Autor: Ormerod, Neil

Buch: Creation, Grace, and Redemption

Titel: Creation, Grace, and Redemption

Stichwort: Schöpfung, Modell: Dualismus; aber: moralischer Dualismus

Kurzinhalt: This position posits two distinct but opposed creative forces: one good, God; the other evil, usually depicted as Satan or the devil. The beauty of this approach is that it provides a direct and simple theoretical solution to the problem of evil.

Textausschnitt: DUALIST ACCOUNTS OF CREATION

8c Perhaps the notion of creation that most captures the popular imagination is dualism. This position posits two distinct but opposed creative forces: one good, God; the other evil, usually depicted as Satan or the devil. The beauty of this approach is that it provides a direct and simple theoretical solution to the problem of evil. The fact of evil is traced back not to the creative act of God but to the malevolent act of the anti-God figure of Satan. In this schema, God is the creator of spiritual realities while Satan is the creator of material realities. Spirit (reason, intellect, will) is good; matter (body, sexuality, feeling, etc.) is bad. This approach has many historical manifestations such as Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Catharism, and some forms of Gnosticism. Overall, Christianity rejects this type of ontological dualism, while maintaining a moral dualism, that is, the objective distinction between good and evil actions and decisions. Nonetheless, some Christian heterodox sects such as the Cathars and some popular forms of Christian belief tend to fall over into an ontological dualism.1
9a In rejecting ontological dualism, Christian belief asserts the sovereign power of God over all creation, including evil spirits. It rejects any notion that creation is evenly poised between forces of good and evil. The ultimate source of all that exists is the divine will, God's love and wisdom. Because of this we can have ultimate confidence in the triumph of good over evil. However, it does raise questions of theodicy, or justifying God in the face of evil, which we consider later. (Fs)

9b Dualism remains common in popular discourse. Whenever someone or something is labeled "pure evil," then a dualistic mind-set is evident. Such language is sometimes used in political rhetoric, for example, in speaking of terrorists. In Christian belief there is no such thing as pure evil. It is self-contradictory to think of pure evil, since everything that exists, inasmuch as it exist, has some goodness. Again, this will be explored further when we raise questions of theodicy. (Fs)