Open Theism in Adventism

[Humble_Disciple]

Open theism was taught by the medieval Jewish philosopher Gersonides, as well as other medieval Jewish thinkers, based on Genesis 22:12, as well as other scriptures where God appears to react based on human decisions.

Genesis 22:12
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” He said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

The reason why open theism doesn't contradict God's perfection is because, according to open theists, the future is unknowable because, by definition, it doesn't yet exist.

Asking if God can know a future that doesn't exist yet is, according to open theism, like asking if God can create a rock so big that even He can't lift it.

Rabbi Yeshayahu Horowitz explained the apparent paradox of his position by citing the old question, "Can God create a rock so heavy that He cannot pick it up?" He said that we cannot accept free choice as a creation of God's, and simultaneously question its logical compatibility with omnipotence.
Gersonides - Wikipedia

Open theism, while not a majority position, has been taught in Adventism for a long time:

David Larson has claimed, "although it may seem new to some, in less detailed forms the basics of “Open Theism” have been taught at Loma Linda University for about fifty years [as of 2007], beginning at least as early as long-time professor Jack W. Provonsha."[5]
Richard Rice (theologian) - Wikipedia

I wonder if the support for open theism in Adventism is for preventing another Great Disappointment.

Mark 13:32
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

One could say that Jesus voluntarily emptied Himself of foreknowledge in human flesh, but wouldn’t He at least remember the date of His return if that were the case?

The day and the hour of Christ’s return are not predetermined, but instead will come to pass at the appropriate season.

Acts 1:7
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

The due season will come once the Gospel has been preached to all peoples, giving them a chance of repentance before the Second Coming, but the exact date is yet to be determined.

Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

2 Peter 3
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…

When Jesus says, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” (Mark 13:32), he is saying that determining the date is the Father’s responsibility, not that he has already set the date.
To borrow an analogy from Greg Boyd, the Father knows the hour of Christ’s return in the same way an earthly father knows when his daughter is old enough to date. This doesn’t mean he has a date fixed in his mind; only that he’ll know when the right time has come.
In the same way a daughter can hasten that day by demonstrating maturity, so can the church also, according to 2 Peter 3, hasten the Lord’s return by obediently spreading the gospel.
Many also point to messianic prophecies as a demonstration of God’s exhaustive foreknowledge of future events. Again, according to open theology, God in his omnipotence can bring about whatever he wishes. If he desired to fulfill these messianic prophecies in Christ, he could have, with or without exhaustive foreknowledge of future events.
Prophecy and Its Place Within Open Theism | Garrett Ham

Second, the crowing of the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] reveals no special foreknowledge on Jesus’ part but was simply a way of referring to the break of dawn (when [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] always crow). Perhaps some providential intervention was necessary to have the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] crow immediately after Peter’s third betrayal in order to drive home the point of Jesus’ prophecy (Matt. 26:74–75), but that is certainly an easy feat for the sovereign Lord of history.
How do you respond to Matthew 26:36? - Greg Boyd - ReKnew

As in Revelation 13:8, the clause “from the foundation” (apo kataboleis) need not mean “from before the foundation” but simply “from the foundation” (= since the foundation). It’s not that names either were or were not written in the “book of life” before they were ever born. Rather, throughout history, in response to the choices people made, God either wrote or omitted their names from the “book of life.” The fact that names may be blotted out even after they’ve been included (Exod. 32:33; Rev. 3:5, cf. Rev. 22:18) further suggests this “book of life” is not eternally written in stone.
https://reknew.org/2008/01/rev-178-refers-to-people-whose-name-havent-been-written-in-the-book-of-life-from-the-foundation-of-the-world-doesnt-this-conflict-with-open-theism/

I wonder how well-regarded Richard Rice and other Adventist open theists are within Adventism today. If their position were considered unacceptable to the governing body of the church, would they be censored or reprimanded?

 

[Adventist Heretic]

if the story of Issac is your basis for open Theism then SDA's have another way of viewing that. It is through the filter of the investigative judgement. the IJ is ment to revel ones true character, weather of God or of the person involved. It is due process , God goes through a process before he judges. The test of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is a perfect example of the IJ. God returning in the Garden "walking in the cool of the evening" is an example of the investigative judgement. it reveals A&E true relationship with God.

 

[AdamjEdgar]

also lets not forget, whilst God's perfection is such that he can accurately predict human behaviour and therefore know what choices we will make, it does not presuppose the date of the second coming.
Jesus prophesied that the Gospel is to be taken to all the world and that there would be signs and wonders, "then the end will come".

My personal take on this is:

1. that irrespective of God being able to predict to the second when all that is asked of us by our saviour 2000 years ago would be completed, it is 100% up to us to fulfill his promise before he can come again. The second coming is not dependant on a time and date, it is dependant on fulfillment of the charge Jesus gave to his followers.

2. whilst the apostle Paul debuncts the theory of salvation by works (we cannot save ourselves) it is the efforts of Christ's followers in spreading the gospel that ultimately determine the time and day of the second coming (a bit of a strange idea isnt it?)

3. When Jesus said to his followers "a new command i give you that ye love one another", i believe that his statement of love is talking about the gospel. We love our neighbor by sharing the gospel of love with them.

4. This also fulfills the second tablet of the law (ie 10 commandments) which are about love to our fellow man.

food for thought.

 

[Adventist Heretic]

isn't Open Thesim banned on CF except in Unorthodox Theology?