Predestination and Free Will: Four Views of Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom

Predestination and Free Will: Four Views of Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom | If you are looking for a place to start to develop your view on this, start here.

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Predestination and...

	Predestination and Free Will: Four Views of Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom InterVarsity Press, 1985 - 179 pages average customer review:based on 12 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

David and Randall Basinger present four different answers to the question "If God is in control, are people really free?" Contributors include proponents of foreordination, foreknowledge, self-limited power, and self-limited knowledge.

Superb book discussing a key issue in theology

The issue of predestination and free will rests at the base of many theological interpretations of all subjects. To understand God's Word correctly, this is one of the first issues that must be tackled because of other theologies' reliance on this. There is a perceived conflict, but it can be resolved through Scriptural reading and through guiding commentaries such as this one that discusses the meaning of the key Scriptures.

The Bassinger brothers begin with a general discussion of the perceived contradiction regarding our freedom and God's sovereignty. Then each writer proposes their viewpoint in an essay, which is immediately responded to by the other 3 contributors.

The first author, Dr. Feinberg, begins with a moderate Calvinistic viewpoint. He uses much Scripture and presents a good idea that our freedom is not inhibited by God's Sovereignty. God knows what will happen prior and directs His will. Our freedom is limited.

The second author, Dr. Geisler, writes from a different moderate Calvinistic viewpoint. He too uses Scripture profusely, and states that God's work through sovereignty does not affect our freedom, and that they can coexist. This is because God limits His sovereignty to allow free will. His knowledge beforehand of our actions does not affect our freedom to choose.

The third author, Dr. Reichenbach, writes from an Arminian standpoint and uses Scripture profusely as well. He states that the issue of Predestination and Free Will outlined in Scripture is a mystery that cannot yet be known. He states that we are completely free and God is completely sovereign.

The fourth author, Dr Pinnock, writes from an Open Theism standpoint and uses little Scripture in his writing compared to the other writers. He states that God does not know how things will work out exactly. He knows the end-result, and knows all the possibilities in the middle (scientia media), but doesn't know exactly what path we will take. This is because Scripture's statement of God being "almighty" has been traditionally misinterpreted.

Of the 4 positions, the last is the only one that I did not think belonged. I would have much liked to have seen a strong Calvinistic viewpoint, even though it is not as widely believed as the first 3 authors' writings.

This book helped me to understand free will and predestination in a much grander scheme. One issue I had with the book was that each author tried to pin God into a neatly labeled box in which He acts in every situation, whether it be choosing a flavor of ice-cream or choosing whether to follow the left fork or right in a big life-changing decision. I believe God acts differently in different situations and that He is more flexible than is provided by any of these 4 interpretations.

A superb reading regarding this key issue in theology. Of course, the first place to start is Scripture, but this is a good second read regarding this perceived conflict.

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If you are looking for a place to start to develop your view on this, start here.

Years ago when I was struggling with the issues of election, freedom, Calvinism, Arminianism, I read this book. The four people they chose make solid arguments for their individual views. That is the right way to approach it. There are no "straw men" here. This is not going to present you with major treatises on the views. It is not intended to. This will give you a place to start if you feel like digging in deeper. Just remember, the single most important doctrine is one that all of the authors hold in common. You can have eternal life by trusting in Christ. Ultimately, that is what matters most.

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Lots of Philosophy and Little Scripture

Some pretty dense reading, may take twice for you to fully understand the arguments. However, much of what passes for theological debate between Calvinists and Arminians is really rooted in whatever philosophical construct has been erected to reconcile free-will and soveriegnty, so this book is important in that respect.
I was disappointed with the book for not dealing with such passages as Rom 9:19, Luk 7:30, the unpardonable sin, etc. I am having to look elsewhere for discussions on many key passages.

Incomplete and Basic; Long on Assertions, Short on Arguments

I have read several books in the "multiple viewpoint" series. I have been very impressed with the three or four I've read thus far--they have all been at a post-layman level with some interesting back and forth, and more complex argumentation. And, initially, I was excited to see this book was next in my pile of books to read. However, having just completed it I was disappointed on a whole and found the book offered no new insights.

CRITIQUES: First, I want to not that this book is incomplete, it does not have a selection for the Molinist perspective. There are several notable Molinist in contemporary philosophy/theology--Alvin Plantinga, Tom Flint, William Lane Craig--were none of them available for a selection? (Furthermore, the doctrine of middle knowledge was first offered as a solutions to the problems this book presents...) Second, the book was very basic. This, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Everyone needs to start somewhere. But the result is that I felt as if each contributor explained or discussed their position, but did not ARGUE for it. For example, both John Feinberg (Calvinist perspective) and Clark Pinnock (Open Theism) both think that libertarian freedom is incompatible with divine foreknowledge. But neither give an argument for this conclusion--or even reference an argument. There are no foot notes to other papers, articles, or books (though Pinnock gives a hint of the type of argument he would use). I have read other books by this contributors in which they argue rigorously, why are they timid here? Third, and minimally, this book is over 20 years old now, and I think that there have been many good contributions to this field since then. Perhaps a reissue of some sort could see a better volume.

My criticisms aside, there were some good things about this book. John Feinberg's essay is a good example of a Calvinist perspective as any you'll find. Feinberg is inconsistent at times, for example concerning freedom. He attributes libertarian freedom to God, but then claims that libertarian freedom is impossible--a point Geisler brings to light.

Geisler's essay was by far the least helpful. After reading his essay, and rereading portions, I can still make no sense of it. Is he a soft determinist or a libertarian? For example, he says, "Hence, there are truly free action, and God determined they would be such" (71). But the problem is not that God somehow (opps!) forgot to determine acts as free, but that prima facie, a determined act is not free. Furthermore, Geisler falls to the logically howler of sleigh's fallacy on pgs 71-72.

I don't have much to say about Bruce Reichenbach's essay. It is a good example of a textbook style Arminian answer--which is where it merit lies. Finally, I found Clark Pinnock to shine throughout this volume more than any other contributor. His analysis of other views was always quick and penetrating. I also found his essay to be the more cogent of all four. I don't agree with Pinnock, but found his presentation to be the best and clearest. However, Pinnock's quasi-argument for the conclusion that God does not know the future was muddled. It has something to do with the fact that the future is not real and therefore cannot be known (157). But if this is in fact the case, then God cannot know the past for it does not exist either.

Overall, this is a solid layman's introduction to this particular issue. Perhaps best given to a HS student curious in these issues. (Also: note that the subject of this book has more to do with God's governing with the world and libertarianism/soft determinism than with salvation per say, though the two obviously overlap.)

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Too Philosophically Based

I am tired of reading books that discuss Predestination and Free Will philosophically. Were are the significant biblical arguments. Philosophy does not and should not best good exegetical work of Scripture. Topics like these should proceed from the Scriptural presentation first, then move to other disciplines to help support the various biblical arguments. Fortunately, a recent book called Perspectives on the Doctrine of God now provides the best presentation of different perspectives on the foreknowledge/free will issue.Perspectives on the Doctrine of God: Four Views (Perspectives)

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

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