The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-02-08
IS GOD OMNIPOTENTP

We find much that is appealing
in the new theology that is max
ing such Roadway in England. It's
objection to ecclesiastical labels:
its belief in the essential oneness
of God and man, sharply differ
entiating from the Unitarian the
DRY which makes a great gulf be-
tween God and man; its refusal
to admit any essential distinc-
ton between humanity and the
Deity; its insistence that all men
are divine, although in a lesser
degree than Jesus Christ: it's
treatment of the Bible as Iitera-
ture, "a unique record of religious
experience" instead of as a
fount of dogma; it's rejection of
the common Interpretation of
atonement, which makes one suf-
fer for another's fault; and, final
", its basing belief in the immor-
tally of the soul only on the
ground that every individual con-
seriousness is a ray Of the univer-
sal consciousness and cannot be
destrOyed-all these are tenets of
our own faith.
But one basic principle of the
old theology retained bv the new
we must reject absolutely. We do
not believe that God is omnipo-
tent. 70 our mind, the name or
word, Cod" stands for the inf
mite reality which is the source
of all things, but is itself still in
process of fulfilment, in a manner
which is suggestively adumbrated
in the evolution of humanity. The
insistence of all sects that God
really is all-powerfuI has done
more to retard the progress of
true religion, to create doubts
and misgivings and to check moral
and spiritual development than
all other false teachings combined.
How many thousands, perhaps
millions, have been driven from
the church, from ideals, from up
lifting to down-bearing associa-
tons, by the hideous picture of
such a Being threatening to visit
eternal punishment uDon all who
do not visibly fear and tremble be-
fore Him, instead of letting them
live their lives with such clear
conscience as they might, manful-
ly willin" to abide the conse-
quences Of a fair balancing of
their good and evil deeds-as
WORTH creatures of a noble
Maker! How many sincere be-
liefs have been shattered and how
many ~vre hearts have been
broken by instances seeming to
rrove tha+ Sc 10 is omnipotent,
He must be indeed-a Jealous God,
revelling in practices want014y
cruel! What answer, other than
the futile expression of inability
to fathOm the inscruSable ways of
Providence, has ever been, or
ever can be, made to the infiders
pertinent query, If your God be
all-pOwerful and true and kind,
why does He permit sin and suf-
fering to sadden countless gener-
atoms of His children who wish
to revere and love Him? What
possible motive can induce service
Of such a God exceDt the very
cOwardice and fear which must
be in His own eyes the most con-
attributes of human
kind?
How quickly. on the other hand,
Ire all doubts dissolved, how read
ly are all questions answered,
when once admission is made that,
acking complete potency, He, too,
s striving against the forces of
vii, and that He seeks the coop
grafton of His children instead
If demanding their abasement!
What inspiration in the call of
iuch a God-Of a partly human
Tod to his partly divine children
as contrasted with the irresist-
BILE despair attending the hate
nj threats of a God whom we
AVE been taught, not to love, but
. eoo"-lest we perish George
Farrey in The North american
perieic for February 1St.