God's Lesser Glory: The Diminished God of Open Theism

Sometimes the Openness debate generates more heat than light, but Ware's book is a delightful exception. The volume is shot through with sound exegesis that demonstrates God's exhaustive and definite foreknowledge of the future choices of free agents. Chapter 4 corrects exegetical errors made by Openness Theology, and chapter 5 is Ware's refreshingly careful exegesis of a long list of passages that teach the traditional view. The book's argument is both penetrating and devastating. Rather than sweep the "partly open future" motif into the "dustbin of anthropomorphism," Ware shows that if an exegete takes the "open future" passages at "face value," as the Openness theologians think we should, then God would be ignorant of the present as well as the past, and He would need reminding of things. A "face value" hermeneutic proves too much for the Open Theists (reductio ad absurdum). The book also gives a helpful definition of the all too often undefined category of "anthropomorphism" on page 86.Unlike some theologians who have taken up their pens against this contemporary error, Ware rightly and judiciously discriminates between Open Theism and Arminianism. The former is outside the camp of evangelicalism, not the latter. This book never targets Arminianism; instead, it aims directly at the diminished god of Open Theism and proves that he is not the God of the Bible.Finally, throughout the entire work, the author's tone is urgent but kind, firm but loving, and polemical but pastoral.I heartily recommend this book to everyone who wants to know what the Bible says about God's knowledge of the future.

I think Ware has done a fine job of defending classical theism's belief in a God who has exhaustive knowledge of all things both possible and actual in the past, present, AND future. Open-theism has been attacking this vital doctrine of God's omniscience and Bruce Ware kindly, yet firmly, puts his exegetical skill to work in defense of exhaustive divine foreknowledge. The strength of this book is it's expository method. Ware doesn't build straw men to tear down. He seriously and honestly interacts with the writings of Open-theists like Greg Boyd, Clark Pinnock, and John Sanders, answering their arguments from texts which apparently support openness theology and also presenting the full gammit of Biblical passages which most open-theists fail to mention, such as Isaiah 41:21-29, 42:8-9, 43:8-13, 44:6-8, 44:24-28, 45:20-23, 46:8-11, 48:3-8, and 48:14-16. Just a brief perusal of those texts should reveal the many holes in open-theism. Questions of God's immutability and "repentance" are also handled with care and answered well, in my opinion. Reading this book helped me understand what attracts some people to open-theism - namely, the idea that suffering happens outside of God's knowledge and will. Some people seem to derive comfort from the idea that God is as surprised by the calamity which befalls us as we are. Personally, I find this concept totally unbiblical and without much comfort to offer. Open-theism's god is like a crippled king with a good heart, not an all-wise and all-powerful Sovereign who must be trusted by us. He is like a handicapped friend who empathizes with us, but cannot really help us. Open-theism puts God in a wheel-chair. I have experienced trials (as have we all) when I didn't fully understand why God had allowed it or what He was doing at the time. I suppose there are some questions that won't be answered this side of heaven. But I find much more comfort in believing that "behind a frowning Providence, He hides a smiling face," than I would if I believed that God didn't know what was going on any sooner than I did.It boils down to this. Either the Bible teaches that God actually has all knowledge of all things - past, present, and future - including the free choices of men, angels, and demons and all the sin and suffering which results from those choices - and has a purpose in permitting it all to happen as He does; OR, the Bible teaches that God is less than this: a kind-hearted but straight-jacketed despot who feels our pain but won't interfere because He exalts free-will above His own wisdom. I'm convinced that the Bible teaches the former, not the latter. Ware gives a good defense. If you are wrestling with the issue, I highly recommend this book.

Recently I read all the way through Gregory Boyd's "God of the Possible" and Bruce Ware's "God's Lesser Glory" which are now the two most important arguments for opposing viewpoints in this debate within contemporary evangelism over the nature and extend of God's sovereignty and knowledge.Boyd's "God of the Possible" is actually quite a bit better than Pinnock's "The Openness of God." Boyd uses more Scripture and resorts to less caricatures and purple prose. I must admit that it is well-written and superficially compelling and persuasive (although containing many internal contradictions and hideous examples of bad hermeneutics that the discerning reader will immediately detect). Since I am a Southern Baptist in Texas, the superficial appeal of Boyd is somewhat disturbing, since an increased amount of money and students are going to Baylor's Truett Seminary where Roger Olsen endorses Boyd's book and says that he is open to open theism . The average Southern Baptist college/seminary student/pastor is very Arminian and very vulnerable to Boyd's arguments. Ware's "God's Lesser Glory" is a devastating response to Boyd's book. Ware has obviously read all the openness literature, but he focuses his attention on Boyd's "God of the Possible" and John Sander's "The God who Risks." It is amazing that Ware was able to respond to Boyd's book which was published earlier this year and get a response published in November that does not read like a hastily-written rush job. Indeed, I was extremely impressed by the book. Ware's beautiful prose style is worthy of emulation. He thoroughly refutes the open theist interpretation of Scripture and exposes all of the internal contradictions of this system. He finishes the book by lamenting the harmful implications of open theism for our understanding of prayer, guidance, and suffering. Although Ware is strongly motivated by practical and pastoral concerns, he effectively employs satire and sarcasm that is often quite funny (I was laughing out loud at page 80, footnote 15). Ware briefly mentions middle knowledge primarily in terms of the openness response to it, but his own development of the the doctrine of divine providence is Reformed, and he does not appear to incorporate middle knowledge (at least in this book). Of course, the purpose of this book for Ware was largely negative rather than positive. He is trying to refute open theism rather than develop his own view of providence, so his discussions of providence are not that elaborate, and his future work may describe how he uses middle knowledge categories in his understanding of God's eternal decree. Notice that Ware teaches at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. As a Southern Baptist, it is great to see that the leading defenses of orthodoxy are being written at (some of) our seminaries. I would recommend that everybody buy Boyd's and Ware's books. Read Boyd first, then Ware.This is really only Round One between Boyd and Ware. Both of them

Ware's book on open theism (the view that some of the future is known in terms of possibilities and not certainty) is concise and incisive without being divisive. Ware is careful to fairly restate the arguments of open theism. He then examines their scriptural, theological, and practical support, arguing that it severely undermines the glory of God and the good of his creatures. I can think of no better resource to introduce readers to this dangerous view of God.The table of contents are as follows:INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER 1 Why You Should Be ConcernedPART ONE What Does Open Theism Propose? Examining God's Lesser GloryCHAPTER 2 The Perceived Inadequacy of the Classical Arminian View of God CHAPTER 3 The Perceived Benefits of Open TheismPART TWO What's Wrong with Open Theism's View of God? Assessing God's Lesser GloryCHAPTER 4 Assessing Open Theism's Denial of Exhaustive Divine Foreknowledge CHAPTER 5 Scriptural Affirmation of Exhaustive Divine Foreknowledge CHAPTER 6 The God Who Risks and the Assault on God's WisdomPART THREE What Difference Does It Make in Daily Life? Expressing God's Lesser GloryCHAPTER 7 Harm to the Christian's Life of Prayer CHAPTER 8 Weakening of Our Confidence in God's Guidance CHAPTER 9 Despair Amid Suffering and PainCONCLUSIONCHAPTER 10 God's Greater Glory and Our Everlasting Good

In recent years the movement known as open theism has claimed to be a more biblical and more practical alternative to the traditional view. In this book, Bruce Ware carefully and systematically refutes both those claims, showing that the traditional view better handles the biblical evidence and the issues of Christian living, while better preserving the glory of God. His examination of the biblical material is especially strong.MILLARD J. ERICKSON Distinguished Professor of Theology George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University Open theism, which denies that God can foreknow free human choices, dishonors God, distorts Scripture, damages faith, and would, if left unchecked, destroy churches and lives. Its errors are not peripheral but central. Therefore, I thank God for Bruce Ware's loving, informed, penetrating, devastating critique of this profoundly injurious teaching. I pray that God would use this book to sharpen the discernment of leaders and prepare the people of God to recognize toxic teaching when they taste it. O how precious is the truth of God's all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful care over our fragile lives. For your name's sake, O Lord, and for the good of the suffering church who rest in your all-knowing providence, prosper the message of this beautiful book and shorten the ruinous life of open theism."JOHN PIPER Senior Pastor, Bethlehem Baptist ChurchOpen theism offers a God who, like us, does not know the future. Its sponsors see this humanizing of God as logical and devotional gain. Bruce Ware sees it as a way of misreading Scripture and impoverishing the life of faith, and he makes a compelling case for this view. I heartily commend this thorough and insightful book.J. I. PACKER Professor of Theology, Regent CollegeBruce Ware offers a compelling scriptural defense of an informed classical theism-that God's knowledge of the future is exhaustive, his providential governance is complete, and his eternal purposes will triumph-while fully preserving our authentic humanness. This book exalts the God who is truly God in undiminished greatness for the confidence, hope, and victory of his people.BRUCE DEMAREST Professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation, Denver SeminaryWhile I (basically a traditional Arminian) do not agree with all of Ware's answers, I applaud his keen discernment of the questions and issues raised by openness theology. He clearly sets forth the key differences between this view and traditional views of God, both Arminian and Calvinist; and he perceptively identifies its major weaknesses. I benefited especially from Ware's treatment of the biblical teaching on God's foreknowledge.JACK COTTRELL Professor of Theology, Cincinnati Bible SeminaryEvangelical theology faces a crisis of unprecedented magnitude. The denial and refutation of God's perfections will lead evangelical theology into disintegration and doctrinal catastrophe. The very identity and reality of the God of the Bible is at stake. The real questi