The One Where We Talk about the Matrix and God’s Permissive Will
01/16/23 • 34 min
The boys take a (surely much-appreciated) break from Vatican II to talk about – you guessed it! – the Matrix. Listeners may wonder what took us so long to address the science fiction juggernaut, and with good reason. Oh yeah, and we also talk about how will, choice, and providence all cohere with God’s will in what he approves or permits, and how this acts as one answer to the problem of evil. Obviously.
Episode Glossary and References:
Providence – God’s passive and active agency in bringing about his transcendent will in the cosmos, but without negating our own free will and agency.
Permissive Will – God’s passive will that allows events, choices, actions, that he does not desire or approve of, but that he allows on the basis of our own free power to choose, which God himself gave us as part of the Imago Dei, the Image of God (cf. Gen. 1-2).
“My Dinner with Andre” – it’s not important, don’t worry about it.
Hegel, Hegelianism – An 19th century German Enlightenment Idealist philosopher who wrote a bunch of stuff that is very dense and no one can agree on what it means. Commonly associated (though not necessarily validly) with the notion of “thesis-antithesis-synthesis.” You can look into it. God help you.
Want to suggest an episode topic? Contribute financially to the podcast? Or just compare notes on your favorite theological theories or pop culture hobbies?
Contact the guys any time [email protected]
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.
The boys take a (surely much-appreciated) break from Vatican II to talk about – you guessed it! – the Matrix. Listeners may wonder what took us so long to address the science fiction juggernaut, and with good reason. Oh yeah, and we also talk about how will, choice, and providence all cohere with God’s will in what he approves or permits, and how this acts as one answer to the problem of evil. Obviously.
Episode Glossary and References:
Providence – God’s passive and active agency in bringing about his transcendent will in the cosmos, but without negating our own free will and agency.
Permissive Will – God’s passive will that allows events, choices, actions, that he does not desire or approve of, but that he allows on the basis of our own free power to choose, which God himself gave us as part of the Imago Dei, the Image of God (cf. Gen. 1-2).
“My Dinner with Andre” – it’s not important, don’t worry about it.
Hegel, Hegelianism – An 19th century German Enlightenment Idealist philosopher who wrote a bunch of stuff that is very dense and no one can agree on what it means. Commonly associated (though not necessarily validly) with the notion of “thesis-antithesis-synthesis.” You can look into it. God help you.
Want to suggest an episode topic? Contribute financially to the podcast? Or just compare notes on your favorite theological theories or pop culture hobbies?
Contact the guys any time [email protected]
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.
Previous Episode
How Did Vatican I (and The Monkees) Lead to Vatican II?
The guys finally make it to Vatican I on their trek through the origins of Vatican II. We find out how something called “ultra-montanism” led to Vatican I, as well as how allegorical reflections on the 1960s pop band The Monkees are surprisingly (even if anachronistically) pertinent to some historical features of Vatican I and Vatican II. #NeilDiamondGhostWriterForVatican2
Links or other pertinent information: Want to suggest an episode topic? Contribute financially to the podcast? Or just compare notes on your favorite theological theories or pop culture hobbies? Contact the guys any time [email protected]
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.
Next Episode
The Seemingly Eternal Reoccurrence of the Matrix (on This Podcast)
Sick of talking about the Matrix? We’re not! In this episode, the boys discuss the philosophical influences of the Matrix, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism, and how its metaphysical failures can be remedied by good Platonic philosophy and Christian theology.
Episode Glossary and References:
Plato – A Greek philosopher active four centuries before Christ. A student of Socrates, he is the main source of what we know about Socrates and his philosophy. Along with his own student, Aristotle, he is one of the most important philosophers in history, and much of his thought has formed the foundation of Western thought. He balla balla, y’all.
Platonism – A variety of schools of thought based in some way on the views and works of Plato. Some rather poorly.
Neoplatonism – a particular Platonic school begun in the 3rd century by a philosopher named Plotinus. This philosophy was hugely influential on many Church Fathers, including Ambrose, Augustine, the Cappodocian Fathers, and Maximus the Confessor. Many of the basic tenants of neoplatonism are accepted in Catholic philosophy and theology. Not to be confused with Neo from the Matrix.
Metaphysics – the study of the nature and structure of reality, usually focused on things beyond the physical world (though not necessarily). Not be confused with the New Age garbage found at your local Barnes and Noble.
Links or other pertinent information: Want to suggest an episode topic? Contribute financially to the podcast? Or just compare notes on your favorite theological theories or pop culture hobbies? Contact the guys any time [email protected]
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.
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