical view.

here's a thought: theological issues are kinda fun to talk about and debate in theory, but when the rubber meets the road, when these crazy ideas turn into what you're actually believing and banking your life on, it takes things to a whole new level. so as much as i hate saying this, i'm almost thankful that i'm in the trenches, that i'm living this out right now, that i'm in a place of wrestling with what i believe in the midst of tragedy, because otherwise, it would be easy to sit in these classes and just talk without having to put into practice. that's not to discredit the theology of people who haven't experienced tragedy, but that's just where i am. does that make sense?

all of that to say, i just thought i'd share the last few paragraphs of my essay from tuesday night's class. i can't help but see these issues through the lenses of my life experiences. anyway, here's the last part of the essay:

"It is easy to discuss this issue in theory, but when faced in real life experiences, how does it play out? Do these concepts of the classical view of divine foreknowledge still hold true in my day-to-day life, my monumental decisions, and my unexpected tragedies?

            I have to agree with David's proclamation in Psalm 139:16: "In your book were written, everyone of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."

            Therefore, in day-to-day life and in major life decisions, I believe that God foreknows what I will freely choose to do. I do not think that God has a mysterious, predetermined will that I can discover only if I pray enough and read the Bible enough. I do not believe that he causes us to choose something, but rather that in His sovereignty and omniscience, He knows what choice we will make.

            When unexpected tragedies occur, I do not believe that they are a surprise to God. Because I believe that He knows all that will happen, I believe that He foreknew that my dad would die of a sudden heart attack, and for some reason that I may never understand, He allowed it to happen. I cringe when fellow believers throw scriptures like Romans 8:28 to me like miraculous Band-Aids claiming that all things happen for a reason, because I do not believe that God is trading a bad circumstance for a good outcome like a couple of baseball cards. However, as Scripture reveals and as the Great Tradition affirms, I have to believe that my God foreknows all that shall come to pass, including great tragedy."