Articles for tag: Open Theism

June 23, 2018

The Gospel Coalition Creates Dress Code for Calvinists, Arminians

By Caleb Kaltenbach LOUISVILLE, KY—The leadership of The Gospel Coalition asked Calvinists and Arminians to dress differently—distinctively—for their recent conference. “We honestly thought it [a dress code] would be an easier way to label each other,” a coalition executive committee member said. “You know, it takes a lot of work to decipher someone’s theology so you can decide if you want to be their friend or not.” The Arminians in attendance agreed with the decision. “It’s made this year’s conference run more smoothly,” Al Wesley said. “This year, when I’ve gotten in theological debates with Calvinists, I just look for

February 7, 2010

Christian Standard

Theology & Bible

What I Have Learned in 50 Years as a Theologian (Part 1)

By Jack Cottrell Since receiving my AB degree from Cincinnati Bible Seminary in 1959, I have been either preparing to teach or teaching theology (Bible doctrine) in CBS”s (now Cincinnati Christian University”s) graduate school. I was recently challenged to sum up what I have learned during this lifetime of study. Here are my thoughts. FADS vs. FUNDAMENTALS First, I have learned that theological fads come and go, but the “fundamentals” are still fundamental. A fad is a seemingly new idea that bursts on the scene and receives lots of attention, especially by authors and publishers. Once the latter have milked

December 16, 2007

Christian Standard

Book Reviews Reviews

Restoration Scholars and Their Evangelical Counterparts (a book review)

By Gary Weedman A review of Evangelicalism and the Stone-Campbell Movement: Engaging Basic Christian Doctrine, Volume 2, William R. Baker, editor With this second volume, William Baker continues to make a notable contribution to the interaction between the scholarship of the current Stone-Campbell (SC) Movement and a significant segment of the general evangelical world. Baker was one of the early participants from the SC fellowship in the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), and along with Paul Pollard of Harding University, established an ongoing program unit, called the Stone-Campbell Adherents Group, within the ETS. This effort has spawned the Stone-Campbell Journal, edited

March 11, 2007

Christian Standard

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

How Much Does God Really Know? (Part 1)

By Knofel Staton How much does God really know about us? Does he know everything we”ve thought or will think, spoken or will speak, and done or will do? If so, there are many other questions to ponder. Questions to Ponder “¢ If God knows everything ahead of time, is everything predetermined without the possibility of changes? “¢ If not, why pray, change our plans, and repent? “¢ If God knows and loves us, why doesn”t he stop the bad things? “¢ If everything is known in advance, what is the value of having the freedom to choose? “¢ If

November 26, 2006

Christian Standard

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

Does God Know the Word ‘Perhaps’? (Part 2)

By Patrick Nullens Â We opened our inquiry and first article with the simple question of a child: “Does God know the word perhaps?” According to open theism, God is all-wise but does not have meticulous foreknowledge. Based on a full knowledge of the past and present, God can only make an astute guess about our responses. According to classical theists, God also knows perhaps, but it is essentially different from our understanding. God does not know uncertainties as we do. He knows exactly everything that will happen, including our own free choices. Whatever one might believe about classical theism

November 19, 2006

Christian Standard

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

Does God Know the Word ‘Perhaps’? (Part 1)

By Patrick Nullens The finest theological questions are those asked by children. Unfortunately they often tend to raise their questions at the wrong moment and in the wrong place. As I was maneuvering my car through Brussels traffic, one of my boys once asked me, “If God really knows everything, does he know the word perhaps?” What an amazing question for a 7-year-old boy. I wondered, Is there indeed an element of uncertainty in God”s knowledge of the future? Does God hope, wish, and anticipate as we do, infinitely more wise but still with a level of uncertainty? Is the

November 19, 2006

Christian Standard

Doctrinal Issues & Debates Theology & Bible

Open to Open Theism (Part 1)

By Paul Kissling As someone who was asked to argue the “pro” side of open theism, I have a confession to make. I am not really “pro” open theism. As someone whose early training was in two Restoration Movement educational institutions, I am inherently suspicious of theological systems, even my own. If open theism has become such a system, I cannot say I am a proponent of it. But I am sympathetic to some of the questions some open theists raise about traditional systematic theology, whether Calvinistic or Arminian. More importantly, I think reading the Old and New Testaments without