Curious Christian

Reflections on culture, nature, and spirituality from a Christian perspective

A more natural way of thinking about the supernatural

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Matt Stone

2014-05-02

Some weeks ago I asked, is there anything more supernatural than love? This week I ask, what if we thought of the supernatural, not in terms of the anti-natural, but in terms of the meta-natural? For is not God more natural than nature, more universal than the universe? I think this is the deeper magic C S Lewis spoke of.

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2 responses to “A more natural way of thinking about the supernatural”

Gene Daniels

2014-05-08

One of the reasons you struggle with the idea of “supernatural” is that the term in which it is rooted, natural, is not a biblical concept. From a biblical worldview there is “creation” and there is “God,” not “natural” and “supernatural,” therefore, the distinction is false from a biblical point of view.
Everything in this creation is, directly or indirectly, related to a creative act of God. Angels and miracles are as much a part of creation as plants or birds.
“Seen” and “unseen” are perhaps better biblical categories. Or???

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Matt Stone

2014-05-11

Gene, have you seen Hiebert’s article on the Excluded Middle? It involves the distinctions of Creator and creation on one side and seen and unseen on the other, the exluded middle being the “unseen creation” that is neither divine nor material. I think its a good model, but since “supernatural” language still comes up in conversations a lot I’m experimenting with language designed to encourage reflection.

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