God and the Hurricane

Immediately following every natural disaster people begin to ask, "Where was God in all of this?" Atheists immediately jump in and say that this is simply more proof that the Almighty is a figment of our imaginations. In response, some tepid theologians will say that God's power and omniscience are limited, and that Sandy wasn't under the purview of divine providence. As a Christian holds to the Westminster Confession of Faith, I not only believe in God but believe that , "God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass" (WCF, III, 1). In other words I, like the authors of the Westminster Confession  of Faith, believe that God was in the hurricane.

Before we scoff at what the divines had to say about God's providence, let's keep two things in mind. First, they wrote during a time in which there was vastly more "natural evil" than our own. They had to deal with horrendous infant mortality rates and plagues that could claim millions of lives. Moreover, they could not predict phenomena like hurricanes. As Sandy slammed onto the Jersey Shore about a hundred miles from where I live, I imagined what it must have been like for the first settlers of the New World, where hurricanes appeared randomly offshore without warning, leaving settlers with little time to find safety. So, let's remember that the authors of the Confession probably suffered far more horrendous instances of "natural evil "than us. We can't really say that they were naïve, middle-class Westerners who don't mean the true meaning of suffering when they penned that bit about God's sovereignty.

Secondly, let's bear in mind that denying God's total sovereignty really isn't helpful. If God does not exist, then Sandy was just something the universe does. There's no meaning or comfort in the midst of it. We just live in the middle of a really bad world where scores of people's lives are extinguished into annihilation without purpose. A god who isn't all-powerful or all-knowing, and thus could not have foreknown and controlled Sandy, is no less disconcerting. Is it really a comfortable thought to think that the entire universe - which is vastly more complicated than a hurricane - is run by a being who is really just a bigger version of ourselves? If God can't control a hurricane, what hope do we have that he can control the complex web of human relations in the world, which are often more unpredictable than a storm front? A god who is not totally sovereign over a hurricane makes for an incompetent manager universe in all its vast complexity. That is hardly a consoling thought.

So how do I reconcile my belief in a completely sovereign God with the terrors of Hurricane Sandy? First, I bear in mind something that isn't PC enough to usually enter into these kinds of discussions; the human condition. I don't just accept theism, I accept Christian theism and all that entails. I believe that humans, to a man, have chosen to pursue their own autonomy instead of God. Mankind has said to God, "We'll order our own lives thank-you very much! Please leave us alone!" And often God allows just that to happen. The Bible constantly speaks of God maintaining order over chaos, which, incidentally, is often typified as "the sea" or "the flood." In Genesis 1 God's Spirit brings order to the primeval, chaotic waters that, according to the narrative, comprised the world at creation. I believe that what happens in moments like a hurricane is that God gives us a glimpse of a what the world would be like if we really had our way and we could banish God from the world, or at least make him stand aloof above it. God unleashes chaos on us so that our ingratitude towards his ordering power is revealed. We cannot, on the one hand, demand that God relinquish his sovereignty over how we use money, sex, power, or even our own God-given abilities, and on the other hand demand to know why he hasn't been sovereign over the storm. Either we invite God to be our Lord or we don't, but in the latter case we best be prepared to accept the consequences.

Now, someone might interject here and say that God is Love, and if God were Love, then wouldn't he shower blessings on us despite the fact that we scorn him? But I think this would be the very opposite of love. If a parent spoils a disobedient child we don't think of that parent as loving. We'd hardly commend someone for good parenting who allows their five year old to throw tantrums and lob its toys at people. Similarly, God does not make a world that is not right a nice place to live in. God permits the chaos in the world to persist in order to give us a sense that a world full of people who pursue their own self-interest is horribly broken. Yet, in that instance of judgment, there is also grace. In times of disaster God gives us an opportunity to renounce our selfish, autonomous ways and help others in love. Ultimately, natural disasters cast a light onto the character of our own souls rather than the character of God.

Four Kinds of American Christianity

I have noticed four common strains of Christianity in America, each of which are defined by a particular emphasis. Interestingly, these strains cut across confessional and denominational boundaries. In my denomination (the PCA), all except the first are present, though in some corners there are moralizing tendencies due to the broadly Evangelical character of some PCA churches. This is because these four dispositions arise out of a uniquely modern experience (if not a uniquely American experience!) and are not fully addressed by any creedal or confessional statement. All could point to portions of creedal and confessional statements that support their disposition. Hence, it is important to understand that these are not doctrinal  differences but cultural differences.

Moral - This kind of Christianity emphasizes rectitude of living. It views the essence of Christianity as the creation of a people who conform to a certain moral standard, specifically the one given in the Bible.  It is not necessarily moralistic (at least in theory), but it does tend to be intolerant of moral mediocrity. It is morally rigorous - it views things like alcohol, smoking, dancing (except square-dancing), and non-Christian movies and TV as morally questionable if not immoral. High on its agenda is the purity of the Church and national moral renewal. Thus, it is a vocal opponent of things such as homosexuality, abortion, feminism, secularism, pluralism, and public displays of sexuality.

Doctrinal - Doctrinalists emphasize rectitude of doctrine. It views the essence of Christianity as believing and trusting in the right teachings. It is typically less stringent on some moral issues (such as drinking, smoking, and media), but does not tolerate doctrinal impurity. This rigor extends beyond essential , catholic doctrines to debates over egalitarianism vs. complementarianism, infralapsarianism vs. supralapsarianism, transformationalist  vs. two kingdom. The end of the Christian faith is to create a people who have a biblical worldview. Therefore, they tend to emphasize the intellectual and the didactic. Rectitude of doctrine is believed to show rectitude of heart; those who are doctrinally faulty are believed to be rebellious against God's word.

Emotional - Emotional Christianity emphasizes emotional experience. It views the essence of Christianity as the experience of spiritual highs that are therapeutic and calming. These spiritual experiences are gained through worship, prayer, Bible reading, and small groups. They heal a broken person that is suffering from low self-esteem, anxiety, sinful habits, and suffering. It is not rigorous on doctrine or moral behavior, but rather emphasizes sincerity of heart. What matters is whether or not a person is authentic. The end of the Christian faith is to put Christians in a personal relationship with their Friend, Jesus, who heals their woes.

Aesthetic  - Aesthetic Christians emphasize the vision of Christianity. The essence of Christianity is its narrative which gives meaning, hope, and spiritual transformation to the Church and the world. It focuses on the affections of a person. Christianity is about desiring the right thing (God) which is achieved through spiritual discipline and the means of grace. Since they emphasize the aesthetic and the beautiful, they tend have liturgical services and tend to be culturally sophisticated. Aesthetic Christians disavow the kitsch, the sterile, and the superficial. They tend to The end of the Christian faith is to make a people who desire God to participate in his vision for the world.