UNIT FIVE INTRODUCTION
PROVIDENCE AND EVIL
This unit will engage the topics of providence and evil. Why is there suffering in the world, especially if we confess a good God who made the world for us to live in? Is God too weak to overcome the forces of evil today? What does it mean to say that God is in control of thingsthat God is Sovereign? Does Gods control eliminate human freedom? These and other questions will occupy us in this unit.
UNIT FIVE OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. Discuss the problem of the existence of God and the existence of evil.
2. Interpret biblical responses to the problem of suffering/evil.
3. Compare/contrast the various theories as to why evil exists.
4. Explain the meaning of the sovereignty and providence of God.
5. Examine the doctrine of providence in the theology of John Calvin.
6. Relate the doctrine of healing to the problem of evil.
UNIT FIVE RESOURCES
? Textbook: Faith Seeking Understanding. (An intro to Christian Theology, 3rd edition, 2014)
? Textbook: Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. (Christopher A. Hall, 2002)
? Media Clip: Chrysostom and Providence https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo- 250-systematic-theology-1/video/105968757
? 5.1a PowerPoint: Providence and the Problem of Evil
? 5.1b PDF: Divine Foreknowledge by Boyd
? 5.1c PowerPoint: Problem of Evil
? 5.1d PowerPoint: Calvin on Providence
? 5.1e PDF: Divine Healing by Cross
? 5.3a Word: Core Questions
? 5.4a Word: Exam 2 Study Guide
? Course Resources: Calvin Institutes
? Course Resources: Calvin Analysis Paper Guidelines
The Problem of Evil Narrated PowerPoint
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UNIT FIVE ASSIGNMENTS
5.1 TEXT/MEDIA: TEXTBOOKS; POWERPOINTS; MEDIA CLIP; PDFS
INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT
The assignments in this unit will challenge your thinking in many ways. They are meant to do that. It is in this unit that much of what we have been discussing theologically becomes relevant existentially. Why do children suffer? Why does famine strike a country in Africa without easy remedy? Why do humans get sick?
Please remember when going through this material that other Christians have tried to resolve these issues before you. While none have been entirely satisfactory (as evidenced by the fact that these questions still rumble throughout the thinking world), each has attempted to be faithful to God and to the experience of evil that we all admit.
Upon completion of this assignment you should be able to:
? Discuss the problem of the existence of God and the existence of evil.
? Interpret biblical responses to the problem of suffering/evil.
? Compare/contrast the various theories as to why evil exists.
? Explain the meaning of the sovereignty and providence of God.
? Examine the doctrine of providence in the theology of John Calvin.
? Relate the doctrine of healing to the problem of evil.
RESOURCES
? Textbook: Faith Seeking Understanding. (An intro to Christian Theology, 3rd edition, 2014)
? Textbook: Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. (Christopher A. Hall, 2002)
? Media Clip: Chrysostom and Providence https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo- 250-systematic-theology-1/video/105968757
? 5.1a PowerPoint: Biblical and Theological Responses to Evil
? 5.1b PDF: Divine Foreknowledge by Boyd
? 5.1c PowerPoint: Problem of Evil
? 5.1d PowerPoint: Calvin on Providence
? 5.1e PDF: Divine Healing by Cross
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
None
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read Faith Seeing Understanding, Chapter 6.
2. Read Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, Chapter 7.
3. Read the PDFs.
4. Watch Chrysostom and Providence.
5. Study the PowerPoints.
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5.5 COURSE PROJECT: CALVIN ANALYSIS PAPER
INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT
This is the next step in your continued work toward the final Course Project.
Upon completion of this assignment you should be able to:
? Analyze a theological argument of a major theologian.
? Evaluate a theological argument of a major theologian.
? Write a coherent statement of summary of a theologians argument.
RESOURCES
? Course Resources: Calvin Institutes
? Course Resources: Calvin Analysis Paper Guidelines
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
None
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Choose one of the several arguments in Chapter 17, sections 1-5 to be the focus of your Analysis paper.
2. Begin to take apart or analyze the respective parts of the argument you have chosen.
3. Be able to summarize the flow of the argument in your own words.
4. Examine how the argument fits. Are there problems? Look at the questions on the guidelines sheet and see if these help you advance the analysis.
5. Prepare the Word document Analysis.
