32: Open Theism

1. Theological Category and Placement

Category: Philosophical Theology

Open Theism is situated within Philosophical Theology as it provides a philosophical and theological framework that challenges classical theism’s views on divine foreknowledge and sovereignty. It proposes that God’s knowledge of the future is dynamic and open, emphasizing human free will and the genuine openness of the future, thus engaging deep metaphysical and theological questions about God’s relation to time and creation (Griffin, 1996).

2. Introduction

Open Theism emerged in the late 20th century as a response to traditional views of God’s exhaustive foreknowledge and immutability. Advocates argue that for human freedom to be genuine, the future must not be entirely settled, and thus God’s knowledge is dynamic and responsive. Open Theism reinterprets divine providence and omniscience, proposing a God who experiences temporal processes while remaining sovereign and loving (Pinnock, 1994).

3. Historical Development

While ideas resembling Open Theism appear sporadically in historical theology, the modern movement crystallised through theologians such as Clark Pinnock, John Sanders, and Greg Boyd in the 1980s and 1990s. It developed primarily within evangelical circles, engaging debates about divine sovereignty, human freedom, and the problem of evil. Open Theism remains controversial but has significantly influenced contemporary theological discussions (Pinnock, 1994).

4. Core Doctrines and Theological Emphases

  • Dynamic Foreknowledge: God knows all possibilities but the future free actions of creatures are not predetermined.
  • Genuine Human Free Will: Human choices are open and not exhaustively foreknown by God.
  • Relational Sovereignty: God’s providence is interactive and responsive.
  • Temporal God: God exists within time and experiences change relationally.
  • Theodicy: Provides a framework addressing the problem of evil through divine openness.

5. Scriptural and Theological Foundations

Open Theism appeals to biblical narratives that depict God responding to human decisions (e.g., Genesis 6:6; Exodus 32:14) and portrays God as walking temporally with creation (Psalm 139). It interprets divine omniscience as exhaustive knowledge of all that can be known, but not of fixed future free acts (Pinnock, 1994).

6. Influence and Impact

Open Theism has sparked vigorous debate in evangelical and wider theological circles, challenging classical notions of God’s immutability and foreknowledge. It offers a pastoral framework emphasizing God’s relational love and the meaningfulness of human freedom. Critics argue it undermines divine sovereignty, but supporters contend it better aligns with biblical revelation and human experience (Sanders, 1998).

7. Representative Theologians and Key Works

  • Clark Pinnock – Most Moved Mover (2001)
  • John Sanders – The God Who Risks (1998)
  • Greg Boyd – God of the Possible (2000)
  • William Hasker – Critic and participant in debates on Open Theism

8. Conclusion

Open Theism presents a distinctive and provocative philosophical theological position that reimagines divine knowledge and providence. Its emphasis on relationality and genuine freedom contributes richly to contemporary debates on God’s nature and human agency.

9. References

  • Boyd, G. (2000). God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God. Baker Books.
  • Pinnock, C. H. (1994). The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God. InterVarsity Press.
  • Sanders, J. (1998). The God Who Risks: A Theology of Providence. InterVarsity Press.
  • Hasker, W. (1999). God, Time, and Knowledge. Cornell University Press.
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