Providentialism

In Christianity, providentialism is the belief that all events on Earth are controlled by God.

It’s sometimes viewed by believers as differing between national & personal Providence. Some English & American believers came to view personal providentialism as backwards & superstitious, but continue to believe in national providentialism.

National providentialism is described, by British historian Nicholas Guyatt, as encircling 3 broad beliefs: 1) God judged nations on the virtues of its leaders. 2) There’s a special role for certain nations. 3) God worked out a master plan through the role of various nations.

Providentialism was regularly featured in the conversation of European political & intellectual elites seeking to justify imperialism in the 19th century, on the grounds that the suffering caused by European conquest was justified on the grounds of furthering God’s plan & spreading Christianity, & civilization, to distant nations.

Providentialism may be understood as the acceptance of the belief that all that happens in the world is for the greater good. Since, “God created the social order appointed each individual in his place within it.”

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