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An Open Theist Renewal Theology: God‘s Love, the Spirit’s Power, and Human Freedom
The Open Renewal approach emphasizes two impulses that can be seen as coming to us through the thought of John (1) relational theology’s prioritizing God’s love, the freedom that humans exert, and the openness of the future, and (2) pentecostalism's reliance on the Holy Spirit to empower God’s activity on the earth. This theology aims to energize our participation in living out Jesus’ teaching and actually change the world.Rory Randall’s contributions to the (open) ongoing conversation about Open Theism is particularly significant. He makes clear that the conversation between Wesleyans, Pentecostals, and Open Theists is the next logical topic, given the historical trajectory of those movements. Randall’s work does what good family conversations should kees us tied to our roots, corrects our “family issues,” and moves us toward a hopeful future.—Kimberly Ervin Alexander, Ramp School of MinistryRandall offers the reader a fresh, coherent, and compelling argument for an Openness Renewal Theology—one that drinks deeply from Wesley’s synergistic theology of love and flows naturally from pentecostal-charismatic Christianity. A beneficial contribution to pentecostal and openness studies.—Kenneth J. Archer, School of Divinity, Southeastern University and author of The Gospel Revisited
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2021
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October 21, 2021
Open Theism envisions an open future. While there are differences of opinion as to how much God knows about the future, that future is yet to be written and can change depending on circumstances. Open Theism tends to reject or modify the traditional philosophical expectations with to God's nature. Thus, impassibility (lack of passion) and immutability (lack of change within God) are set aside, and omniscience is set as well. As for omnipotence, for some God lacks all possible power, and for others, God has chosen to limit God's power in order to leave room for free will. Many Open Theists have a Wesleyan background, as Wesley and his theological/ecclesial descendants are generally Arminian in their approach to God's sovereignty.
Pentecostalism has Wesleyan roots. The pioneers of this movement, Charles Parham and William Seymour, were Wesleyan-Holiness preachers before embracing the Pentecostal vision. Over time, some, perhaps a majority, of Pentecostals chose a different tack, but the influence of Wesley remains present within the movement, in part because Pentecostal/Charismatic/Neocharismatic movements think in terms of the unfettered movement of the Holy Spirit. If everything is determined then what role does the Spirit play?
Rory Randall is a Pentecostal theologian who has attempted to lay out an "Open Theist Renewal Theology." He roots this effort in Wesleyan Theology as expressed by both John Wesley and his colleague John Fletcher. Much of the book is focused on the way in which their theological work lays the foundations for open theism. With that foundation, Randall then layers a Renewal Theology that is open theist in orientation. He uses the term "renewal theology" in order to broaden the spectrum of contributors beyond historic Pentecostalism to include both Charismatic and NeoCharismatic efforts.
The book, which has been published as part of SacraSage's Studies in Open and Relational Theology, an effort edited by Thomas Jay Oord. The book is based on an earlier Ph.D. dissertation written at Regent University. While it may have been revised, at least one footnote to a book by Thomas Oord suggests that it would be published in 2015. That was six years ago. Thus, it likely has lain largely untouched since then. Nevertheless, this is a useful exploration of the relationship between open theism and renewal theology. Because it is essentially Randall's dissertation we see a lot of the traditional elements of a dissertation here including lengthy definitions of open theism and Wesleyan theology, as well as Pentecostalism. We're introduced to the primary figures including Tom Oord, Clark Pinnock, and Greg Boyd.
As I read the book, being that I locate myself within the movement, both as an open theist (with a Reformed twist) and having Pentecostal dimensions to my theology as seen in my book Unfettered Spirit: Spiritual Gifts for the New Great Awakening. Second Expanded Edition. Thus, I have a great interest in making the connection between the two. I believe that they make natural bedfellows. While I appreciate the work done to lay out the Wesleyan roots, I wish Randall had more with contemporary theologians who are open to open theism, like Amos Yong, but perhaps are not as well known in open and relational circles as Pinnock and Boyd. I would especially have liked to have seen more specific engagement, at least identified engagement, with Pentecostal theologians whose ancestry is Wesleyan, such as Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and Church of God in Christ.
While I identify as an open theist, but not Wesleyan (I'm Disciple), and with a Barthian strain to my theology (Reformed), I must say that I do get uncomfortable when too much attention is paid to Reformed and Calvinist theology. Open Theism should be able to stand on its own without denigrating its alternatives. In this case, I wonder why Randall in his effort to contrast his open theism with classical theism he used Wayne Grudem as his counterpoint. I ask this because Grudem, with his Trumpian politics, would not be my first choice of Reformed debate partners. Of course, this was written before Trump became President.
Overall, I think this is a good start on the development of an open theist renewal theology. I believe that Pentecostalism has much to offer the conversation with its emphasis on the work of the Spirit, which is itself relational in nature. Perhaps Randall can take this a bit further in future works.
Pentecostalism has Wesleyan roots. The pioneers of this movement, Charles Parham and William Seymour, were Wesleyan-Holiness preachers before embracing the Pentecostal vision. Over time, some, perhaps a majority, of Pentecostals chose a different tack, but the influence of Wesley remains present within the movement, in part because Pentecostal/Charismatic/Neocharismatic movements think in terms of the unfettered movement of the Holy Spirit. If everything is determined then what role does the Spirit play?
Rory Randall is a Pentecostal theologian who has attempted to lay out an "Open Theist Renewal Theology." He roots this effort in Wesleyan Theology as expressed by both John Wesley and his colleague John Fletcher. Much of the book is focused on the way in which their theological work lays the foundations for open theism. With that foundation, Randall then layers a Renewal Theology that is open theist in orientation. He uses the term "renewal theology" in order to broaden the spectrum of contributors beyond historic Pentecostalism to include both Charismatic and NeoCharismatic efforts.
The book, which has been published as part of SacraSage's Studies in Open and Relational Theology, an effort edited by Thomas Jay Oord. The book is based on an earlier Ph.D. dissertation written at Regent University. While it may have been revised, at least one footnote to a book by Thomas Oord suggests that it would be published in 2015. That was six years ago. Thus, it likely has lain largely untouched since then. Nevertheless, this is a useful exploration of the relationship between open theism and renewal theology. Because it is essentially Randall's dissertation we see a lot of the traditional elements of a dissertation here including lengthy definitions of open theism and Wesleyan theology, as well as Pentecostalism. We're introduced to the primary figures including Tom Oord, Clark Pinnock, and Greg Boyd.
As I read the book, being that I locate myself within the movement, both as an open theist (with a Reformed twist) and having Pentecostal dimensions to my theology as seen in my book Unfettered Spirit: Spiritual Gifts for the New Great Awakening. Second Expanded Edition. Thus, I have a great interest in making the connection between the two. I believe that they make natural bedfellows. While I appreciate the work done to lay out the Wesleyan roots, I wish Randall had more with contemporary theologians who are open to open theism, like Amos Yong, but perhaps are not as well known in open and relational circles as Pinnock and Boyd. I would especially have liked to have seen more specific engagement, at least identified engagement, with Pentecostal theologians whose ancestry is Wesleyan, such as Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and Church of God in Christ.
While I identify as an open theist, but not Wesleyan (I'm Disciple), and with a Barthian strain to my theology (Reformed), I must say that I do get uncomfortable when too much attention is paid to Reformed and Calvinist theology. Open Theism should be able to stand on its own without denigrating its alternatives. In this case, I wonder why Randall in his effort to contrast his open theism with classical theism he used Wayne Grudem as his counterpoint. I ask this because Grudem, with his Trumpian politics, would not be my first choice of Reformed debate partners. Of course, this was written before Trump became President.
Overall, I think this is a good start on the development of an open theist renewal theology. I believe that Pentecostalism has much to offer the conversation with its emphasis on the work of the Spirit, which is itself relational in nature. Perhaps Randall can take this a bit further in future works.
July 4, 2022
I just finished "An Open Theist Renewal Theology: God's Love, the Spirit's Power, and Human Freedom (Studies in Open and Relational Theology), by Rory Randall; 2021. (Cover photo by Thomas Oord...I had a feeling.)
Renewal Theology: the theology of Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Neo-Charismatic movements; there must be a Spirit focus with baptism in, and gifts of, at the forefront and christocentric. So Pneumocentric (Charismacentric), and Christocentric. (Currently the major ST on Renewal Theology was written by a Presbyterian so I passed.)
Wesley's theology of love and of experience of holiness and the Spirit began the Pentecostal movement. Both Wesleyanism and Pentecostalism are the strengths of Renewal Theology, add to that the philosophical advantage gained by Open Theism and we have an attractive systematic renewal Theology.
Ch 1:
Classical Theism, Open Theism and Renewal Theology--Definitions and Literature--
Classical theism is an overamplifacation of Greek concepts applied to biblical literature. This was done by early apologists to reach those familiar with these Greek concepts (God feels no pain, never changes, exists in an eternal now timelessly...). Open Theism begins theologically with God is love. This is not one among many realities about God, this is the most important. Love is relational and non-coercive, it seeks the good of others. As such God gives up some control so that His free creatures who He loves can make real decisions. Love demands freewill otherwise it isn't love. Philosophically Open Theism says that free creatures create the future based on freely executed actions; God doesn't exhaustively know the future actions of His creatures because they haven't made it real yet. This is according to how He created reality rather than a lack in Godself.
Randall continues to condense almost 30 years of Open scholarship and it's classical rebuttal into a chapter. This is quite well done; he doesn't belabor a scholar or work but says who made a notch in the theological headboard with what works and how they raised havoc from the classical Theists. Then he goes on to show the crossroads between open theism and Renewal Theology happening at Wesley and his theological descendants. This was an enjoyable chapter.
Ch 2:
John Wesley does not entirely fit Renewal or Open Theist Paradigms--
The views of Wesley are compared and contrasted with Open Theism. Going in Wesley sounds very much the classical theist. But after discussing the nature of time in comparison with the physics of today, and how Wesley was willing to deviate from Augustinian classical theism on freewill, election and predestination, the argument was made that had Wesley had today's evidence of time he would have been open to open theism as his later descendants were. Also an older Wesley began to utilize "eternal" and "everlasting" language of duration over "eternal now" and "timeless" language.
The Wesleyan scholar that shows the theological maturation from Wesley to today's open theism is Lorenzo Dow McCabe who living in the second generation of Methodists was presenting philosophical arguments about the nescience of God with passion and precision as the logical outcome of freewill contra theological determinism.
In a similar way the younger Wesley didn't give much thought to the workings of the Spirit while an older Wesley would ask for confirmation of the message by the workings of the Spirit (and they hit).
Ch 3:
John Wesley and John Fletcher initiate a trajectory towards Open Theism--
Randall dives into specific doctrinal topics and shows how Wesley corresponds to, if not lays the foundation for, open theism. What he tackles well is where there are classical theistic sounding topics in Wesley, especially a more mature Wesley, when one looks at the language in context he is really much closer to deviation from Augustine than in line with him on many topics. This again can be traced back to Wesley grounding his theology in God who is love above all.
Interesting that an older Wesley grounded God's Omniscience in His Omnipresence which is absolutely consistent with an open theist position (A-theory over B-theory). God knows what happened because He was there and what is happening because He is there. He doesn't know what will happen because it isn't yet real. The only possible flaw here is if Wesley thought that God's Omnipresence allowed Him to be past, present and future which allows Him to know the future. Added to this Wesley greatly questioned immutability and impassibility. Reading scripture and a dedication to the love of God didn't allow this.
Ch 4:
Open Theism in another Wesleyan Trajectory: Pentecostalism--
Wesley had been exposed and influenced by Eastern Orthodox theology. The pneumatological heaviness of the eastern church can be seen in His view of prevenient grace and holiness. This Spirit focus flows through Methodism to the holiness movements and right down Azusa to modern Pentecostalism and Chraismatics. Where Wesley went from Justification to sanctification to entire sanctification the beginning of the Pentecostal movement added as subsequent the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The one thing as central that can be found at the intersection of Renewal Theology, Wesley and Open Theism is love. This is common and paramount to all three.
Ch 5:
The Convergence of the Two Trajectories--
In this chapter Randall dives into how Wesleyan Renewal Theology and open theism interact systematically with a focus on anthropology and Pneumatology. Yes, this is where I say buy this book I'm not going to get into the weeds here.
"When sanctification leads to a renunciation of violence, a Pneumatology of love has moved from theology to praxis," p 154.
Randall approaches this through what cones across as a Hopeful postmillennial view. This is important because eschatology is the tail that wags the theological dog.
An excellent book. Thank you John Sanders for pointing me to this work.
#RoryRandall #OpenTheist #OpenTheism #OpennessTheology #RenewalTheology #Pentecostal #Pentecostalism #Methodist #Methocostal #JohnWesley #Wesley #Weselyan #AzusaStreet #Azusa #Holiness #Charismatic #NeoCharismatic #BOTY
Renewal Theology: the theology of Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Neo-Charismatic movements; there must be a Spirit focus with baptism in, and gifts of, at the forefront and christocentric. So Pneumocentric (Charismacentric), and Christocentric. (Currently the major ST on Renewal Theology was written by a Presbyterian so I passed.)
Wesley's theology of love and of experience of holiness and the Spirit began the Pentecostal movement. Both Wesleyanism and Pentecostalism are the strengths of Renewal Theology, add to that the philosophical advantage gained by Open Theism and we have an attractive systematic renewal Theology.
Ch 1:
Classical Theism, Open Theism and Renewal Theology--Definitions and Literature--
Classical theism is an overamplifacation of Greek concepts applied to biblical literature. This was done by early apologists to reach those familiar with these Greek concepts (God feels no pain, never changes, exists in an eternal now timelessly...). Open Theism begins theologically with God is love. This is not one among many realities about God, this is the most important. Love is relational and non-coercive, it seeks the good of others. As such God gives up some control so that His free creatures who He loves can make real decisions. Love demands freewill otherwise it isn't love. Philosophically Open Theism says that free creatures create the future based on freely executed actions; God doesn't exhaustively know the future actions of His creatures because they haven't made it real yet. This is according to how He created reality rather than a lack in Godself.
Randall continues to condense almost 30 years of Open scholarship and it's classical rebuttal into a chapter. This is quite well done; he doesn't belabor a scholar or work but says who made a notch in the theological headboard with what works and how they raised havoc from the classical Theists. Then he goes on to show the crossroads between open theism and Renewal Theology happening at Wesley and his theological descendants. This was an enjoyable chapter.
Ch 2:
John Wesley does not entirely fit Renewal or Open Theist Paradigms--
The views of Wesley are compared and contrasted with Open Theism. Going in Wesley sounds very much the classical theist. But after discussing the nature of time in comparison with the physics of today, and how Wesley was willing to deviate from Augustinian classical theism on freewill, election and predestination, the argument was made that had Wesley had today's evidence of time he would have been open to open theism as his later descendants were. Also an older Wesley began to utilize "eternal" and "everlasting" language of duration over "eternal now" and "timeless" language.
The Wesleyan scholar that shows the theological maturation from Wesley to today's open theism is Lorenzo Dow McCabe who living in the second generation of Methodists was presenting philosophical arguments about the nescience of God with passion and precision as the logical outcome of freewill contra theological determinism.
In a similar way the younger Wesley didn't give much thought to the workings of the Spirit while an older Wesley would ask for confirmation of the message by the workings of the Spirit (and they hit).
Ch 3:
John Wesley and John Fletcher initiate a trajectory towards Open Theism--
Randall dives into specific doctrinal topics and shows how Wesley corresponds to, if not lays the foundation for, open theism. What he tackles well is where there are classical theistic sounding topics in Wesley, especially a more mature Wesley, when one looks at the language in context he is really much closer to deviation from Augustine than in line with him on many topics. This again can be traced back to Wesley grounding his theology in God who is love above all.
Interesting that an older Wesley grounded God's Omniscience in His Omnipresence which is absolutely consistent with an open theist position (A-theory over B-theory). God knows what happened because He was there and what is happening because He is there. He doesn't know what will happen because it isn't yet real. The only possible flaw here is if Wesley thought that God's Omnipresence allowed Him to be past, present and future which allows Him to know the future. Added to this Wesley greatly questioned immutability and impassibility. Reading scripture and a dedication to the love of God didn't allow this.
Ch 4:
Open Theism in another Wesleyan Trajectory: Pentecostalism--
Wesley had been exposed and influenced by Eastern Orthodox theology. The pneumatological heaviness of the eastern church can be seen in His view of prevenient grace and holiness. This Spirit focus flows through Methodism to the holiness movements and right down Azusa to modern Pentecostalism and Chraismatics. Where Wesley went from Justification to sanctification to entire sanctification the beginning of the Pentecostal movement added as subsequent the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The one thing as central that can be found at the intersection of Renewal Theology, Wesley and Open Theism is love. This is common and paramount to all three.
Ch 5:
The Convergence of the Two Trajectories--
In this chapter Randall dives into how Wesleyan Renewal Theology and open theism interact systematically with a focus on anthropology and Pneumatology. Yes, this is where I say buy this book I'm not going to get into the weeds here.
"When sanctification leads to a renunciation of violence, a Pneumatology of love has moved from theology to praxis," p 154.
Randall approaches this through what cones across as a Hopeful postmillennial view. This is important because eschatology is the tail that wags the theological dog.
An excellent book. Thank you John Sanders for pointing me to this work.
#RoryRandall #OpenTheist #OpenTheism #OpennessTheology #RenewalTheology #Pentecostal #Pentecostalism #Methodist #Methocostal #JohnWesley #Wesley #Weselyan #AzusaStreet #Azusa #Holiness #Charismatic #NeoCharismatic #BOTY
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