But this "closure" business: I am pretty sure there is none to be had! First of all, there is no "certainty" in a contingent world. Secondly, and of vastly greater importance, is the seeming fact that religion and theology address precisely those questions that must ever remain "open"
Only because they remain imperfect. Certainty is very much present in the contingent world: our intelligence and knowledge and perceptive abilities are finite; they may be greatly advanced, but still finite; in other words: finality is our certainty.
I am a devoted student of Eric Voegelin, who says that truth is never a final possession of mankind
My point exactly. Which is why we can only "approach" God by denial; we "know" what God is not more than what He is.
By asserting cataphatic (positive) statements of God, we find complimentary descriptions as open-ended approximations and not as facts.
All complementarity really says is although you can know the state of two apparently mutually-exclusive things that together form a system, you cannot know them both at one and the same time
That shows our finite intellect and knowledge. But even the two models which are "mutually exclusive" are that way only in our limited brains. This is where the spiritual and not noëtic approach takes over in the ascent to God.
I do disagree with you here, kosta!!! Just because we can't see the whole ball of wax entire, doesn't mean we can't know anything about the whole ball of wax
I say that we know nothing of what heaven is like. We know nothing outside of basic astronomical facts. We know not the worlds that exist nor will we ever know them in life on earth.
The only way we can talk about God is through anthropomorphism and spiritual "revelations" that are almost impossible to narrate.
And I imagine that what and how we think is amazingly consequential to the unfoldment of divine reality
I don't think so. That would make us essential elements in God's plan. Our rejection of God only hurts us, not God's plan. God is impartial, perfect Judge.
It would take a book to explain that. But then, my very dear friend Alamo-Girl and I are working on one, working title: "God and the Observer problem." God willing, we'll finish it some day Thanks again on your correspondence.
Well, hurry up and both of you autograph one for me! :)
Definitely agreed, kosta50!
I wrote: "And I imagine that what and how we think is amazingly consequential to the unfoldment of divine reality."
And you replied: "I don't think so. That would make us essential elements in God's plan. Our rejection of God only hurts us, not God's plan. God is impartial, perfect Judge."
Forgive me if I continue to think that human beings are critically important (in a way I admit is inscrutible to me) to God's plan for Creation. Were that not so, God would not have made humans "stewards" of all Creation; and when man fell, the Creation would not have fallen with him. FWIW.