Abstract:
Open theism argues that traditional responses to the
problem of evil fail to provide comfort amidst suffering
because of their notion of metaphysical determinism and
over-dependence on Greek philosophy. Open theists
argue that the best solution to the problem of evil lies in
our understanding of the nature of God’s power, which
has been relinquished due to his love, the open nature
of creation, and the creatures’ inherent powers. This
study argues that the open-theistic notion of divine power
is reductionistic because it does not consider coercive
power as part of divine power. Further, the open theistic
logic-of-love defence propagates a loveless God who
respects his covenant with the beloved more than the
beloved. Finally, the study argues that the open theists’
notions of divine omniscience and divine power are not
viable; they raised many questions and objections and,
therefore, created room for despair rather than comfort
in adversity.
