Know Thy Heresy?

Ages ago a reader with an interest in the neotheism controversy (or, the "openness of God" idea) asked me to take a look at this work, and it took me quite some time to get around to it. (We now take a closer look here.) Was it worth the wait? If you are looking for the "ultimate" case for neotheism, perhaps it is. I recommend this book not because I agree with what it says, but because it makes the case for neotheism better than any book I have seen so far: comprehensively, and clearly, even if not convincingly.

Some of what Sanders says I find interesting; somewhat less I find agreeable. His insights on freedom carry a great deal of relevance for the TULIP debates and match some of my own conclusions; thus for example I agree with the first half of the sentence, "In freedom, God chooses not to control everything," and thus is sovereign (for even doing nothing is a choice); but I disagree with part 2, where Sanders adds, "and so takes risks in his providence" (if by this, as seems likely, Sanders means that God does things not knowing what will happen).

Where the Bible is concerned it seems clear that Sanders takes his conclusions too far and often opts for the least likely hermeneutical path in order to support his case, or else claims (sometimes rightly) that, "Well, this verse could fit in my model, too, if we read it this way." If supposition was all that was needed, neotheism might have a solid case. But philosophically, neotheism begs for too many excuses and causes more problems than it solves. If you want to study the issue, though, get to know Sanders and know him well.