Freedom and Openness: Part 2
In part one I discussed my understanding of the freedom that God has given us in order that we may be in a relationship with our Creator. Essentially life is a series of choices that involve us moving closer to God or further from God all which is under our control due to our freedom. It is here that I would like to move on to discuss openness theology. But first, I would like to discuss the word "theology". I want to make sure that this word doesn't confuse anyone. My biggest pet peeve in school was when someone would use a word that I wasn't familiar with and just assumed that everyone understood it because they did. For this reason I want to clarify for those of you that aren't used to hearing or using the word "theology" on a daily basis. Essentially theology is "God talk", the study of God or how one talks and thinks about God. This encompasses a lot of different things, but essentially it is who you say God is and what you think about God. All of us have a theological understanding of who God is. Even atheists (those who don't believe in God) have a theology. Many of us probably haven't had to write a paper entitled: "God is...and God does..." but we all have our own understanding of who God is and how God works. We also have a theology that is present through our actions. In other words I can say that I fully trust in God because I believe God has only the best intentions for my life. But, when something happens in my life and I get angry at God and ask God how he could have let this happen to me, then I am not really trusting in God as I said I did. Achieving a balance is what many Christians work toward in their lifetime. The balance of living my life in a way that compliments or mirrors my belief in who God is and who God has called me to be.
Openness theology then, is one way of understanding God and God's activity in our world. The title of Clark H. Pinnock's book sums up this understanding in three short words, Most Moved Mover. This title is essentially a play on the ancient words of the philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle and many other philosophers believed that God must be an unmoved Mover. (7) This thought is essentially that God does not change and if God is perfect will never change. I have heard this idea about God many times in my 27 years of existence from many different people. I have probably even passed this message about God on to others. an unchanging God is a predominant picture of who God is in our society. Openness theology wants us to look at God deeper and realize that an unchanging God is a God that is not in a relationship with a constantly changing humanity. Openness theology claims that God is in fact the most changing thing in existence. Openness theology supports an unchanging character of God. All of those incredible qualities of God are unchanging as a perfect being should be. God's actions however, are anything but unchanging.
If we look closely at the Bible there is a lot of evidence that God is constantly changing the way he interacts and relates to humanity. There are numerous times in the Bible where God seems to be persuaded to change his mind. In Genesis 18 we read of God's plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. We see that God plans to wipe out the entire place. Abraham however, bargains with God until they come to an agreement that if ten righteous people can be found in the city it will not be destroyed. In the book of Jonah we see Nineveh about to be destroyed by God because of their wicked ways. Once Jonah delivers God's message, they repent and God does not destroy them. Once again God appears to change his actions. These two stories are only a small representation of this changing action of God.
Possibly a more significant example in which the openness of God can be seen is in the story of God's people. (the story of God's relationship with humanity) At creation humanity is inseparable from God. After sin enters the world we see stories of more and more people having on again off again relationships with God. Eventually, God's chosen people are saved by Moses from Pharaoh and given a list of rules to live by (10 Commandments) and a land of their own. In this land the people are eventually led by judges who protect them and help them live as godly people. Eventually, the people known as Israel ask to be led by a king. God warns them of the negative effects that a king can have upon their land, but they demand a king. So king after king rules them, some good, some not so good. During this time prophets are sent by God to be his voice among his people always calling Israel back. Several hundred years later Jesus arrives on the scene and tells of a God that is bigger than rules. He tells of a God that is relational and loving. We see through Christ a God that is not just God of the Jews, but that longs for all people. Jesus' time ushers in a time where Jew and Gentile can worship the same God together. This new body of believers becomes the Church in which we see the Spirit of God among his people doing incredible things. Eventually the Church (Christianity) becomes a state sponsored religion which is good for its growth, but perhaps waters the Church down...Many years later the Church splits and splits and splits until we are eventually in a place where Christians are now divided and whose numbers are dying in the West. Presently, Christianity is growing so rapidly in other nations however, that churches are springing up ten and twenty at a time.
I think that this very simplistic and shortened history is important to know because it shows that God is constantly at work acting in our world to call us to Him. Each time his people begin to stray, a new action can be seen happening. There is never a time that we can't see God working out his will and each section of time differs from the one before it. Some people may see this as a weakness of God. They might say that if God is so perfect and all knowing then why would he need to try so many different ways to be in a relationship with us. To that I say the problem isn't God's the problem it is ours. Parents often have an ideal plan for their children. If they could make their children be any way they wanted, most would be able to picture a perfect life for their child. The problem is that your child is going to disappoint and make bad decisions. You can't make them turn out the way you want. You can teach them, love them, even tell them how you want them to live their lives, but in the end it all depends on them. Most parents I know don't ever give up on their children though. When a child makes a bad choice they are picked up, brushed off, and helped out. A parent that truly wants to help their child out of a bad situation won't continually repeat the same process over and over. Eventually that parent will try a new way to get through to their child or they will do things differently with the children that follow. This is much the same with God.
God has a will for every person in existence. Unfortunately, we are pretty good about choosing our will over God's will. This then changes how God would act in our lives. For openness theology, God knows all possible outcomes for the world rather than the one exact outcome. This is an important distinction because it reflects the freedom that we have been given. If we are told by God that we are free to do as we will, but God already knows every choice we make then it's hard to see how that is freedom and not some kind of divine intervention. The same is true for those that believe God has predetermined all things. If we act only as God compels us to then we are not truly free and God is potentially harmful. I say this because the horrible things that happen in the world would then be somehow of God. That's not something I'm comfortable believing a loving God would do.
God's interaction with humanity then is much like a helicopter and a parade. Pretend for a moment that God is a helicopter (or flying one) and we (humanity) are in a parade. From God's perspective he can at any moment in time see every possible direction, situation, and outcome that is infinitely possible on our route. Those of us in the parade make a choice with each step as to where we are going. God can see the best possible path for our life, but he never forces us to go down that path. God can call to us, have others nudge us, perhaps place obstacles in our path, but he will never drag us anywhere we do not choose to go. If we take a turn that God does not intend us to take then he has to change his strategy. Maybe we have made it so that we can never make it to the place God was taking us, or maybe we just have to take the long way around now. In either case God has to find a new way to get us back. So God in his infinite wisdom must not only be creative, but also know us so intimately that he can reach out to us in the most personal of ways. I think that is why when we hear about other people's journeys toward God they are each so different and our encounters with God happen in such unique ways.
So what are the implications of living a life that embraces an openness theology? This is what I have been asking myself lately. This is a work in progress, but I think a huge part of this theology changes the way we think about prayer. I think that prayer becomes much more important in our relationship to God. Not only is prayer a way for us to discern which direction God would prefer us to go, but it also is a way to help others. If God has not predetermined our future then that means we can have a hand in shaping it not only for ourselves, but for others. When Abraham pleads with God in Genesis, God changes his requirements. When the Ninevites repent and worship God he changes his plans for them. Prayer isn't necessary if all things are already determined for us before we are even born. I think prayer can only be an important part of our lives if God is acting in the here and now as we are.
As I wrap up this blog, I would like to add a couple of quick points. Openness theology is not a perfect understanding of who God is. Like all theological systems it has its strengths and weaknesses. I am still in the very early stages of learning about the openness of God, and I still have a lot of reading and learning to do. For now I am embracing the basics of this understanding and hope that what I have written has at least made you think about your belief in who God is and how God acts. The Pinnock book that I have referenced is an okay introduction to this theology, but his book is more concerned with making arguments for why this theological system should be embraced by the Evangelical branch of the church. For that reason it's not the best representation of the subject, but the main ideas are there.
Thanks for reading and hopefully you have comments and questions which I always encourage and welcome. I'm sorry this post is sooo long, but I guess I had a lot to say. until next time....
peace
Openness theology then, is one way of understanding God and God's activity in our world. The title of Clark H. Pinnock's book sums up this understanding in three short words, Most Moved Mover. This title is essentially a play on the ancient words of the philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle and many other philosophers believed that God must be an unmoved Mover. (7) This thought is essentially that God does not change and if God is perfect will never change. I have heard this idea about God many times in my 27 years of existence from many different people. I have probably even passed this message about God on to others. an unchanging God is a predominant picture of who God is in our society. Openness theology wants us to look at God deeper and realize that an unchanging God is a God that is not in a relationship with a constantly changing humanity. Openness theology claims that God is in fact the most changing thing in existence. Openness theology supports an unchanging character of God. All of those incredible qualities of God are unchanging as a perfect being should be. God's actions however, are anything but unchanging.
If we look closely at the Bible there is a lot of evidence that God is constantly changing the way he interacts and relates to humanity. There are numerous times in the Bible where God seems to be persuaded to change his mind. In Genesis 18 we read of God's plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. We see that God plans to wipe out the entire place. Abraham however, bargains with God until they come to an agreement that if ten righteous people can be found in the city it will not be destroyed. In the book of Jonah we see Nineveh about to be destroyed by God because of their wicked ways. Once Jonah delivers God's message, they repent and God does not destroy them. Once again God appears to change his actions. These two stories are only a small representation of this changing action of God.
Possibly a more significant example in which the openness of God can be seen is in the story of God's people. (the story of God's relationship with humanity) At creation humanity is inseparable from God. After sin enters the world we see stories of more and more people having on again off again relationships with God. Eventually, God's chosen people are saved by Moses from Pharaoh and given a list of rules to live by (10 Commandments) and a land of their own. In this land the people are eventually led by judges who protect them and help them live as godly people. Eventually, the people known as Israel ask to be led by a king. God warns them of the negative effects that a king can have upon their land, but they demand a king. So king after king rules them, some good, some not so good. During this time prophets are sent by God to be his voice among his people always calling Israel back. Several hundred years later Jesus arrives on the scene and tells of a God that is bigger than rules. He tells of a God that is relational and loving. We see through Christ a God that is not just God of the Jews, but that longs for all people. Jesus' time ushers in a time where Jew and Gentile can worship the same God together. This new body of believers becomes the Church in which we see the Spirit of God among his people doing incredible things. Eventually the Church (Christianity) becomes a state sponsored religion which is good for its growth, but perhaps waters the Church down...Many years later the Church splits and splits and splits until we are eventually in a place where Christians are now divided and whose numbers are dying in the West. Presently, Christianity is growing so rapidly in other nations however, that churches are springing up ten and twenty at a time.
I think that this very simplistic and shortened history is important to know because it shows that God is constantly at work acting in our world to call us to Him. Each time his people begin to stray, a new action can be seen happening. There is never a time that we can't see God working out his will and each section of time differs from the one before it. Some people may see this as a weakness of God. They might say that if God is so perfect and all knowing then why would he need to try so many different ways to be in a relationship with us. To that I say the problem isn't God's the problem it is ours. Parents often have an ideal plan for their children. If they could make their children be any way they wanted, most would be able to picture a perfect life for their child. The problem is that your child is going to disappoint and make bad decisions. You can't make them turn out the way you want. You can teach them, love them, even tell them how you want them to live their lives, but in the end it all depends on them. Most parents I know don't ever give up on their children though. When a child makes a bad choice they are picked up, brushed off, and helped out. A parent that truly wants to help their child out of a bad situation won't continually repeat the same process over and over. Eventually that parent will try a new way to get through to their child or they will do things differently with the children that follow. This is much the same with God.
God has a will for every person in existence. Unfortunately, we are pretty good about choosing our will over God's will. This then changes how God would act in our lives. For openness theology, God knows all possible outcomes for the world rather than the one exact outcome. This is an important distinction because it reflects the freedom that we have been given. If we are told by God that we are free to do as we will, but God already knows every choice we make then it's hard to see how that is freedom and not some kind of divine intervention. The same is true for those that believe God has predetermined all things. If we act only as God compels us to then we are not truly free and God is potentially harmful. I say this because the horrible things that happen in the world would then be somehow of God. That's not something I'm comfortable believing a loving God would do.
God's interaction with humanity then is much like a helicopter and a parade. Pretend for a moment that God is a helicopter (or flying one) and we (humanity) are in a parade. From God's perspective he can at any moment in time see every possible direction, situation, and outcome that is infinitely possible on our route. Those of us in the parade make a choice with each step as to where we are going. God can see the best possible path for our life, but he never forces us to go down that path. God can call to us, have others nudge us, perhaps place obstacles in our path, but he will never drag us anywhere we do not choose to go. If we take a turn that God does not intend us to take then he has to change his strategy. Maybe we have made it so that we can never make it to the place God was taking us, or maybe we just have to take the long way around now. In either case God has to find a new way to get us back. So God in his infinite wisdom must not only be creative, but also know us so intimately that he can reach out to us in the most personal of ways. I think that is why when we hear about other people's journeys toward God they are each so different and our encounters with God happen in such unique ways.
So what are the implications of living a life that embraces an openness theology? This is what I have been asking myself lately. This is a work in progress, but I think a huge part of this theology changes the way we think about prayer. I think that prayer becomes much more important in our relationship to God. Not only is prayer a way for us to discern which direction God would prefer us to go, but it also is a way to help others. If God has not predetermined our future then that means we can have a hand in shaping it not only for ourselves, but for others. When Abraham pleads with God in Genesis, God changes his requirements. When the Ninevites repent and worship God he changes his plans for them. Prayer isn't necessary if all things are already determined for us before we are even born. I think prayer can only be an important part of our lives if God is acting in the here and now as we are.
As I wrap up this blog, I would like to add a couple of quick points. Openness theology is not a perfect understanding of who God is. Like all theological systems it has its strengths and weaknesses. I am still in the very early stages of learning about the openness of God, and I still have a lot of reading and learning to do. For now I am embracing the basics of this understanding and hope that what I have written has at least made you think about your belief in who God is and how God acts. The Pinnock book that I have referenced is an okay introduction to this theology, but his book is more concerned with making arguments for why this theological system should be embraced by the Evangelical branch of the church. For that reason it's not the best representation of the subject, but the main ideas are there.
Thanks for reading and hopefully you have comments and questions which I always encourage and welcome. I'm sorry this post is sooo long, but I guess I had a lot to say. until next time....
peace
Comments
The issues about the ability for God to change, coupled with the perfection of God, are ones I have often wrestled with, as well as the efficacy of prayer.
Is your analogy of God in the helicopter knowing all the possible routes that mankind can take synonomous with other explanations (such as CS Lewis uses) of God being in a dimension outside of time, and so not seeing events as past, present, and future, but having all of history as the now? Or can you explain the differences between these conceptions?
Peace,
dom