Did Katrina affect our understanding of God?
Did Katrina affect our understanding of God?
Psalm 46:1-6; Romans 8: 35-39
"One year ago, a vast coastline of towns and communities was virtually destroyed; one of America's great cities was submerged; and many lives were lost in one of the worst natural disasters in our Nation's history." That's what President Bush said in the first paragraph of his Remembrance Proclamation written for today.
But here's a question worth considering: "Did Hurricane Katrina affect our understanding of God?"
Let's explore that thought this weekend. Because national disasters have a way of testing and refining our understanding of God.
Psalm 46:1-6; Romans 8: 35-39
"One year ago, a vast coastline of towns and communities was virtually destroyed; one of America's great cities was submerged; and many lives were lost in one of the worst natural disasters in our Nation's history." That's what President Bush said in the first paragraph of his Remembrance Proclamation written for today.
But here's a question worth considering: "Did Hurricane Katrina affect our understanding of God?"
Let's explore that thought this weekend. Because national disasters have a way of testing and refining our understanding of God.
Technorati Tags : Katrina, Hurricane+Katrina
It didn't effect my understanding much at all. Why would it?
Posted by: Joseph | Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 06:43 PM
A faith that remains precisely the same, over time, is a faith untested.
MB
Posted by: Mark | Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 07:22 PM
Interesting thought, especially since we are looking forward to Ernesto on Thursday.
Posted by: David | Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 09:59 PM
Ok. How do you think my view of God should be effected by Katrina? How was your view of God effected? When one starts out with a Calvinist high view of God as I do with my beliefs about his sovereignty, holiness, and righteousness, why should I be shocked by a hurricane and its devestating effects? Why would this shock me anymore than the holocaust or 9-11?
Posted by: Joseph | Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 11:03 PM
Not every one has such strong convictions as you do.
The average church attender has an untested (embedded) theology that has been passed along to them by a number of sources(maybe by family, maybe by friends, etc.). And crises (death, illness, disasters) have a way of testing, stretching and growing an otherwise unexamined faith.
Many walk away from a crisis with an entirely different view of God. In some cases they reject God altogether, in other cases their understanding of God emerges altogether different.
Why?
Because before the crisis they hadn't given their theological assumptions much thought.
pax,
mb
Posted by: Mark Bushor | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 09:17 AM
I wonder why it is that the total depravity of man's sin and the incredible grace of God doesn't seem to effect these folks as much as a hurricane.
Posted by: Joseph | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at 09:39 PM