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ETE_The_Birth_Of Amipotence_042_1.0

ETE_The_Birth_Of Amipotence_042_1.0

FromEchoes Through Eternity with Dr. Jeffery Skinner


ETE_The_Birth_Of Amipotence_042_1.0

FromEchoes Through Eternity with Dr. Jeffery Skinner

ratings:
Length:
53 minutes
Released:
May 2, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Dr. Thomas Jay Oord decalres "Omnipotence is dead.He continues "At least it should be. It has no biblical support. And it dies a death of a thousand qualifications in philosophy."Tom has a heart for those who struggle with a God who supposedly loves them but "allows", "permits" or even "causes" (according to come theological traditions) chaos to reign. Tom has spent over a decade contemplating and researching the Biblical truths behind this assertion.He doesn't allow people to "cheat" when it comes to the problem of evil by simply appealing to the mystery of God. While Oord is comfortable with mystery, he feels failing to grapple and deeply reflect on what tragedies like rape, murder, cancer, and unnecessary, seemingly random suffering in general happens to good people and the opposite; why do good things happen to bad people.Oord distinguishes between two types of mystery. Those related to God's nature such as the trinity, omnipresence, transcendence and imminence, and other things related to the mysteries of God, but he resists those who use mystery as an excuse to the hard work of contemplating God. The mystics are certainly comfortable with the mysterious ways of God, but they use that mystery to draw them into relationship with God. They use the mystery as an invitation to God to indwell every part of their nature and for them to indwell His.You may disagree with Tom's assertion. Perhaps a God who is not "in Control" seems impotent to you? Tom does not requre tacit agreement. He simply invites the reader on a quest for truth and to anlayze their assumptions about God's power. It has been incredibly healing for some, while it remains frighteneing or perhaps even angers some. That is okay. God is incredible patient s he lovingly works to reveal himself to us. If in the end you find Toms theological theory of Amipotence wanting, you are strill loved by Tom and the rest of creation.Tom continues from his introduction to His Book, "The Death of Omnipotence." "Those harmed and hurting wonder why an omnipotent God doesn't prevent their pointless pain. The problem of evil buries omnipotence six feet under.But the death of omnipotence is not the death of God.In this ground-breaking book, best-selling and award-winning author Thomas Jay Oord explains why omnipotence should be rejected. But Oord offers a replacement: amipotence, the power of uncontrolling love.If we think love shapes and guides God's power, we make better sense of life. And better sense of the Bible. Amipotence explains why God doesn't prevent genuine evil and overcomes other obstacles to belief. An amipotent Spirit empowers all that is loving, true, beautiful, and good.No book makes a bolder but more needed argument for why God is not all-powerful. Those who care about love, scripture, and logic find what they've been looking for." Buy the book today!"At the conclusion of The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence, I address the question. It comes when I discuss amipotence, which is the power of God's uncontrolling love. Amipotence says that life is a divine gift, but it’s a gift God necessarily gives. An amipotent God, among whose attributes love comes first, must give freedom, agency, self-organization, and integrity to all creation, depending on their complexity. God cannot fail to provide, withdraw, or override the gifts given. God loves necessarily. The Spirit gives gifts not because some outside force, law, or factor forces this giving. God gives gifts because love gives gifts. Because God’s eternal and immutable nature is self-giving and others-empowering love, the Spirit must give integrity, self-organization, agency, and freedom to creatures and creation. This drastically changes how believers think about divine power. (For the remainder of the essay, see this link.)
Released:
May 2, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (63)

This podcast is about missional church planting and leadership development. We teach Church Planting principles & interview Christian leaders from around the world and allow them to tell their story.