Divine Foreknowledge Summary

I found this book to be well written and very interesting. I thought I had a good grasp of each position going into this reading, but realized that I did not. I am thankful for the time to consider these positions a little bit deeper.

As far as my own application of this work, at first glance I found it difficult to answer that question. However, I think there are some important applications. First, as raised through the discussion of Open Theism, there are some serious pastoral concerns in this view. While divine foreknowledge seems to be highly conceptual and philosophical, it, as all concepts do, trickles down into the realities of life having profound impact. Where exactly I land, for example, speaks to how a mother who has had her child kid-napped is to respond and understand God's will. My approach and fervency in evangelism is at issue depending on the position I take. Even more, my hope for the future as well as God's ability to care for my congregation is at stake depending on where I land on this very important topic. As a pastor, I must see how theology trickles down into my ministry.

I also have come to a deep appreciation for views different than my own. While I whole-heartedly reject open theism, I am comfortable calling someone who adopts this view my brother/sister. Prior to the reading I was adamant that this view is heresy and would consider it on par with Mormonism. While certain implications of this view lead that direction, I can see how Boyd and other open theists arrived at their position and maintain that they are not so compromising the Word of God that I cannot call them family. Intelligent and faithful people have come to conclusions very different than me. Reading this book reminded me of this. I can maintain the truth of my own position while respecting the views of others (though holding that they are incorrect).

I serve in a reformed/Calvinist body. After reading the conclusions of Helm (and the responses to him), I have grave concern for this position. My concern lies in the pastoral conclusions that one must come to in order to hold this view. Operating in this community, I want to be sensitive to the practical applications this view has on free will, God's love and grace, as well as on witnessing. Unfortunately, I do not believe the people of my congregation has arrived at Calvinism by anything more than name. They do not adopt or fully understand the conclusions of this view and are practicing middle-knowledge.

As for my own view, I maintain human freedom and divine knowledge and sovereignty without feeling the need to explain them. While enigmatic, I think that in order to rightly develop a theology on this particular position, we would need to understand far more than is possible for us on this side of glory. In the last chapters of Job, God spends a great deal of time explaining just how big and powerful He is. Job's response (in chapter 42) is my own as it relates to the divine knowledge of God:

¹ Then Job replied to the LORD :

² "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.

³ You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'

⁵ My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.

⁶ Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."