Open Theist Manifesto
A document for God's Project on Earth
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- Published in Philosophical
- Written by El Tibor
A document for God's Project on Earth
Not too positive. Building bridges will be difficult.
The most scientific page and resources on open theism and openness theology is definitely that of the Reformed theologian John Sanders.
Romans 8:33 shows that Calvinism and classical theology do not always know the right answer. Bible commentary.
The neoplatonist Church Father’s ideas were borrowed by the adherents of Reformed theology. Open theism studies a lot this historical development.
Classical theism (Catholic and Reformed theology, Calvinism included) borrowed unbiblical notions from Greek philosophy.
Mysteries are not real. Contradictions are real.
Both Pauls are right. Then who is not?
A new, powerful model of divine providence is convincing and made me think. I have a few doubts, though.
According to a classical theological principle God accomodates Himself to His human audience through multiple filters. The accomodation theory explains why many biblical verses show God when changing, repenting, being somewhere and so on in order to keep the validity and sustainability of the classical attributes of God (omniscience, immutability etc.). I present below analytically that the theory in its classical form is contradictory. The only element of the Bible where God doesn’t make use of the accomodation is His nature. As a consequence, systematic theologies should be based upon the verses and stories that describe this nature. This will lead on the long term to the creation of more open and relational theologies.
Embracing (a more) open theism with all our heart will lead to a conscious and well-grounded intellectual humility in our mind, which includes a low concern for status and the willingness to understand our limitations.
The section “Open theism – Scientific” scans whether science supports the open theist view of the universe and the relationship between God and mankind. By nature, the fields in question need insights into natural sciences like physics and biology in the first place, including quantum physics and the theory of evolution, and to social sciences, like economics or history. I’m convinced theologies cannot ignore state-of-the-art scientific research, and in the same way they cannot ignore the inspired words of God. If needed, theologies need to be revised and adjusted, counting open theism as well.