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In a chapter of my Systematic Theology of Love, Volume Two, I’m addressing the question of whether creatures can perceive God. Such questions connect to the problem of divine hiddenness. This problem wonders why an omnipotent and loving God’s self-disclosure isn’t obvious to everyone.
The problem of divine hiddenness doesn’t simply ask why God isn’t obvious. A host of answers could be given to that question, from blaming rebellious sinners to claiming God is self-absorbed to saying finite creatures can’t fathom an infinite deity. In its strongest form, the problem of divine hiddenness asks why an all-powerful and all-loving deity doesn’t overcome the obstacles that prevent people from perceiving God in obvious ways.
An all-loving God would want to self-reveal to enable loving relationships with all. That’s part of what “all-loving” means. An all-powerful God could overcome every obstacle that prevents creatures from knowing deity. That’s part of what “all-powerful” entails. But this allegedly omnipotent and loving divinity isn’t obvious to everyone. And some people who seek relationships with God fail to experience them, at least in the ways they expect.
The Bible Says God Hides
The writer of Isaiah says God hides: “Truly you are a God who hides yourself” (45:15). The Psalmist also assumes God chooses not to self-disclose: “How long will you hide your face from me?” (13:1). The Psalmist also asks God, “Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (10:1). During his suffering, Job says, “If I go forward, [God] is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him” (23:8).
The problem of divine hiddenness includes the problem of ambiguous and contradictory revelation. Those who say they’ve experienced God sometimes make claims that contradict what other believers claim. And sacred writings — including the Christian Bible — have contradictions, include mistaken perspectives, and lack clarity. An omnipotent deity could singlehandedly fix these problems, and yet they remain.
The Problem of Divine Hiddenness
J. L. Schellenberg is an influential contemporary philosopher in discussions of hiddenness. He says a loving deity would want to self-reveal to anyone seeking meaningful relationship with the divine. But some sincere seekers fail to experience this relationship. As a result, many conclude that God doesn’t exist. Unreciprocated seekers are, therefore, evidence against the existence of an all-loving and all-powerful deity.
We might formulate Schellenberg’s argument like this:
1. God is all-loving.
2. An all-loving God seeks meaningful relationships with everyone capable of them.
3. Meaningful relationships require that those in them believe the other exists.
4. An all-loving deity would want to ensure that no sincere seeker lacked belief in God’s existence.
5. An omnipotent deity could ensure that no sincere seeker lacked belief in God’s existence.
6. Yet many sincere seekers come to doubt that God exists.
7. Therefore, an all-loving and omnipotent God does not exist.
Responding to the Problem
Most responses to the problem of divine hiddenness aren’t persuasive. Some say God hides to inspire moral growth. Others say God provides confusing messages because crystal-clear revelation would undermine free decisions to know and love God. To these responses, we might ask, Would a loving parent hide as a tactic to develop healthy relationships? And would a caring parent confuse their children to facilitate moral development?
No. Good parents make their love obvious and provide clear instructions about what matters. A good divine Parent does the same. “If you who do evil know how to give good gifts to your children,” asks Jesus rhetorically, “how much more will your Father in heaven give good things?” (Mt. 7:11). Besides, children confused or abandoned by parents suffer psychological damage. Deception and neglect harm dependents, and an all-loving Spirit wouldn’t engage in such behavior.
Skeptical theists respond to the problem of divine hiddenness by claiming God must have reasons to hide from or
confuse us. We just can’t fathom them. Most skeptical theists say deity is omnipotent and, therefore, could reveal in unambiguous ways. But on questions that matter most, they play the mystery card. Skeptical theism is an explanatory dead end.
An adequate systematic theology of love offers plausible answers to why revelations can be contradictory and some sincere seekers don’t find relationships with God. Before I propose such answers, let’s look at divine revelation in scripture.
(For the material preceding this and the material after, see the essay “Perceiving God” on my Substack account.)