Surveying Problem of God’s Foreknowledge in Abū al-Barakāt al-Baghdādī’s view and Open Theism

Abstract

Abū al-Barakāt al-Baghdādī’ is one of the philosophers who have denied God’s foreknowledge. His view is influenced by his thoughts about Divine Knowledge, changes in Divine Will, and attribution of temporality to Him. Open theism as a new theological school, by proposing the dynamic Omniscience view and attributing the experience of time to God, believes in the openness of the future, and denies Divine foreknowledge. By examining the views of Abu al-Barakat al-Baghdadi and open theists, it can be seen that the attribution of temporality and passive knowledge to God are among the necessary grounds for rejecting divine foreknowledge by both of them, which led them to accept the causal and epistemic openness of the future. This article surveys analytically and critically the similarities between their views.

Keywords

• open theism
• divine foreknowledge
• abū al-barakāt al-baghdadi
• temporality
• renewing wills