Angels, Mysteries, and Miracles

Book excerpt: There is a tendency among modern Christians to avoid comment on the idea of miracles or mysterious events that might indicate the direct intervention of God. There is an even more pronounced belief that modern liberal or progressive Christians will avoid these ideas. A God who is distant, the source of everything, is acceptable, but the idea of supernatural activity is embarrassing at best. There is virtually no room for theological discussions of angels, demons, and paranormal experiences. Bruce Epperly is a process theologian and a leading thinker in progressive Christian theology, and he believes we need to take another look at God and God’s involvement in the universe in which we live. Rather than finding ways to defend the intrusive interventions of a distant, supernatural God in the traditional sense of the word “miracle,” Bruce sees God as closer; so close, in fact, that God is part of all events. God providentially acts in all things, not in terms of outside intervention, but through ongoing natural interactions that change our lives and the world. Join Dr. Bruce Epperly as he explores a world of wonders in which is God uncomfortably and comfortingly, subtly and actively present.