“Is God in Control? Or Do We Have the Power to Choose?” Join Rabbi Address at Siloam on Saturday, November 13th to Learn More!

There is less than a month to go before we welcome Rabbi Richard Address to Siloam to help us to navigate Our Long and Winding Road: Seeking our Place in the Longevity Revolution.

Recently I gave you a sneak preview of Rabbi Address’s first two presentations on Saturday, November 13^th. His third presentation, which will take place after lunch that day, is just as fascinating as the first two and raises an important issue we all struggle with: “the theory of self”, how we understand ourselves and the meaning of our lives. Rabbi Address takes as his text Genesis 37:15: “A man found him (Joseph) wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

Is this not our question too? “What are you looking for?” What is that thing or being that, when found, will bring our lives what we need and which will bring us meaning, purpose, joy and even redemption?

Closely tied to this theme, says Address, is “the impact of randomness in life.” Again, this brings up questions that we all often ask ourselves: “Is God in control? Or do we have the power to choose?”

This is a question we have been exploring this Fall in our weekly Bible study at Siloam. It will also be part of the theme I address in worship at Siloam this coming Sunday, October 24^th. It seems to me that too many of us harbour what I would call a bad theology or bad religion. Instead of seeing God as a loving and gracious God who allows God’s creatures the freedom to make decisions, there is still a tendency for people to regard the Divine as some kind of authoritarian, judgmental and omnipotent God, who predestines some to eternal life and others to eternal hell.

As you look back on your life, think about your image of God. Where has God been there for you throughout the decades? How has God come to you? Who are the angels (messengers)  in your life who have given you a glimpse of God’s eternal and unconditional love?

“Is God in control? Or do we have the power to choose?” Come and join us on Saturday, November 13^th as we explore these crucial questions together!