Divine Suitability

Not long ago the American scientist Lawrence Krauss (often to be seen on television) gave a lecture in Australia in which he proclaimed God to be entirely unnecessary.  The universe could come into existence without a cause because subatomic particles do so all the time - if only for a mere nanosecond or so.

An eighteenth century deist would most probably have to agree, but not a Christian, of the eighteenth century or otherwise.  For the latter, God is required at all times to keep the creation in existence. Indeed, should the Divine Mind wander for an instant, that would be the end of us, and of everything else as well.

As is often the case, the real problem lies not with the reality or otherwise of God, but with his intentions.  Why would he bother to cause the fleeting existence of subatomic particles at all?  Even for Christians this sort of thing is a great problem.  They often have very firm ideas of the way God should behave even while they accept his omnipotence.

Of course the Son of God could be born of a virgin. God should be able to do that, he brought genes and chromosomes into existence in the first place after all.  But should the Son of God be born of a virgin?  What about his complete humanity - wouldn't that be fatally compromised in the process?

Our doubts often arise not from what we believe to be possible, but from what we think to be suitable, which is hardly an objective standard.

In the nineteenth century a newly appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland found a Book of Common Prayer in the Chapel of Dublin Castle (missals came later!) with all the prayers of praise blacked out.  He asked the guards officer who used it why this was so, and was told that no gentleman wished to be praised to his face.

It's not always wise to second-guess God.  I wonder if that is really what Lawrence Krauss and those who think like him are trying to do.

[Originally published on my now-defunct blog Speculations and Certainties]