Open Theism as a Christian Paradigm: Situating Open Theology within Evangelicalism

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dc.contributor.authorNelsen, Anthony
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-24T16:39:02Z
dc.date.available2022-10-24T16:39:02Z
dc.date.issued2017-05-05
dc.description.abstractWhile the traditional understanding of omniscience claims that God possesses divine foreknowledge, it will be argued that open theism presents a stronger case for the nature of God. Christians must examine the relational dynamic shared between God and humans that is revealed in Scripture. Therefore, Scripture needs to be brought into question and as a result, Christians must use reason, tradition, and experience to better understand the God revealed in Scripture. In this paper, I will address the following topics: The traditional view of Scripture and the image of God this interpretation has produced; I will then assert passages from an open view of God and this interpretation and establish the uncertainty of Scripture; next I will examine the logical understanding of the open view for God; finally, I will situate open theology within evangelical Christianity. Therefore, an analysis of Scripture and reason combined will reveal a relational God who is influenced by human decision making and contains an open view of the universe in line with evangelical Christianity. The destiny of human action cannot be known by God for certain. The traditional Christian view has assumed God’s sovereign omnipotence and omniscience over creation, with claims rooted in Scripture. In this view, God possesses divine foreknowledge—knowing all that has happened, is happening, and will happen in the future. However, this understanding of omnipotence and omniscience leads to unilateral control, resulting in debilitating effects on God’s divine characteristics. Christians claim to believe in an omnibenevolent God who cares for his creation in an intentional, and specific way. The traditional understanding claims the God revealed in Scripture possess divine foreknowledge and divine sovereignty over creation. As a result, how does a God who is omnibenevolent, and knows the future of human action, create the reality in which humans currently live? The more important question is whether this idea is faithful to the overall biblical portrait of God. Given these ideas, both the traditional view of Scripture and the open view will need to be further explored.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11210/284
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectevangelical theologyen_US
dc.subjectAnthony Nelsenen_US
dc.subjectSpring Arbor Universityen_US
dc.subjectopen theismen_US
dc.subjectChristianityen_US
dc.titleOpen Theism as a Christian Paradigm: Situating Open Theology within Evangelicalismen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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