DIVINE ATEMPORAL-TEMPORAL RELATION

Abstract

Open theists argue that God's relationship to time as conceived in classical theism is erroneous. This is because it is contradictory for an atemporal being to act in a temporal universe as well as experiencing its temporal successions. However, it is glaring from history and in the Holy Bible that God has been interacting with the creatures in time. Further, they argue that the relational nature of God showed in the Bible nullifies the classical doctrine of eternity as lacking a basis in the scripture. As a result, God is rather, everlasting. Yesterday, today and tomorrow make meaning to God. God has His own history. He lives His life with us in time. Because God is in time, He does not know all future propositions. This study argues that divine temporality does not solve the tension of divine-human relationships, especially as it relates to the future. Further, if it is not logically contradictory for an omnipresent being to act in space, then it follows that an atemporal being can act in time. Also, whether time is understood from the metric or psychological point of view, it's part of God's creation and therefore the limitation it places on the creatures regarding the future does not apply to God.