When the Homily is about Immunology

God is Illogical

Yep...I mean it and I'm not taking it back (sticking out my proverbial tongue at western rationalistic christianity). We have been having this discussion on our Orthodox Convert Group "Metanoia" with a self-proclaimed Calvinist which seems to keep getting redirected toward the concept of God being perfectly reasonable and logical.

This has made me think alot, because a few years ago I would have been right there with the Calvinist slamming my fist on a stack of logic books and insisting that the biblical proclamation that "God is Love" might just as well also say that "God is Logic".

What is Logic and Reason? We seem to really rely on it alot and sometimes the way we talk we almost have to say "God is Logic" because otherwise we subject the Almighty to something outside Himself. We expect God NOT to act outside the realm of logic and reason...oh uh, to me now this sounds dangerous. Ask Job.

Then, trying to maintain the solidity of western rationalism and our Theism together, we invent new words like "supralogic." Saying that God's miracles, mysteries, and paradoxes are not illogical but rather just exist above or beyond our logic. What the hell does that mean? There is a logic that appears illogical but is simply on a higher plane of logic? I think we are just using doubletalk because we - like the world - have come to accept that illogical=false and untrue.

Everyday, doctors (both mental and physical) tell us what is and is not normal. But, we ought to consider the study subjects: US; you and me - fallen humanity. They have even gone so far as to tell us that death is NORMAL! Furthermore, consider the environment - also fallen.

And so we hold up logic and reason as scales by which to judge reality and normalcy. But logic and reason arise from where? God? I don't think so...it arises from US; you and me - fallen humanity. And it is based on the observations of an environment we know to be fallen and unredeemed. What are we to make of this?

I suspect and assert that logic and reason are ways we are able to keep God in a box, like a pet. We manage Him from the seat of logic thereby assuming what God can and cannot do...from this perspective and relationship we are able to deal with God. We can even secure our salvation by signing on the dotted line. Neat and clean like a perfectly logical business transaction.

Nothing is inherently wrong with Logic, I just think we cannot expect God to abide by what WE perceive to be real when most of us have not yet awakened to the reality of our own existance. Revelation ought to shock and astound, perhaps even perplex. Wonderment!

Is God illogical? You bet...but I'd want it no other way.