Questions on Plantinga, Chs. 3-5
Unlike the journal entries you have written up until now, for
this homework assignment you should answer all of the questions
posed. Your answers for each question should be about half a
page, type-written and double-spaced.
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Explain what Plantinga means by “matrices of evil”, using
examples from Darwin's Nightmare.
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In Darwin's Nightmare, there are several scenes involving
Christians. In what ways do their actions reflect those of
“prime citizens of the kingdom” (Plantinga's term)?
If you were able to act for them, what would you do differently,
or in addition, that would (in Plantinga's view) make their behavior
even more reflective of kingdom citizenship?
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In The Mission, there is a particularly moving sequence of
events starting with the visit of Father Gabriel (played by Jeremy Irons)
to Rodrigo (played by Robert De Niro) in a self-imposed seclusion,
and culminating with his burden being cut from him by one of the
Guarani and thrown into the river. Using terms from Ch. 4 of
Plantinga's book, describe what is happening spiritually to Rodrigo.
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In the film The Mission, Cardinal Altamirano is taken on
a tour and shown the fruit of the Jesuits' labors among the
Guarani. What evidence do you see during these (and other)
scenes that, like Reformed people “at their best,” the
Jesuits were taking a “big view of redemption.”
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