willing to contribute to the existence of evil, none of which is true. The providence of an all-good God would not selectively bless some with goodness and allow others to become evil. Moreover, an all-good God cannot tolerate evil, and therefore it makes no sense for God to create things in such a way that they are bound to become intolerable to Him.
Thomas Aquinas, on the other hand, viewed the providence of God as being concerned with the whole person, not only a person's body but his spirit and his soul, as well (Gerstner). Aquinas has observed that in addition to the parts of himself, man also has "two periods(time and eternity. Providence relates both to the temporal and to the eternal" (Gerstner). This insight opens up a new vista on the subject of God's providence, as it suggests that God's providence extends not only throughout time but also throughout eternity. Therefore, once again, for God to provide only for a man's temporal needs but not his eternal needs is not complete providence, and anything incomplete cannot be of God, who is complete in and of Himself.
Plotinus approached the providence of God by "negative theology" that attributed only "oneness" to Him, not knowledge, material qualities, or even spiritual qualities ("The Philosophy of Plotinus"). Yet, again, this does not make sense. The providence of God suggests a loving, caring God who provides for His children because He is concerned for them, not a disembodied "source" from which goodness emanates in spite of Himself. Moreover, Plotinus considers God "above all understanding," a view that runs counter to the God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament, the New
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