Understanding Christianity

Dr. Sean Cole and his Youth Pastor Andrew Hayes discuss the theology of Molinism. Andrew was formally a Molinist, but over time came to embrace Reformed theology. What is Molinism? It represents an honorable attempt to protect both the absolute sovereignty of God with libertarian free will. In other words, it takes the main tenets of Calvinism and Arminianism and attempts a happy medium. A Jesuit Catholic theologian Luis De Molina (1535-1600)had a problem with Augustine, Aquinas, and Luther’s view on God’s omniscient and foreknowledge, and argued that God’s hypothetical knowledge of free decisions is LOGICALLY PRIOR to God’s creative decree. Here is how Molinists explain their position: God is omniscient and never learns things but has exhaustive foreknowledge. THREE Types of Knowledge: 1. God’s Natural Knowledge: God knows everything that COULD happen—possibilities. 2. God’s Middle Knowledge: God knows everything that WOULD happen—God knows which possibilities are feasible From God’s natural and mi