Open View Theism

[Guest power2u]

The Open View of the Future

John Earp

The Open View of the Future is a theological point of view that affirms with Scripture the ability of God to change his mind when circumstances warrant, that the future is not completely settled in every last detail as of yet, but in fact consists of both certainties as well as real possibilities, which are also exhaustively known to God.

Openness theology, based on the three-fold witness of Scripture, Reason, and Experience, says that the future is not fixed, settled, or certain, but even in the mind of God is partly fixed and partly open. A real departure from classical theism's description of omniscience, though certainly not the practical piety of Christians down through the ages, the Open view would not be drawing so much fire if it were very easily defeated scripturally and logically.

With some proponents among 19th century Methodists, most notably L.D. McCabe and Adam Clarke, and Stone-Campbellites, along with the noted 20th century Pentecostal dispensationalist theologian Finis J. Dake, as well as other practical theologians of today, all of whom held to the same description of omniscience, human choice, and the future, what is now known as Open Theism or the Open View of the Future is, to say the very least, rocking the world of classical theology these days.

Whether one agrees with the conclusions of Open View Theism or not, moral integrity requires that one at the very least be fully acquainted with precisely what Openness believers actually believe and teach before one comes to a conclusion about it.

Your thoughts???

Edited August 20, 2004 by power2u

[serotta]

I don't know that there are any two Openess theologians that really agree on what "God changing hi mind" really means. To me this is the further continuation of the TULIP vs. DAISY debate. I think the Openness theology, which I semi-embraced for awhile, is man's way of trying to describe, in terms that we understand, what God's omniscience really is. We see time as linear, while I can't really comprehend how God see's time; since He's timeless. What a lot of Openness theologians attribute to God changing His mind is really just the fact that we can't comprehend how God sees our days unfold. Logically humans just can't come to terms with God giving us free will, but also having omniscience. That's my .02 anyway.

[Adstar]

Logically humans just can't come to terms with God giving us free will, but also having omniscience. That's my .02 anyway.

Yes. how true this statement it. Because they cannot comprehend it for them i cannot be true. Its the old problem "God does not fit in my box so therefore that God does not exist"

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[Scudbuddy]

Jesus begs in the gospels for a church to change the world around them with the Kingdom of God. He gives us stories about what happens when we knock on Gods door. He tells us that "we have not because we ask not." :x: He doesn't say "just ignore the mess around you, cause I am going to fix everything." No, He makes it clear our job is to invade the world around us with the Kingdom of God and change things.

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel." No need, God is going to do what God is going to do. (Heresy!)

Christians have used that actual viewpoint to not evangelize. I call it Karma Christianity. And it is as demonic as straight Karma. It keeps us from looking to see what the Father is doing and then jumping into it headfirst as if our prayers actually did matter.