Particular Providence and Divine Actions

This chapter draws on the logic of personal agency to cast light on one dimension of particular providence, namely, cases where God acts to bring good out of good and to bring good out of evil. It argues that certain special acts of God exhibit a certain purposiveness visible to the outsider as coincidences and interpreted by believers as divine actions. It argues that attention to the details of specific divine actions like the shocking stories in the introduction to the chapter helps us resolve the enigma of particular providence and its relation to human freedom.

Natural Hazards: from Plinius’ time to the Anthropocene

<p>Plinius (23-79 AD) is known worldwide as the author of the encyclopedic Naturalis Historia. He died in Stabiae while trying to rescue his family from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in European history that also destroyed the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. At that time, natural hazards were mostly seen as “acts of God(s)”. Instead, in today’s Anthropocene, extreme events coexist with two dichotomic (and rather simplistic) views: “disasters are natural” vs. “humans are to blame since they live in risky areas”. In this lecture, I present scientific and societal challenges associated with the increasing impact (from Plinius’ time to the Anthropocene) of humans on the spatial and temporal distribution of natural hazards. I also problematize and challenge myths, preconceptions and conventional wisdoms related with uncertainty, behavioral heuristics, expert vs. local knowledge, social power and inequalities. To this end, I review recent studies in various socioeconomic contexts, and across multiple hazards, with a focus on five events that have significantly influenced my research work: the 1963 Vajont Dam landslide, the 2004 flooding in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake, the water crisis (Day Zero) during the 2015-2017 drought in Cape Town and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

Drama Ilahi: Membaca Kronologi Wahyu Alquran

Kronologi wahyu adalah salah satu topik paling rumit dalam studi Alquran karena Alquran pada awal kemunculannya tidak berwujud mushaf yang tertata rapi, namun muncul dari rangkaian refleksi ‘tindakan Tuhan’ dalam latar kesejarahan tertentu manusia yang merespon beragam isu sosial keagamaan. Bertolak dari studi-studi terdahulu, artikel ini mengulas kronologi wahyu dengan menempatkan Alquran dalam konteks sejarah karir Nabi Muhammad. Studi ini mengambil penekanan yang berbeda dari teori kronologi yang ada yang utamanya bertumpu pada analisis gaya bahasa Alquran dalam kaitannya dengan psikologi Nabi, atau dari teori kronologi yang dibangun berdasarkan urutan (sequence) gagasan keagamaan. Dengan membaca ulang teori kronologi yang ada, studi ini berargumen bahwa upaya rekonstruksi kronologi wahyu harus didasarkan pada bangunan sejarah dialektika Alquran dengan audiens pertamanya. Studi ini melihat kronologi wahyu sebagai “drama ilahi” yang merefleksikan komunikasi dialektik antar berbagai aktor yang terangkum dalam teks yang kemudian diimani sebagai kalam Allah. Dengan demikian, studi ini menekankan bahwa dasar kronologi wahyu adalah rangkaian kejadian masa formasi Islam, sementara analisis terhadap gaya bahasa Alquran memainkan peran pendukung. The chronology of revelation is one of the most complicated topics in Qur’anic studies because the Qur’an at its initial emergence did not appear as a neatly arranged codex, but emerged from a series of reflections on the 'acts of God' in a particular setting of human history responding various socio-religious issues. Departing from some previous studies, this article examines the chronology of revelation by situating the Qur’an within the historical context of the Prophet Muhammad’s career. This study takes a different emphasis from existing chronological theories which primarily rely on the analysis of linguistic styles of the Qur’an in their relation to the psychology of the Prophet, or from those which are built on the order of religious ideas. By revisiting the existing chronological theories, this study argues that any effort to build a chronology of revelation must be based on the historical formation of the Qur’an’s dialectics with its first audience. This study sees the chronology of revelation as "divine drama" which reflects dialectical communication between various actors summarized in a text which is later believed to be the word of God. Thus, this study emphasizes that the basis of the chronology of revelation is a series of events during the formation of Islam whereas the analysis on the linguistic styles of the Qur’an plays a complementary role.

'Het is vol wondren om ons heen'. Over wonderen, wetenschap en wereldbeeld

How do miracles in the Christian tradition, such as the resurrection of Christ, relate to the methods, explanations, and ways of thinking that science and academic scholarship more generally pursue? Do the two conflict? What is the problem? This article explores seven possible obstacles and argues that none of them constitutes a serious challenge to believing both in miracles as specific acts of God and the value and validity of science. Rather, miracles constitute a challenge to an entirely naturalistic worldview.

“Acts of God” or Human Choices? An Ethical Reflection on “Natural” Disasters

The paper argues that, for the most part, disasters are not natural. Although natural hazards normally affect all residents of a geographical area, they are rarely affected to the same degree, given that social vulnerability is unequally distributed in most societies. Social vulnerability is causally related to the distribution of wealth, power, and social status in society, therefore, its distribution is a social justice issue. This paper also analyses the connections between climate change and the increased risk of climate disasters. Pope Francis’ “integral ecology” is proposed as a path to the future.

Redemption Applied

Union with Christ is a crucial theme for Reformed soteriology with far-reaching implications in numerous areas, including the theology of the covenant, the sacraments, eschatology, and the outworking of the doctrine of grace as justification and sanctification in Christ. Through engagement with scriptural exegesis and the refining of various catholic and characteristically Reformed elements, a Reformed doctrine of union with Christ has much to offer to the broader theological and ecclesial discussion. Rather than reducing salvation to simply a forensic act or a gradual transformation, the Reformed tradition holds together God’s forensic declaration with the Spirit’s indwelling, transformative work. Rather than approaching the various acts of God in salvation as temporal stages for human ascent to God, God’s electing action unfolding in justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification are ‘manifestations’ of union with Christ. Rather than reducing salvation to a purely vertical or purely horizontal affair, the Reformed hold together communion with God in Christ with covenantal, reconciled communion with others who are adopted into his household. This cluster of topics continues to generate considerable debate and development in contemporary biblical and theological circles, and promises to be an area for lively discussion for years to come.

Pleasure versus Virtue Ethics in The Light of Aristotelians and the Utilitarianism of John Stuart Mills and Jeremy Bentham

The question of the end of morality is certainly as old as moral speculation itself. It is this question that prompted Aristotle speculating on moral or character virtue. Moral question is properly a human question since only human beings are expected to act in a given way and are subject to praise and reward or blame and punishment. We should remember that also God and angels are expected to act in a given way, but that would, strictly speaking, be the subject of moral theology and revelation, since without revelation depending only on reason, we cannot examine the acts of God and angels in order to determine how they should act. In short, it is only human beings who can be judged to act morally or immorally if we depend only on human reason, without the support of revelation. In the whole work, Stuart Mills and Jeremy Bentham stick on happiness, though each differ in approaches. Consequentialists are after the greatest happiness of the greatest number, by advocating on the struggle to that which may make man happy and avoid evil by all means. Aristotle on his side is on eudaimonism, where man is found to be happy but moral happy. Happiness for Aristotle should be reasonable, morally good and means should be maintained. This research is analytical by nature, where both qualitative and analytical methods have been implemented throughout the work. The work has been successful though some challenges could not be avoided. Finally, in doing or acting, man should observe virtue; and this is always doing good and avoiding evil.