Belief in providence is both necessary and impossible, absurd but deeply human. It is not required of Christians formally by the creeds, but it is required of them by their daily prayer. Central to Christian prayer is the belief that God acts, that he has a purpose not only for the whole creation but for the individual, and that if individuals bring their concerns to God, God will make a difference.
But how does this difference come about? How is it possible to find evidence of the activity of God in the world around us and in our own lives. What criteria, what models, can we use?
The...