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Heart of the Living God

Love, Free Will, Foreknowledge, and Heaven

A Theology on the Treasure of Love

A Grasshopper Challenges Classical Theism

  Michael G. Maness 

Order Now   >

 

  See Paige Patterson Challenge, Appendix 7

  Plus Counterpoint Challenges against: 
  Roger NicoleTimothy GeorgeL. Russ Bush, & more

  Plus: Critique of L. Rush Bush's The Advancement

 

  Contents  ~  Ethics Bibliography Set  ~  Masters  ~   ETS

Maness asks us to “tie up our sneakers, for we are going to have some fun as we hike into the Grand Canyon of Love. Love is the treasure of life. It is Love all the way. Nothing else really matters outside of Love. Best of all, our Love will only get better in heaven.”

The treasured ability to have a loving relationships is God’s gift to us in our Imago Dei—the image of God we all share. Likewise, what we know of Love this side of heaven is but a dusty image of what God experiences.

“I want to get personally involved,” says Maness. “Can we have a free-will relationship with anyone, even God, if all of what we do and think is settled? I don’t think so. Love is greater than that, and I shall prove that, and that is indeed a Grand Canyon.”

Manes brings some of the brain-splitting complexities of this to light with good humor, introduces dynamic foreknowledge, and challenges Classical Theism’s avoidance of Love. And he exposes some foul play in the process. That’s the first half of the book.

For those wanting to strike out on their own (wanting to see more of the depth and diversity of the Grand Canyon), the second half contains synopsis-reviews of 60+ major authors, a 4,000+ Abysmal Bibliography, and a huge index to just about everything in the book.

Maness has thrown a gauntlet before the Classical Theists.

So … tie up your sneakers and take a hike with Michael G. Maness as he walks with you into the Grand Canyon.

 

 

 

see below:  Contents  ~  Ethics Bibliography Set  ~  MASTERS  ~   ETS

Grand Canyon Vista—Short Contents

For Kathy Sue

Grand Canyon Expanse—Extended Contents < click to go down

Preface — Hi ... I am Gonna to Defend My Daddy

Introduction to Hiking the Grand Canyon < click to go down to each chapter

I.  Grand Canyon of God’s Genuine Real-time Concern

II.  Genuine Relationship in Classical & Open Theism

III.  When Master Guides Disagree:  the Craig-Pinnock Dilemma

IV.  Christ-Freedom Dynamic Truth

V.  Shadow of Prayer Dynamic Truth

VI.  Imago Dei—God the Source of Our Relationships

VII.  HEAVEN ~ Part I: Simple, Elemental Experiences

VIII.  HEAVEN ~ Part II: Greater Experiences

Epilogue … the Challenge & Larger Context

APPENDIX 1.  Master Canyon Guide Literature Reviews

APPENDIX 2.  Intro to Appendices 3-6, ETS Sources, Context

APPENDIX 3.  Hezekiah Letter-Roger Nicole vs. Clark Pinnock

APPENDIX 4.  Timothy George’s “What God Knows”

APPENDIX 5.  L. Russ Bush’s ETS Letters & Book The Advancement

APPENDIX 6.  Journal on Open Theism: JETS (June 2002)

APPENDIX 7.  Paige Patterson’s Letter—Maness Mistaken  

APPENDIX 8  Grand Canyon Map of Where You & I Hiked

Abysmal Bibliography

Grand Canyon Fishing Index

Order Now   >

Grand Canyon Expanse—Extended Contents

Preface — Hi ... I am Gonna to Defend My Daddy

Grand Canyon Hiking Challenge  ~  Top Contents

A. Let's Go to the Grand Canyon

B. My Grasshopper Story ... Cricket, Cricket

1. Grasshopper & the Belly of the Beast

2. To My Chums ... More Precious as the Years Go By

3. Living As Though the Future was Open-Not Anymore

C. Heart of the Living God is Love

1. Love, the Heart of God

2. God's Dynamic Foreknowledge: First Primer

D. This Book-Genuineness Is so Very Special

1. Chum, We'll Walk with Freedom & Gusto—Whosoever!

2. What Is Not Settled?-the True Question on the Future

3. Wow!—2,300+ Years of Struggle?

4. Book's Progression & Swirl Inside Ethic's Tumultuous Waters

E. Love Everlasting ... Heaven ... the Best is Yet to Come

I.  Grand Canyon of God’s Genuine Real-time Concern  ~  Top Contents

A.  Storm Blowing--Hope It Doesn’t Rain

1.  Preparing to Take a Hike

2.  Classical Theism—Absolute Divine Sovereignty

3.  Open Theism—God’s Ability to be with You Today

4.  The "Personal" is Taboo & Future of Free Love, even Heaven?

B.  Darn!  Too Late ... Look at All the Rain!

1. Classical Theists Do Not Like Open Theists

2. Spit and the Spawn of SatanWhere ... Is ... the Beef?

3. If a Grasshopper ... heck

4. A Storm Is BlowingHear the Rain on Hezekiah & John 3:16

C.  Can God Feel Joy and Sadness Today?

D.  My Friend ... We Shall Walk with Freedom & Gusto

E.  Sunrise at the Grand Canyon—You Have to See it!

II.  Genuine Relationship in Classical & Open Theism  ~  Top Contents

First View of the Grand Canyon

1.  Legend Has It ... Two Sides of the Grand Canyon

2.  The Big Stink ... Classical Theist Avoidance & Genuineness

3.  William Lane Craig—the Most Powerful Defense

4.  Middle Knowledge a Great Piece of Backtracking Speculation

A.  Omniscient-Omnipresent Attribute of God

1.  Omniscient-Omnipresence Attribute—Grand Canyon Strata

2.  Omniscient-Omnipresence & Foreknowledge—Dice

3.  Omniscient-Omnipresence & Foreknowledge—Limits?

4.  Omniscient-Omnipresence & Foreknowledge—Responses

5.  Omniscient-Omnipresence & Foreknowledge—Freshness

B.  Foreknown Response Quotient ( FRQ )

1.  Assumed Pillar of Truth

2.  FRQ—God Knows the Next Response

3.  FRQ—A Bedrock of Concurrence

4.  FRQ—God’s Aliveness and Isaiah 46 and 55

C.  God & the Existence of the Future

1.  God’s Word & Promises Are More Certain than the Future

2.  Relationship More Important than the Existence of the Future

3.  Relationship in Two Dynamic Truths Supercedes FRQ

4.  What Is Important About the Future

D.  Conjecture: Time a Non-Entity, Non-Substantial

E.  God’s Exhaustive Foreknowledge of the Next 5 Seconds

F.  Relationship, Lordship, and John Frame’s Effigy

G.  Genuineness—the Supreme Theological Construct

1.  Image Side of the Image-Maker

2.  Genuineness—No Other Issue More Important

III.  When Master Guides Disagree:  the Craig-Pinnock Dilemma  ~  Top Contents

A.  The Craig-Pinnock Dilemma

B.  Farthest Point of Progress—Which Way Do We Go?

C.  Bridge Building 101 ... What Do We Share?

D.  Craig-Pinnock Dilemma & God’s Foreknowledge

E.  Prayer—The Beginning of Progress

IV.  Christ-Freedom Dynamic Truth  ~  Top Contents

A.  Grand Canyon Village-Oh, Yeah!

1.  River Wild

2.  Freedom’s Wild Ride & Baukman’s “Infinitely Desirable”

3.  God’s Dynamic Foreknowledge a Servant to His Heart

B.  Christ-Freedom Dynamic & G. C. Berkouwer

1.  Freedom: Freed From and Freed To

2.  Freedom Defined by the Child of God’s Submission

3.  Freedom: Our True Humanness in Resurrection Service to God

4.  Freedom = Dignity of Humanity

D.  Freedom and Service in God’s Kingdom

1.  Freedom to Serve as Sons & Daughters Here & Hereafter

2.  Freedom vs. Sin: Overcome only in Faith

E.  Freedom Challenging Classical Theism

F.  Freedom and Our Resurrection

1.  Freedom Is Divinely Empowered

2.  Freedom by God’s Power & the Classical Theism Burden

V.  Shadow of Prayer Dynamic Truth  ~  Top Contents

A.  The Splendor of Prayer

1.  Prayer Explained ... the Radiant Color of Life

2.  Splendor of Prayer—the First Step of Obedience

B.  Prayer the Essence of the Christian Life

1.  Prayer—Crucial to the Entire Debate & Civilization

2.  Prayer—Master Canyon Guide Richard Foster

C.  Prayer Degraded in Classical Theism

1.  Classical Theist Effigies—Pushing a Mule Backwards

2.  Yuck, Yuck Stuff—Bruce Ware’s Soggy Effigy

D.  Prayer a Relationship with Our Heavenly Father, Abba

VI.  Imago Dei—God the Source of Our Relationships  ~  Top Contents

Bridge Building 201: We Have a Beginning

A.  Our Imago Dei—the Quintessence of Loving Relationships

1.  Our Imago Dei

2.  Love and Our Imago Dei—Transcends Time Like God

3.  Our Imago Dei—Our Ability to Relate to God & Others

4.  Our Imago Dei—the Splendor of Loving Relationships

5.  Our Imago Dei—Treasuring the Moment of Love

B.  God’s Love Is Dynamic ... Alive

1.  What Changes for God? Not the Same 1,000 Years Ago as Today

2.  Can God’s Perfected Love Grow?

C.  Our Imago Dei—the Very Validation of Genuineness

D.  Going Home—Free at Last

1.  Onward Christian Soldiers ... Not Onward Passive Puppets

2.  Craig-Pinnock Dilemma & Prayer Indicate Some Freedom

3.  Where Time, Free will, Sovereignty, and Foreknowledge will be Swallowed up in Glory, and the Classical Theist Burden

4.  Going Home—Seeing God’s Heart Dissipates Sovereignty

VII.  HEAVEN ~ Part I: Simple, Elemental Experiences  ~  Top Contents

Outline of Heaven

Introduction to the Heaven of Revelation 21-22

1.  Heaven—Some Technical Data & John MacArthur

2.  Best Is Yet to Come—Heaven—Personal to the Uttermost

3.  Origin of These Two Chapters—Serendipitous, Providential

A.  Heaven Is Perfected Everlasting Love-No Eye Has Seen

1.  Visual Boundary: What Eye Hath Not Seen

2.  Revelation 21-22 & the Holy City—Personal & Dynamic

3.  Holy City = the Picture of Perfected Everlasting Love

B.  Picture Worth a Thousand Words-Words Can Say More

C.  Similarities Between Two Passages: Rev. 21:1-8 & 21:9-22:6

1.  Descending Holy City Is the Same City in Both Passages

2.  Five Similarities Between the Two Passages

3.  Conclusion on the Similarities—God’s Marriage Fresh to Him

4.  Conclusion on the Similarities—Open Wedding Feast

5.  Conclusion on the Similarities—Fresh Wedding Feast

D.  Simple, Elemental Experiences of Heaven

1.  No More Tears, Death or Curse: a New Freedom

2.  Spring and River and Tree of Life: a New Economy

3.  No More Evil People: a New Purity and Peace

E.  Cloudy Dark Side of Living Obscures the True Fullness of the New Freedom, New Economy, New Purity & Peace

1.  Between the Clouds of Earth and the Clear Skies of Heaven

2.  What We Know Here ... a Cloudy Shadow of Heaven

3.  Earth and Heaven Connected—C. H. Spurgeon

VIII.  HEAVEN ~ Part II: Greater Experiences  ~  Top Contents

A.  Greater Experiences of Heaven

1.  Simple Experiences Versus the Greater Experiences of Heaven

2.  Holy City as Bride & Wife of the Lamb

3.  Great Wall Reveals an Everlasting Security

B.  Recap of Heaven

C.  Greatest Experience in Heaven—Sharing in God’s Life and Glory

Conclusion

Epilogue … the Challenge & Larger Context  ~  Top Contents

A. Challenging Classical Theists—Grasshopper Gauntlet

B. Book’s Larger Context—my Would You Lie to Save a Life?

APPENDIX 1.  Master Canyon Guide Literature Reviews  ~  Top Contents

Craig-Pinnock Dilemma: Literature Review Conclusion.

Literature Review of 25 Important Works

1.  Craig, William Lane.  The Only Wise God

2.  Pinnock, Clark H.  Most Moved Mover

3.  Sanders, John.  The God Who Risks

4.  Boyd, Gregory A.  God of the Possible

5.  Maston, T.B.  God’s Will and Your Life

6.  Rice, John R.  Predestined for HELL? NO!

7.  Hunt, David.  What Love Is This?

8.  Basinger, D., & R. Basinger.  Predestination & Free Will

Introduction.

A.  Feinberg’s Position & Counters.

B.  Geisler’s Position & Counters.

C.  Reichenbach’s Position & Counters.

D.  Pinnock’s Position & Counters.

9.  Beilby, J., & P. Eddy.  Divine Foreknowledge: Four Views

10.  Zagzebski, Linda.  “Recent Work on Divine Foreknowledge”

11.  May, Rollo.  Freedom and Destiny

12.  Erickson, Millard.  What Does God Know

13.  Packer, J. I.  Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God

14.  Geisler, Norman.  Chosen But Free

15.  Spurgeon, C. H.  Sermons on Sovereignty

16.  Strong, August H.  Systematic Theology

17.  White, James R.  The Potter’s Freedom

18.  Boettner, L.  Reformed Doctrine of Predestination

19.  Frame, John M.  No Other God

20.  Ware, Bruce A.  God’s Lesser Glory

21.  Piper, Taylor, Helseth.  Beyond the Bounds

Preface by John Piper

Introduction by Justin Taylor

1.  Fuller’s “Rabbis & Claims of Openness Advocates”

2.  Chad Brand’s “Genetic Defects or Accidental Similarities”

3.  Talbot’s “True Freedom & Liberty Worth Having”

4.  Davis’ “Why Open Theism Is Flourishing Now”

5.  Caneday’s “God’s Self-Revelation in Human Likeness”

6.  Horton’s “Hellenistic or Hebrew?”

7.  Wellum’s “Inerrancy of Scripture”

8.  Helseth’s “Trustworthiness of God & Foundation of Hope”

9.  Ware’s “The gospel of Christ”

10.  Grudem’s “When, Why, & What ... Boundaries?”

11.  John Piper’s “Grounds for Dismay”

22.  Huffman & Johnson.  God Under Fire

1.  Huffman & Johnson’s “Should the God be Replaced?”

2.  Talbot’s “Does God Reveal Who He Is?”

3.  Johnson’s “Can God be Grasped by Reason?”

4.  Bray’s “Has the Greek Philosophy Corrupted Christianity?”

5.  Helm’s “Is God Bound by Time?”

6.  Craig’s “What Does God Know?”

7.  Geivett’s “How Do we Answer Theodicy?”

8.  Spiegel’s “Does God Take Risks?”

9.  Lee’s “Does God have Emotions?”

10.  Gutenson’s “Does God Change?”

11.  Ware’s “How so We Think on the Trinity?”

12.  Carson’s “How Can We Reconcile Love & Sovereignty?”

23.  Wilson, Douglas.  Bound Only Once

24.  Dihle, Albrecht.  Theory of Will in Classical Antiquity

25.  Great Classics: Augustine to Wesley and More

APPENDIX 2.  Intro to Appendices 3-6, ETS Sources, Context  ~  Top Contents

A.  Grasshopper Questions His Teachers

1.  Grasshopper Hops

2.  Grasshopper’s Vagabond Story

3.  Grasshopper Canvases of Ad Hominy & Boundaries

4.  Grasshopper & Rice-Bowl Theology

5.  Grasshopper’s Critics

C.  ETS Primary Web Sources & Grasshopper Initiatives

D.  Larger Context of This Book

1.  Grasshopper’s Book: Would You Lie to Save a Life?

2.  The Case Against Radical Fundamentalism

APPENDIX 3.  Hezekiah Letter-Roger Nicole vs. Clark Pinnock  ~  Top Contents

Introduction to Hezekiah Letter

My Initial Excitement & Some Misguided Firepower

A.  How God Related to Hezekiah

1.  Why Did God Cater to Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:1-11?

2.  Difference Between Fidelity & Interpolation

3.  Nicole’s Violation of the ETS Larger than Pinnock’s

4.  Pinnock Closer to the Text

5.  Nicole Crushed by His Own Standard

B.  Fidelity to the Text Is the Main Issue

Epilogue: Final Heartfelt Plea

APPENDIX 4.  Timothy George’s “What God Knows”  ~  Top Contents

1.  Open Theism a Source of Conflict & Confusion

2.  Classical Theism Superior in Theodicy-Are You Sure?

3.  Open Theism More Powerfully Exculpates God, yet Theodicy Is Not the Engine of Open Theism

4.  George’s “Seminiscient” Deity of Open Theism a Misnomer

5.  Ultimate Split Infinitive: Eternal v. Everlasting & Open Theism’s Actual Engine-Genuineness

6.  Missing the Engine of Genuineness Is a Serious Oversight

APPENDIX 5.  L. Russ Bush’s ETS Letters & Book The Advancement  ~  Top Contents

A.  L. Russ Bush Dialogue: Integrity vs. Myth-Busting

B.  L. Russ Bush’s The Advancement—A New Level of Acrimony

  See Appendix 5: Critique of L. Rush Bush's The Advancement

APPENDIX 6.  Journal on Open Theism: JETS (June 2002)  ~  Top Contents

1.  Ware’s “Defining Evangelicalism’s Boundaries”

2.  Pinnock’s “There is Room For Us”

3.  Sanders’ “Be Wary of Ware”

4.  Boyd’s “Christian Love and Academic Dialogue”

5.  Ware’s “Rejoinder to Pinnock, Sanders, & Boyd”

6.  Wellum’s “Divine Sovereignty-Omniscience”

7.  Highfield’s “Function of Divine Self-Limitation in Open Theism”

8.  Grenze’s “Boundaried People and Evangelical Theology”

9.  Horton’s “Hellenistic or Hebrew?”

APPENDIX 7.  Paige Patterson Challenged ~  Top Contents

See Here: Paige Patterson Challenge

A. My History with Paige Patterson 

1. Patterson’s Rejection of Me & Question of ETS Integrity

2. Patterson a Commander in the Theological Trade Winds

3. Why This Challenge to Patterson

4. Patterson a Legend in His Own Time

5. Patterson a Father-figure & My Own Transference

6. Patterson, Open Theism, Love, and My Conscience

7. Patterson’s Letter vis-à-vis the ETS Documents

B. I Challenge Paige Patterson—Gulp!—Heave to & Come About

1. Patterson and ETS Confusion

2. Patterson’s Troubled Triumphant Church & Other Deficits

3. Clay Feet and Leadership … Yet Honor  Demands Something

4. The Challenge—Gulp !—Heave To & Come About on Genuineness

C. Final Grasshopper Cricket

P.S.: Return to the Scriptures a Good Idea

Item #1.  Paige Patterson’s Letter Oct. 6, 2003

 

APPENDIX 8.  Grand Canyon Map of Where You & I Hiked  ~  Top Contents

APPENDIX 9.  Spurgeon on Love--Two Fine Sermons ~  Top Contents

1.  Love at Its Utmost, John 15:9, Sept. 11, 1887

2.  Love's Climax, 1 John 4:10, Jan. 6, 1895

Abysmal Bibliography  ~  Top Contents

1.  Love Bibliography   ----->>> see fuller bibliographies below

2.  Free will, Foreknowledge, Some Prayer & Theology Bibliography

3.  Time Bibliography

4.  Dissertations on Free Will, Foreknowledge, Time

5.  Articles: Free Will, Foreknowledge, Determinism, Etc.

6.  Heaven Bibliography

7.  Revelation of Christ Bibliography

Grand Canyon Fishing Index  ~  Top Contents

 

Evangelical Theological Society Debate on Open Theism

These appendices appear in Heart of the Living God  challenging Classical Theism's war on Open Theism.  Primarily directed to esteemed members of the Evangelical Theological Society, these three scholars have directed severe and at times mistaken criticisms against Open Theism.  I offer a counterpoint challenge to each to support Pinnock against Nicole.

Appendix 3.  Hezekiah--Nicole vs. Pinnock and God’s Sovereign Ability to Respond  fidelity to the biblical text is the real issue

Appendix 4.  Timothy George’s “What God Knows”: 
A Counterpoint Challenge
   ~  George's First Things Article

Appendix 5:  L. Russ Bush's Two Letters to ETS Members on
the Absolute Openness of God in Open Theism:
A Counterpoint Challenge
  ~  Bush's ETS Letter's

Please bare in mind, these had no significant bearing upon the ETS committee, as each member was quite capable in their own right

ETS Committee Reports

President David Howard's Letter - October 24, 2003

ETS Executive Committee Report on Clark H. Pinnock - 10-22-03

       ~  Clark Pinnock's Response - October 17, 2003

ETS Executive Committee Report on John E. Sanders - 10-23-03

       ~  John Sanders' Response - October 23, 2003

Remarks to the Executive Committee of the ETS by John Sanders. October 3, 2002

Dr. Nicole Letter  ~  Dr. Nicole Post Card  ~  Statement from Bruce Ware

Roger Nicole Challenges Clark Pinnock:

Nicole Primary Document       Nicole-Pinnock 1    

Nicole-Pinnock 2