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Jan 4, 2022 · Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66: ...
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- Overview
- Basic forms of providence
- Etymological history of the term
providence, the quality in divinity on which humankind bases the belief in a benevolent intervention in human affairs and the affairs of the world. The forms that this belief takes differ, depending on the context of the religion and the culture in which they function.
In one view, the concept of providence, divine care of human beings and the universe, can be called the religious answer to human beings’ need to know that they matter, that they are cared for, or even that they are threatened, for in this view all religions are centred on human beings, who are both individually and collectively in constant need of reassurance that they are not insignificant in an indifferent world. If one cannot be comforted, to be threatened is better than to be alone in an empty void of nothingness. In answer to such a universe, religions must offer a coherent view of a divine, transcendent, or supernatural presence or order and a similarly intelligible account of the world and of humankind. They must also afford humans and their physical or psychical well-being, or both, a prominent place within such a worldview. Thus, in all religions, divine providence or its equivalent is an element of some importance.
Basically, there are two possible forms of belief in providence. The first is belief in more or less divine beings that are responsible for the world generally and for the welfare of humans specifically. Although omnipotence as an attribute of gods is rare, it is true that, as a rule, gods and other divine beings have considerable power not only over human destiny but also over nature. The gods take care of the world and of humankind, and their intentions toward humans are normally positive. The capriciousness and arbitrariness of the gods of paganism exist for the most part only in the imagination of those Christian theologians who attempted to denigrate the pagan religions. Gods and humans are generally connected into one community by reciprocal duties and privileges. The belief in evil spirits does not contradict this belief in providence but, on the contrary, strengthens it, just as in Christianity the belief in Satan might serve to strengthen the belief in God.
The second form consists of belief in a cosmic order in which human welfare has its appointed place. This order is usually conceived as a divine order that is well intentioned toward human beings and is working for their well-being as long as they are willing to insert themselves into it, to follow it willingly, and not to upset it by perversion or rebellion. The firmness of the order, however, may become inexorable and thus lead to fatalism, the belief in an impersonal destiny against which human agency is powerless. In that case a clash between the concepts of providence and fatalism is inevitable. In most religions, however, both views are combined in some way.
The English word providence is derived from the Latin term providentia, which primarily means foresight or foreknowledge but also forethought and providence in the religious sense; thus, Cicero used the phrase the “providence of the gods” (deorum providentia). The Stoic philosophers thoroughly discussed the significance of the term providence, and some of them wrote treatises on the subject. A hymn to Zeus written about 300 bce by Cleanthes, a Greek poet and philosopher, is a glorification of the god as a benevolent and foreseeing ruler of the world and of humankind. According to Cleanthes, God has planned the world in accordance with this providence:
For thee this whole vast cosmos, wheeling round
The earth, obeys, and where thou leadest
It follows, ruled willingly by thee.
The author asserts that “naught upon Earth is wrought in thy despite, O God” and that in Zeus all things are harmonized. Seneca, a Roman Stoic philosopher, formulates the belief in providence in one of his dialogues as follows: humans should believe “that providence rules the world and that God cares for us.” The Stoic school disagreed with those who believed that the world was ruled by blind fate; they did not deny that a controlling power exists, but, as everything happens according to a benevolent divine plan, they preferred to call this power providence. According to the Stoic emperor Marcus Aurelius, God wills everything that happens to human beings, and for that reason nothing that occurs can be considered evil. Stoic ideas about providence influenced Christianity.
In later Latin, after the emperor Augustus (died 14 ce), the word providence was used as a designation of the deity. Seneca, for example, wrote that it is proper to apply the term providence to God. Finally, providence was personified as a proper goddess in her own right by Macrobius, a Neoplatonic Roman author, who wrote in defense of paganism about 400 ce.
Sep 19, 2023 · Understanding Divine Providence. God’s divine providence is a profound theological concept that seeks to explain God’s divine guidance and care over all creation. The term “providence” itself, derives from the Latin “providentia,” meaning foresight or preparation. It refers to God’s constant and purposeful involvement in the ...
The word "providence" comes from Latin providentia meaning foresight or prudence, and that in turn from pro-"ahead" and videre "to see". [3] The current use of the word in the secular sense refers to foresight, or "timely preparation for eventualities", [ 4 ] or (if one is a deist or an atheist ) "nature as providing protective care".
Jan 6, 2021 · In other words, the difference between God’s sovereignty and God’s providence is that his sovereignty is his right and power to do all that he pleases; his providence is the exercise of that right and power purposefully. Providence is God’s use of his power and his authority to bring about an ultimate purpose for the universe that cannot ...
Providence and Prayer. These factors, such as the mysterious character of providence, the place of evil, and the secrecy of God’s plan for the human race, have obvious effects on such personal matters as guidance and prayer. Prayer is not like a physical force, a spiritual force which depends for its efficacy on frequency, repetition, and ...
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Providence - Sovereignty, Foreknowledge, Omniscience: The concept of providence is rooted in the belief in the existence of a benevolent, wise, and powerful deity or a number of beings that are benevolent and that are either fully divine or, at least, appreciably wiser and more powerful than human beings (e.g., ancestors in many religions). Benevolence is the primary requirement. In northern ...
