The Evangelical and The Open Theist: Can Open Theism Find Its Place Within the Evangelical Community?

Since the publication of The Openness of God in 1994, open theism has become a hot topic of debate within evangelical circles. The debate has become so heated, in fact, that the Evangelical Theological Society brought to a vote a motion to expel some of its members for adhering to the teachings of open theology. What is it about open theism that would inspire opponents to claim that "American Christianity is currently engaged in a crucial debate over the doctrine of God" and that "nothing less than the biblical orthodox doctrines of God and of salvation are at stake"? What about its teachings inspire such heated reactions within the evangelical community? This book seeks to explore the tenets of open theism in light of the foundational beliefs of evangelicalism to determine whether the open theist can legitimately claim the title "evangelical." By doing so, the book seeks to answer whether in the midst of all the controversy and debate, open theists can find their place within the evangelical community.