Freewill & Tares

My brain formed a new neuro-connection today. That's lingo for "I don't know jack about neuroscience." I was listening to a sermon in church on the parable of the wheat and the tares. Suddenly, a link materialized between this concept and Plantinga's Freewill Defense. I felt like John Nash, only without the psychosis.

My pastor made what I thought was a lucid and insightful application of this parable to the problem of evil. But I think it could go even further, yielding greater illumination -- that's where Plantinga comes in. In the parable, in order to eliminate evil prematurely, the land owner would have to damage the wheat. Similarly, in Plantinga's argument, the present eradication of evil requires the loss of our humanity, viz., our freedom of will. I'll have to explore this further at a later date.

My pastor also made a skillful association between this parable and St. Peter's second letter (2Peter 3:9). God tarries in bringing all things and all people to justice because he is waiting -- waiting for those who would still believe. Again, honoring what I consider to be an essential part of the imago dei -- freedom of the will.

Sorry about all that, Reformed friends.