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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Openess Theology

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moonfruit
Member



Joined: 2010/6/16
Posts: 8


 Openess Theology

Could someone explain what "The Open View of the Future" or "Openess Theology" is?

Is it dangerous heresy or is it biblical theology?

Moonfruit

 2013/1/30 13:56Profile
SkepticGuy
Member



Joined: 2012/8/8
Posts: 259


 Re: Openess Theology

my basic understanding of open theism is that god has a basic end game 2 his plan, but he is open to being influenced by things like prayer, actions of people, natural disasters and things like that. sort of like he started the world to spinning and has a idea of how he wants thing to go, and deals with issues as they come up. he acts as a guard rail 2 keep things from getting too far from his end game plan. i dont know if this is heresy or not. i do feel it puts man in the drivers seat and makes god subject to mans actions. this is also a very new teaching and i am cautious of any new teaching.

 2013/1/30 14:48Profile
proudpapa
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Joined: 2012/5/13
Posts: 2936


 Re: Openess Theology

I would encourage all to have a sceptical perspective toward all man invented theology rather it be "Openess Theology" , "Reformed Theology" , or any other. Let us not box God or the Bible into such a narrow view,

To study the such, to understand others views is fine, but History clearly bares wittness to the fruit that is produced when Men become obsessed with one perspective of theology.

We have inspired scripture , strongs concordance, and the unction from the Holy One, so we need not that any man teach us ,but we need to allow the anointing to teache us all things.

 2013/1/30 14:58Profile
SkepticGuy
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Joined: 2012/8/8
Posts: 259


 Re:

or like tithing.

 2013/1/30 15:08Profile
proudpapa
Member



Joined: 2012/5/13
Posts: 2936


 Re: SkepticGuy

Hi SkepticGuy

SkepticGuy wrote ///or like tithing///

I am not sure what you are implying??

 2013/1/30 15:13Profile
SkepticGuy
Member



Joined: 2012/8/8
Posts: 259


 Re:

i am agreeing with u about man made doctrines. tithing may not be the best example, since that was an o.t. teaching from god, but when applied to the christian 2day it becomes a man-made doctrine.

 2013/1/30 15:23Profile
proudpapa
Member



Joined: 2012/5/13
Posts: 2936


 Re: SkepticGuy

Hi SkepticGuy

SkepticGuy wrote ///i am agreeing with u about man made doctrines. tithing may not be the best example, since that was an o.t. teaching from god, but when applied to the christian 2day it becomes a man-made doctrine///

I agree, tithing is a good example.

 2013/1/30 15:48Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re: Openess Theology

moonfruit wrote:

"Could someone explain what "The Open View of the Future" or "Openess Theology" is?"

It is probably best to go to a main proponent to get a full understanding of what Open Theism is. Read with an open mind and then decide for yourself.

Try "God of the Possible: A Biblical Introduction to the Open View of God" by Greg Boyd.

Summarizing greatly, from discussions I have had with people who hold to Openess Theology, it is a way to deal with the idea of God's foreknowledge and man's freewill.

For example, if God KNOWS that I will make a telephone call to a friend tomorrow at 3:30 pm, then by gum tomorrow at 3:30 pm I am going to phone a friend. I may FEEL like I am exercising free will in calling my friend, but if God knew YESTERDAY what I would do today, then I must do it, because God is omniscient and does not make mistakes. If I don't phone my friend, then it implies God's foreknowledge was not correct, and we can't have that.

Thus, an Openess adherent would state that there is a logical contradiction between statements about future actions of people having present truth value, and freedom of choice.

While I do not adhere to Openess theology, I am somewhat sympathetic to it. It is not enough to merely state it is not "biblical." A person who believes that God perfectly knows everything that will ever happen in advance will have to explain 1) what affords us any dignity; 2) how we have free choice(especially since the Bible seems to give men free choice, e.g. Deut. 28), 3) how God is not the most supremely bored entity in the universe, and 4) How God is any different from a brat pulling the wings off of helpless butterflies.

Of course I do not believe any of the above propositions, But if God has set up everything like a long line of dominoes, i dont see how you escape those conclusions. Open Theism attempts to deal with those questions.

An open theist would say that God cannot know the future because the future does not yet exist.

We can't be too squeamish about saying God can't do things because there are certainly some things He cannot do:

God can't make a perfect sphere with sharp corners;

God can't make the value of pi be something other than 3.145 et seq.

God can't make 1 + 1 = something other than 2.

Open theists posit that a person cannot have true free will if they are "locked in" by perfect foreknowledge, and therefore this would fall into the same categories as the above statements.

It is all rather deep; therefore it is best to read it from a theologian who can explain his position very fully.









_________________
Todd

 2013/1/30 16:19Profile
Coolwater
Member



Joined: 2012/3/14
Posts: 23


 Re: Theology

Hi TMK,

/// you wrote, Summarizing greatly, from discussions I have had with people who hold to Openess Theology, it is a way to deal with the idea of God's foreknowledge and man's freewill.///


You're answer is based primarly on foreknowledge not so much on Open Theism..

1). Open Theism
2). Foreknowledge
3). ??

How do I feel about tithing?

 2013/1/30 20:37Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Hey coolwater.

Not sure what you are talking about. Can you expand a little?


_________________
Todd

 2013/1/30 22:34Profile





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