God’s Absence?

As Christians we are taught much about the presence of God in creation and in our lives. Less is said about God’s absence in creation. Justo L. González ([Creation] The Apple of God’s Eye) digs into both God’s presence and God’s absence. There is much that we could discuss in these two short chapters, but here I will highlight only two points.

First, God’s presence in creation is exemplified most significantly in his role in history. Our faith is anchored in history, a progression of events in time and space. God acts in history, through and in relationship with imperfect people, to achieve his desired end. Process is an important part of creation. From the beginning (Genesis 1:26-28) humans were intended to be fruitful and multiply, to tend and “subdue” creation. Unlike the gods of the ancient Near East (and other places) our God is not the answer…