Editing Open theism (section)

==Historical development==
Contemporary open theists have named precursors among philosophers to document their assertion that "the open view of the future is not a recent concept," but has a long history.<ref>Gregory A. Boyd, ''Satan and the Problem of Evil'' (InterVarsity, 2001), 91, n.11.</ref>

The first known post-biblical Christian writings advocating concepts similar to open theism with regard to the issue of foreknowledge are found in the writings of [[Calcidius]], a 4th-century interpreter of [[Plato]]. It was affirmed in the 16th century by [[Fausto Sozzini|Socinus]], and in the early 18th century by [[Samuel Fancourt]] and by Andrew Ramsay (an important figure in Methodism). In the 19th century several theologians wrote in defense of this idea, including [[Isaak August Dorner]], [[Gustav Fechner]], [[Otto Pfleiderer]], [[Jules Lequier]], [[Adam Clarke]], Billy Hibbard, Joel Hayes, T.W. Brents, and Lorenzo D. McCabe. Contributions to this defense increased as the century drew to a close.{{efn|Retrospective lists of (approximately) open theists:

;Jowers (2005): names Audius and Socinus.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Dennis W. |last=Jowers |title=Open theism: Its nature, history, and limitations |journal=WRS Journal |url=http://www.wrs.edu/resources/wrs-journal/ |volume=12 |issue=1 |date=February 2005 |page=4 |access-date=August 8, 2014 |archive-date=April 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401033745/http://www.wrs.edu/resources/wrs-journal/ |url-status=dead }} (in print and online)</ref>

;Sanders (2007): names the following as “proponents” of “dynamic omniscience”: Edgar S. Brightman, Adam Clarke, Isaak Dorner, Samuel Fancourt, Gustave T. Fechner, Billy Hibbert, William James, Lorenzo D. McCabe, Otto Pfleiderer, and Andrew Ramsay.<ref>{{cite book |first=John |last=Sanders |title=The God Who Risks: A theology of providence |publisher=InterVarsity |year=2007 |pages=167, 323 note&nbsp;135}}</ref>

;Boyd (2008, 2014): names the following as “open theists”: 4th&nbsp;century Calcidius, 18th–19th&nbsp;century T.W. Brents, Adam Clarke, Isaac Dorner, Samuel Fancourt, G.T. Fechner, J. Greenrup, Joel Hayes, Billy Hibbard, J. Jones, Jules Lequier, Lorenzo McCabe, Otto Pfleiderer, D.U. Simon, and W. Taylor.<ref>{{cite web |first=Gregory A. |last=Boyd |title=Newly discovered open theists in church history |website=reknew.org |url=http://reknew.org/2008/08/newly-discovered-open-theists-in-church-history/ |date=August 2008 |access-date=August 1, 2014}} and {{cite book |title=Satan and the Problem of Evil |publisher=InterVarsity |year=2001 |at=page&nbsp;91, note&nbsp;11}}</ref>}}

The dynamic omniscience view has been affirmed by a number of non Christians as well: Cicero (1st century BC) Alexander of Aphrodisias (2nd century) and Porphyry (3rd century). God's statement to Abraham “Now I know that you fear me” (Gen 22:12) was much discussed by Medieval Jewish theologians. Two significant Jewish thinkers who affirmed dynamic omniscience as the proper interpretation of the passage were Ibn Ezra (12th century) and Gersonides (14th century).{{Citation needed|date=August 2014}}

[[Sergei Bulgakov]], an early-20th-century Russian Orthodox priest and theologian advocated the use of the term [[panentheism]], which articulated a necessary link between God and creation as consequence of God's free love and not as a natural necessity. His [[sophiology]] has sometimes been seen as a precursor to 'open theism'.

David R. Larson<!--https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q94647449--> claimed in 2007 that "in less detailed forms the basics of 'Open Theism' have been taught at [[Loma Linda University]] for about fifty years, beginning at least as early as long-time professor [[Jack W. Provonsha]]."<ref>David Larson, "[http://spectrummagazine.typepad.com/the_spectrum_blog/2007/11/richard-rice-di.html Richard Rice Discusses Open Theism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020231610/http://spectrummagazine.typepad.com/the_spectrum_blog/2007/11/richard-rice-di.html |date=October 20, 2009 }}". ''[[Spectrum (magazine)|Spectrum]]'' Blog, 11 November 2007</ref> Provonsha started teaching at Loma Linda about 1960.<ref>{{cite AV media |last1=Provonsha |first1=Jack Wendell |last2=Larson |first2=David Ralph |date= May 1995 |title=A conversation with Dr. Jack Provonsha, Part 1 |publisher=Loma Linda Broadcasting Network |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaovJrzdoBM&t=669s |access-date=9 June 2023}}</ref>

[[Millard Erickson]] belittles such precursors to open theism as "virtually unknown or unnoticed."<ref>Millard J. Erickson, What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?: The Current Controversy over Divine Foreknowledge (Zondervan, 2006), 248.</ref>

===After 1980===
The term "open theism" was introduced in 1980 with theologian [[Richard Rice (theologian)|Richard Rice]]'s book ''The Openness of God: The Relationship of Divine Foreknowledge and Human Free Will''. The broader articulation of open theism was given in 1994, when five essays were published by evangelical scholars (including Rice) under the title ''The Openness of God''. Recent theologians of note expressing this view include: [[Clark Pinnock]] (deceased as of 2010), [[Gregory A. Boyd|Greg Boyd]], [[Thomas Jay Oord]], [[John E. Sanders]], [[Dallas Willard]], [[Jürgen Moltmann]], [[Richard Rice (theologian)|Richard Rice]], [[C. Peter Wagner]], [[John Polkinghorne]], [[Hendrikus Berkhof]], Adrio Konig, Harry Boer, Bethany Sollereder, Matt Parkins, Thomas Finger (Mennonite), W. Norris Clarke (Roman Catholic), Brian Hebblethwaite, Robert Ellis, Kenneth Archer (Pentecostal), Barry Callen (Church of God), Henry Knight III, Gordon Olson, and [[Winkie Pratney]]. A significant, growing number of philosophers of religion affirm it: [[Peter Van Inwagen]], [[Richard Swinburne]] ([[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]]), [[William Hasker]], [[David Basinger]], [[Nicholas Wolterstorff]], [[Dean Zimmerman (philosopher)|Dean Zimmerman]], Timothy O'Connor, James D. Rissler, Keith DeRose, Richard E. Creel, Robin Collins (philosopher/theologian/physicist), [[J. R. Lucas]], [[Vincent Brümmer]], ([[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]), [[Richard Purtill]], Alan Rhoda, Jeffrey Koperski, Dale Tuggy, and [[Keith Ward]]. Biblical scholars [[Terence E. Fretheim]], Karen Winslow, and [[John Goldingay]] affirm it. Others include writers [[Madeleine L'Engle]] and [[Paul C. Borgman]], mathematician [[D.J. Bartholomew]] and biochemist/theologian [[Arthur Peacocke]].<ref>To see documentation to verify most of the people on this list see John Sanders, ''The God Who Risks: A Theology of Divine Providence'', revised edition (InterVarsity press, 2007) 166-169.</ref>