An Evangelical Reformulation Of The Doctrine Of The Immutability Of God -- By: Bruce A. Ware

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 29:4 (Dec 1986)
Article: An Evangelical Reformulation Of The Doctrine Of The Immutability Of God
Author: Bruce A. Ware


An Evangelical Reformulation Of The Doctrine Of
The Immutability Of God

Bruce A. Ware*

The past twenty-five years have witnessed a number of significant restatements of the doctrine of divine immutability in light of an increasing appreciation for God’s real relatedness to the world.1 In particular, many Roman Catholic theologians have devoted much thought to this doctrine in an attempt to answer the harsh attacks of process theology against Thomas’ development of the doctrine.2 But only recently have evangelicals entered this contemporary discussion.3 and here their contributions, though very helpful and insightful, have only suggested general lines of the doctrine’s reconstruction. The purpose of this article, then, is to offer a more thorough reformulation of the doctrine of divine immutablility in a manner that holds firmly to the evangelical commitment to Scripture as the authoritative source of the self-revelation of God.

The place to begin is with a brief examination of the key Biblical texts that speak most clearly of God’s immutability. We should avoid, as much as possible, reading into the text senses of change or changelessness that are foreign to Scripture’s own statement. Following this, we will propose what seem to be the senses both of immutability and mutability that may properly be attributed to the God of the Bible.

*Bruce Ware is assistant professor of theology at Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I. Biblical Attestation To God’s Changelessness

Throughout the history of the Church, theologians have referred to numerous Biblical texts in support of their teaching on the doctrine of divine immutability.4 Among the references cited, three in particular have been prominent: Ps 102:25–27, Mal 3:6, and Jas 1:17.

In Ps 102:25–27 the psalmist contrasts the permanence and constancy of God even over the heavens and the earth. A. A. Anderson notes that elsewhere in the Psalms the heavens and earth are pictured as symbols of stability and permanence (e.g. 78:69; 104:5; 119:90; 148:6),You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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