Theology

Introduction: The Future in Question Can God know the future? Not just what could or might happen—or even what’s likely to happen—but what will happen? This question cuts to the heart of theology and metaphysics. It impacts how we think about God’s sovereignty, omniscience, providence, and trustworthiness. It’s also a central dividing line between Calvinism, Molinism, and Open Theism. In a recent article critiquing certain forms of Open Theism , I argued that a God who doesn

Many are drawn to Open Theism because they believe it helps with the problem of evil. After all, if God doesn’t know what free creatures will do in the future, then He cannot be blamed for their choices—right? If God didn’t foresee the horrors that awaited, then perhaps He’s off the moral hook. At first glance, this seems like a promising solution. It paints a picture of a well-meaning deity doing His best in a dangerous world filled with free creatures. But upon closer exami

Philippians 2:6-11 is a well-known hymn in the New Testament, clearly affirming Christ’s divine nature. The hymn tells the story of the descent of Christ from heaven to earth, followed by his death, resurrection, and exaltation back into the heavens. What is Paul’s purpose behind it? When read on its own, one may think it is to argue for Christ’s divinity and his dual nature. Reading the passage apart from its literary context, however, misses Paul's broader point. From the s

The Book of Job has challenged generations of Christians with one of the most difficult questions in life. Why is there suffering in the world? Why do good people go through hardship? The Book of Job is unique for its approach to these questions, as compared to the rest of the Wisdom books—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Unlike the rest of the wisdom literature, which mostly present a black and white view of good and evil, the Book of Job presents an often

In recent days, I’ve found myself in the crosshairs of both Calvinists and Open Theists . And honestly? I consider that a good sign. When two opposite extremes are each trying to pull you in their direction, there’s a decent chance you’re standing on a solid middle high ground. That middle high ground, for me, is Mere Molinism. What Is Mere Molinism? Mere Molinism affirms just two key claims: The omniscient God possesses middle knowledge —that is, knowledge of what any pos

My friend recently shared a common defense of Irresistible Grace (the "I" of TULIP), quoting Philippians 1:6: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." She concluded that if God begins to draw someone, He must irresistibly finish that work. That sounds reassuring at first glance. But there are some significant theological and philosophical issues that must be addressed. In this blog post, I

Let me begin with sincere thanks to my good friend Warren McGrew (aka Idol Killer ) for his recent video response to my blog, Does Molinism Collapse into Determinism? A Friendly Response to Idol Killer . Warren is one of the most thoughtful and articulate critics of Calvinism and divine determinism on YouTube today. I absolutely love his material, even though he occasionally takes friendly shots at Molinism. Most importantly, Warren is a godly man, a brother in Christ, and

Introduction             Romans 3:23 is one of the Bible’s most memorized—and most sobering—verses, displaying the depth of sin in humanity. But is that all there is to Romans 3:23—just bad news? Or is there a glimpse of hope buried deep in it? Romans 3:23 encapsulates Paul’s discourse from 1:18-3:20 <1> ; Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Paul uses this verse to capture the point that all people, both Jews and Gentiles, are

“If God loves His enemies, does He love the devil?” That’s what one of my friend’s kids asked her recently—and I think it’s one of the most profound theological questions I’ve ever heard. For many Christians—especially those shaped by deterministic frameworks like EDD-Calvinism—this question feels confusing. Some theologians (like Arthur Pink) argue that God does not love all people. He only loves the elect—those predestined for salvation. Others insist that God’s love is on

This weekend, the community I call home in Central Nebraska was rocked by an unspeakable tragedy. Though I currently live in Kearney, Holdrege is my hometown. It’s where I was raised. It’s where my parents, my sister and her family, my sister-in-law and her family, my aunt and uncle, my cousins, and many of my closest lifelong friends still live. I was just at church in Holdrege yesterday. This is more than news to me—it’s personal. Over the weekend, in nearby Johnson Lake, J

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” — C.S. Lewis “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” — C.S. Lewis Similarly, I believe in perfect being theology as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see the maximal greatness of God, but because by it I see everything else. That lens ha

Why I Traded a Beautiful Sig for a Glock—and What It Taught Me About Faith, Evidence, and Epistemic Integrity “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” — C.S. Lewis Ever since I first saw Han Solo draw his blaster with confident swagger, I’ve been hooked. No

“Congratulations. You Are Being Rescued. Please Do Not Resist.” May the Fourth is widely known as Star Wars Day . And as a lifelong fan of the franchise— with a love/hate relationship that many of you know well—I can’t resist taking this opportunity to reflect on one of the saga’s most memorable moments and the powerful theological truth it helps illustrate. In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , there’s a scene where the droid K-2SO and a group of rebels go to rescue Jyn Erso. B

There was a time, back in my “cage-stage Calvinist” days, when I didn’t think Catholics were really Christians at all. In fact, I was quick to label the Catholic Church as little more than a cult. I had been told (and believed) that Catholics worship Mary and the saints, that they pray to human beings rather than to the Creator of the universe. From where I stood at the time, it seemed obvious: this was idolatry. This was not Christianity. But the more I studied—especially a

“. . . Before I made those stars, I already hated you." “. . . Before I made those stars, I already hated you." -- Calvinist Jesus Setting the Scene I recently shared a meme that sparked a flurry of responses across social media. It was a simple graphic. A young boy standing with Jesus under the night sky, with Jesus saying: “Just think, before I made those stars I already hated you.” The image, though stark, was not meant to mock or misrepresent Calvinists. It was a theolog

Philosophers have long wrestled with the question: What is the greatest conceivable being? The ontological argument , especially as formulated by Alvin Plantinga, says that if it's even possible for a maximally great being (MGB) to exist—a necessary being who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent—then such a being must exist in every possible world, including the actual one. It’s a bold and beautiful argument. But it doesn’t stop at abstract theism. Once we realize t

By Josh Klein and Thomas Moller When I (Josh Klein) was younger, around thirteen years old, my best friend and I set out to write a book together. We were enamored by Star Wars. The world of Science Fiction seemed so appealing. New worlds, different species of hominids, laser swords (lightsabers), traveling at the speed of light and from system to system. I was into it all. Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate SG-1, you name it, I loved it. The reason I loved it had to do with thes

Suffering is a universal part of life—and no one escapes it, though we may try. But despite our best efforts, we all experience suffering in some capacity. Knowing this does not make it easy, however. Whether it comes through disease, death, injury, disaster, or persecution, we all struggle to endure it, which is why we need the support of not only God but also our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need the Church. Yet despite the Church’s long history of persecution and pai

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” — C.S. Lewis Similarly, I believe in perfect being theology as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see the maximal greatness of God, but because by it I see everything else. This theological lens ha

Christians across denominational traditions typically agree that God is perfectly loving, perfectly just, and perfectly wise. He doesn’t make mistakes, He never judges unfairly, and He knows not just what will happen, but also what would happen in every possible situation. That’s what we mean when we say God is a maximally great being—among other things, "God is love" (1 John 4:8) and possesses perfect knowledge, is perfectly just, and perfect in mercy. Now let’s take a clos