I'm directing this mainly at Christians because my question assumes a belief in God, but non-Christians are welcome to answer if you feel you have something to contribute.
My question is: what do you think about open theism? I'm a fan of it although I'm still developing exactly where I stand on a lot of the issues. Do you think it compromises the soverignty of God? If you disagree with it, why? What Biblical concept does it contradict, if any?
A lot of what we believe isn't actually in the Bible, it's a product of hundreds of years of theology building on itself, and I think that's where we get into a lot of troube with questions from non-believers. I see open theology as a return to what the Bible actually says...do you disagree?
Oh, and if you don't know what open theism is, here's a bit of education:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Theism for a basic overview
http://www.opentheism.info/pages/information/ if you're more interested in reading about it in depth
2007-07-03 03:53:29 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I believe God is indeed timeless, The Bible says so itself many times... If God created the universe, and everything within, and time is in the universe, then no one created God. He can't have just come into being, because He created everything. We don't understand the concept of not being born b/c in the world everything is created...
You're right that a lot of what Christians hold to is not actually in the Bible, it has a lot to do with the traditions of the church, not all of which are right.
In fact a lot of the traditions of the Catholic Church came from a period of time where they were covering up the truth. The Protestant Churches have traditions that came from contradicting the Catholic Church and have no ground to stand on for their beliefs... I suggest not leaning on a specific religion, but developing your own personal relationship with Christ, and find out for yourself, what He wills you to do...
2007-07-03 05:18:10 · answer #1 · answered by irish hippie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would object to Arianism and open-theism based upon historical record. Historically, the Church used the dogma and understanding it already had to determine which writings were legitimate Scripture. Therefore, since the Scriptures came from the theology of the Church, it can't be the Scriptures that produce the Church's theology. Any attempt to derive theology from the Bible alone or from human reasoning is backward to the process by which Christianity began in the first place. Christianity has always been established through revelation to a group. Examples, Jesus' revealing himself to His disciples during His 33 years on Earth, Paul's vision which blinded him as a testimony to the Truth of his experience, Pentacost when the Holy Spirit descended, the Transfiguration on Favor Mount which the Apostles witnessed, Christ's baptism which was the first revelation of God as Trinity all at once (the Father speaks, Christ is there as the God man, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove on Christ). Therefore, nothing has ever been up to private interpretation or reasoning, but it has always been the revelation given to the Church that is the authority. These revelations are not always such spectacular ones, but they still exist.
2007-07-03 06:43:12 · answer #2 · answered by Josias B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I did a quick read thru... I cannot say agree totally with you that open theology is fully what the Bible says. I think it is an attempt to gain a greater understanding of what God says in the Bible, but still misses the mark.
I do not understand how God can both know the future, and give us free will.
To some degree I think I may have some of the "open theistic" views. But not in toto.
My primary concern is... if God is not able to say the future is fixed, at least with regard to whether the enemy Satan is fully vanquished and the promise of eternal life can't be fulfilled... then is that a God worthy to be worshiped. That god, who cannot fulfill the promise made in the Bible then is no better than any of the other gods who are powerless.
The God I believe in is all powerfull. He does know that someday He will destroy all the work of Satan, and He will rescue His beloved children.
Now maybe to some degree He willingly works with all and witholds some knowledge from himself... (sticky wickets, I say)... That is something I am not going to spend a lot of time contemplating.
2007-07-04 01:10:41 · answer #3 · answered by thankyou "iana" 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i'm a Christian, yet i replaced into raised with the aid of my parents who have been atheists. enable me inform you approximately them. They have been the preferable, maximum honest, and giving human beings I unquestionably have ever met. They dealt with each physique with kindness. I unquestionably have been a pastor's spouse, and a Bible college instructor, and that i'd desire to assert regrettably, Christians are brutal. I unquestionably have been ridiculed for not being a undeniable way, and function been advised that i'm unsubmissive, and the record is going on and on and on. i think of the saddest element approximately Atheists, is they don't see that what they have faith in is a faith additionally. it fairly is a faith of unbelief in a God, yet they adhere to that thought staunchly as though they have been religious. i think of that they might desire to be greater open to the religious, and a minimum of properly known that it might desire to probably be so, and to not be such an best buddy against God. additionally, as quickly as I grew to become a Christian, my parents weren't damaging. in certainty my father pronounced, "you carry on believing in that."
2016-09-28 23:55:21 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pure and perfect passion expressed by Jesus upon us
doesn`t need any "isms" or "schools" or even religious institutions to support.
He is beyond all these logic.
He is personification of Love.
2007-07-03 15:29:23 · answer #5 · answered by Shripathi Krishna Acharya 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Catholics have the tradition of the Church along with the Bible. It all works together. It really makes sence, the Church and the Sacraments are there to keep us within the Grace of God.
There is no reason to complicate it!
Peace and God Bless!
2007-07-03 03:59:19 · answer #6 · answered by C 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The opening sentence of your question is "I'm directing this mainly at Christians because my question assumes a belief in God, but non-Christians are welcome to answer if you feel you have something to contribute. "
Your assumption that non-christians dont believe in God is childish.
Eastern religions have far deeper philosophy of God, unverse, humans and creation/evolution, which you seem to be unaware of
you dont deserve a reply hence... good bye
2007-07-03 19:10:48 · answer #7 · answered by ۞Aum۞ 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I love it! This is the first I have heard of it, and I am so happy that you intorduced me to this.
I am definitely going to read more.
Bless you.
2007-07-03 06:01:57 · answer #8 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without Jesus Christ all theism is in vain.
2007-07-03 04:00:36 · answer #9 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
THERE IS NO FREE WILL ONLY NATURAL WILL
BASTA
2007-07-03 07:56:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋