Sunday, February 23, 2003

DID GOD KNOW, AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?

The debate continues over the 'Open Theism' position pushed by several evangelical scholars. I spoke to the issue awhile back, but the mainstream press now seems aware of it, too:
"We say, yes, God has the power, but He gives room for human and creaturely freedom. God's sovereignty is general over the world, but not meticulous," said [Clark H.] Pinnock, a professor of theology at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario. "God wants free creatures to have some say."

On its fundamental level, the issue revolves around the question of free will. From what I've seen, the Open Theism folks seem to take their position a little too far. By that I mean they probably tend to think they know more than they do about how God operates. That is always a danger with systematic theology, and certainly a charge easily leveled against Open Theism's opponents.

God did create me free to choose. Foreknowledge does not necessarily equal foreordination. And my choices and my petitions to God do make a difference.

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