21st Annual Student Research Conference
Charles Hartshorne's Reclamation of Divine Omnipotence: Understanding God's Power, Human Freedom, and Cosmic Love
Bradley H. Smith
Dr. Jennifer Jesse , Faculty Mentor
Omnipotence is the classical doctrine of Christian theology which asserts that God is all-powerful and thus in control of all events in human history. Natural disasters and human evils, then, pose a serious threat to belief in this God as fundamentally loving and good. Charles Hartshorne was an influential theologian who sought to redefine the power of God so as to simultaneously affirm the power and love of God in a way that is both philosophically responsible and faithful to the Christian tradition. The result of this is Process Theology and its fascinating assertion that God's power is fundamentally persuasive rather than determinative. With this understanding of God, the aforementioned "problem of evil" is resolved and the Christian believer is left with an even deeper understanding of her responsibility to live and love in accordance with the Divine purpose.
Keywords: theology, philosophy, logic, love, God, evil, power, freedom
Topic(s):Philosophy & Religion
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 23-4
Location: VH 1212
Time: 10:30