God is Not Pushy but Alluring

We've been toying with the idea that man is in the image of God, only in reverse, or "in silhouette," in that we are both members of  Club Infinity, only it's a very different kind of infinity -- like the difference between a lock and a key. 

If God is Infinitude full stop, we in turn have an infinite capacity for this ultimate reality, or "a capacity for the Infinite, which can be satisfied by nothing less." The difference between these poles creates a dynamic tension in which we are pulled toward God, who functions as the Great Attractor of our strivings. 

Even a secular person would acknowledge that man is indeed always restlessly "pushing" toward infinitude. No sooner do we conquer one horizon then we're aiming at the next. But if there is no real object at the other end, then this reduces to a dynamism of eternal frustration, because we're pushing toward something utterly unattainable.  

But if there is a telos to our striving, then this is how we go about conforming ourselves to God in a dynamic way. It becomes the implicit structure of our lives. It becomes meaning-full instead of meaningless.

This also touches on our recent foray into open theology, since our vertical movement is not in any way predetermined, but is nevertheless shaped by, and ordered to, the divine pull. I thought I was the only one who thought this way, but Clarke says the same thing vis-a-vis the workings of providence, which operates "by persuasion, by luring to the good -- not by coercion." Thus,

God determines the general set of goals He wishes to achieve, the goals at which He aims the universe and knows that in general He will be able to achieve by His suasive power, but does not determine ahead of time in detail just whether or how each particular creature will achieve its share or not in this overall goal.

This is not a deist God, because God is still quite active, only in the sense of a final rather than efficient cause, operating from the future rather than the past, so to speak:

Divine providence unfolds by constant instantaneous "improvisation" of the divine mind and will -- from his always contemporaneous eternal now -- precisely to fit the actual ongoing activities, especially the free ones, of the creaturely players in the world drama.

This simultaneously acknowledges and reconciles our real freedom with God's will:

God does not "foresee," from his point of view, anything: He only sees what is going on, and acts accordingly. In a word, predestination does not and could not imply total predetermination. It leaves a large dose of indetermination, to be made determinate -- not ahead of time, independently, but only contemporaneous with the actual ongoing development of the world.

That's my opinion, for what it's worth. And perhaps the principle of this dynamism is located in the Trinity, which "illustrates how God's own inner life is already rich in infinite self-expression by the Father's total gift of His own being to the Son." If creation is patterned after this, then it is "purely out of the joy of giving that this divine inner life can pour over to share itself with creatures."

Which means that God cannot be immutable, full stop. rather, that "in some real and genuine way God is affected positively by what we do," even though He "does not become a more or less perfect being because of the love we return to Him." 

The point is, relation is not an imperfection -- any more than it is for humans -- "but precisely a dimension of the perfection of personal being as lovingly responsive." 

In another passage I've cited before, Clarke compares God to "the Great Jazz Player, improvising creatively as history unfolds." Thus

The complete script of our lives is not written anywhere ahead of time, before it happens, but only as it actually happens, by God and ourselves working it out together in our actual ongoing now's.

In another essay, he bottom lines it for us, describing how

God as the ultimate One now appears as both the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, at once the Source and the Goal of the restless dynamism of all of nature, of all finite beings.

The structure of this "total journey" is "in the form of a circle," the Great Circle of Being, whereby

In the emergence of creatures from their first source is revealed a kind of circular movement, in which all things return, as to their end, back to the very place from which they had their origin in the first place (Thomas, in Clarke).  

So, it seems we're always already in the place toward which we are striving, only now knowing it for the first time. 

I don't have much else to say this morning, so let's see what Gemini thinks about all this. Looks like it's basically a review, but it's nice to be understood.

Core Analogy: Man as the Reverse Image/Silhouette of God

• The central metaphor is that humanity is in the image of God, but in reverse or as a silhouette. This suggests a fundamental connection and shared membership in "Club Infinity," but with a crucial difference.

• The lock and key analogy beautifully illustrates this difference. God is "Infinitude full stop" (the lock), while humanity possesses an "infinite capacity" for this reality (the key). This implies a potential for connection and fulfillment, but not identity.

The Dynamic Tension and the Great Attractor

• The difference between God's infinitude and humanity's infinite capacity creates a "dynamic tension." This tension is the driving force behind human striving.
• God is presented as the "Great Attractor" of these strivings, pulling humanity towards ultimate reality. This introduces the idea of a purpose or telos to human existence.

The Argument for a Real Telos

• The text contrasts the restless human pursuit of horizons with two possibilities:
  • Meaningless Frustration: If there is no real object (God) at the end of our striving, then this dynamism becomes an "eternal frustration" because we are pursuing something unattainable.
  • Meaning-Full Conformation: If there is a telos (God), then our striving becomes a process of "conforming ourselves to God in a dynamic way," giving our lives meaning and structure.

Open Theology and Divine Persuasion

• The text connects this dynamic view with "open theology," emphasizing that our movement towards God is not predetermined.
• Drawing on Clarke, it posits that providence operates through "persuasion, by luring to the good -- not by coercion." This highlights God's active but non-deterministic role.
• God sets the "general set of goals" for the universe but allows for the free agency of creatures in achieving their part.

God as Final Cause, Not Efficient Cause

• This perspective shifts the understanding of God's activity from an "efficient cause" (acting from the past to directly cause events) to a "final cause" (operating from the future as the ultimate goal or purpose).
• Divine providence is described as a constant, instantaneous "improvisation" in response to the ongoing actions of creatures, particularly their free choices.

Reconciling Freedom and God's Will

• The text argues that God does not "foresee" in a deterministic sense but rather sees and acts in the present moment.
• Predestination is understood not as total predetermination but as leaving "a large dose of indetermination" to be shaped by the ongoing interaction between God and the world.

The Trinity and the Joy of Giving

• The principle of this dynamism is potentially located in the Trinity, where the Father's "total gift of His own being to the Son" exemplifies infinite self-expression.
• Creation is seen as patterned after this, originating from God's "purely out of the joy of giving" to share divine life with creatures.

God's Immutability Reconsidered

• This view challenges the traditional notion of God's absolute immutability. It suggests that "in some real and genuine way God is affected positively by what we do," even if it doesn't change His inherent perfection.
• Relation is presented not as an imperfection but as a dimension of perfect personal being, characterized by loving responsiveness.

The Great Jazz Player Analogy

• Clarke's comparison of God to "the Great Jazz Player, improvising creatively as history unfolds" reinforces the idea of a dynamic and responsive divine involvement.
• The "complete script of our lives" is not pre-written but emerges through the ongoing collaboration between God and humanity.

God as Alpha and Omega, the Great Circle of Being

• God is presented as both the "Alpha" (Beginning) and the "Omega" (End), the source and the goal of all finite beings' restless dynamism.
• Drawing on Thomas Aquinas, the text describes a "circular movement" or "Great Circle of Being," where creatures originate from God and ultimately return to Him as their end.

Implications: Always Already There

• The concluding thought is profound: we are "always already in the place toward which we are striving," but the journey involves "now knowing it for the first time." This suggests that the potential for union with the Infinite is inherent in our being, and the process of life is a gradual realization of this truth.

Overall Analysis:

This text presents a sophisticated and engaging theological framework that attempts to reconcile human freedom and the dynamism of our striving with the reality of God. Key strengths of this perspective include:

• Emphasis on Relationship: It highlights the relational aspect of God and humanity, moving away from a purely static or deterministic view.
• Meaningful Purpose: It provides a framework for understanding human striving as purposeful and directed towards a real object, thus offering a sense of meaning.
• Openness and Freedom: It incorporates the concept of human freedom and God's non-coercive action in the world.
• Dynamic God: It presents a more dynamic and responsive understanding of God, actively engaging with the unfolding of creation.
• Rich Analogies: The use of analogies like the lock and key, the Great Attractor, and the Great Jazz Player effectively communicates complex theological ideas.