Village Shepherd

Today we celebrate Epiphany, the time when the Wise Men, astrologers, Magi, kings -- call them what you will -- arrived at the stable in Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of the new prince and to worship at the manger.

Only in light of the events of this last week, the world may wonder just how wise these men were. A prince born to save the world? Sent by a God of love? Or God himself in human form come to save the world?

The death toll in the region of the Indian Ocean from the tsunami is already around 100,000 people, both Westerners on holiday and indigenous people. The tsunami was no respecter of persons and struck in arguably the most beautiful corner of our world. Not much "saving" there.

This event must cause us to review our understanding of God, for it challenges our Christian beliefs at the very deepest level. After an event like this we can no longer with integrity believe in the God we were taught about as children in Sunday School. If we are to continue to believe in a God at all -- and most of society would laugh even at the concept -- then we have to theologically address the issues which the tsunami has raised and begin to face the challenge to our dearly held beliefs.

If God is omnipotent and omnipresent -- all-powerful and everywhere -- how could God allow an event like this to happen? For once, we cannot use the argument of free will. We are unable to claim that human beings have free will and so make choices which may result in disasters, for this event had nothing whatsoever to do with human choices. It was not a result of global warming, but was the result of movement of the tectonic plates at the bottom of the ocean. We human beings have no control at all over movement of the tectonic plates. We can neither move them nor prevent their movement.

So where was God? Why wasn't God acting on our behalf? If the plates had to move, why couldn't God engineer a series of smaller movements which would have prevented the wholescale devastation which has unfolded before our eyes this week?

It seems apparent that God is not omnipotent, at least not omnipotent in that way. It seems clear that God cannot or will not control the forces of nature. The insurance companies will undoubtedly claim that this was an "act of God," but that is merely a ruse to prevent paying out vast sums of money in compensation. Surely few people today would seriously believe that this was an act of God, that a God of love could treat his people in such a way. That explanation won't do.

So is there a God at all, or do we just worship a comfortable idea, an idea which enables us to avoid uncomfortable questions like the thought of our own mortality?

Perhaps it is true to say that God created the universe. Perhaps in some way some vast form of intelligent energy enabled the Big Bang which initiated life in our universe. Perhaps too that intelligent energy -- God -- set in motion certain natural laws to govern the universe, but is himself governed by those natural laws just as we are governed by them.

That sort of a God has laid aside his omnipotence and in humility is governed by nature just as we are and also is able to suffer just as we suffer. That sort of a God has taken on the constraints and pains of humanity for himself, which brings us back to the babe in the manger at Christmas. It is entirely feasible that a God like this could be born into humanity just as we are born into humanity.

It is also entirely feasible that such a God would be part of human beings, would form their inner core if they allowed him to do so. Such a God can guide, and yes, to some extent can guard human beings. Who knows how many of those tragic people on those beautiful beaches received a tiny inner nudge to move from the beach? Who knows how many of those who were saved responded to something of which they were barely even aware?Who knows how many scientists and governments have received nudges to give more to the areas of poverty in India and Sri Lanka and Thailand and Indonesia so that their infrastructure could be more robust?

Hundreds of thousands of people have died in the worst tragedy so far this century, but perhaps their deaths may not be completely in vain. Perhaps as a result of this, scientists the world over will work together to improve the early warning systems of such disasters. Perhaps governments (which are elected by the people and so are our responsibility) will work together to ensure that the worst poverty in our world is eradicated and homes in vulnerable areas are built to withstand such huge natural forces.

And perhaps the Christian Church will work at teaching people to experience the God within, the God who can order and guide and guard if only human beings will learn to tune into him. It's time we in the Church grew up and became of age. We can no longer rest content by simply repeating the stories of a bygone age. As Christians we must either face the challenge of a God who is real in our age, or die. For unless we have the courage to grapple with the theology of a tsunami, that is what will surely happen.

We do have a God and that God is real. But let us no longer pretend that he is a God in the sky like some benevolent dictator who can wave a magic wand and set the world to rights. He isn't. God is only real when he is experienced by human beings in the inner core of their being. But when God is fully experienced in that way, who knows what he can achieve? Look again at the baby in the manger, for he grew up to show us what God can achieve when he is fully experienced in the core of a human being. We too can grow up to be like Jesus, with the God within filling our inner being. So even in the aftermath of a tsunami, let us cling onto our God and let us too be wise men and worship at the manger.