Scholars Supporting Stratton

Tim

Stratton

(The FreeThinking Theist)

|

May 16, 2022

When writing Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism, my goals were threefold. First and foremost, I had to convince my supervisor and doctoral committee (theologians at a Reformed University) that Molinism was compatible with Reformed theology. That is to say, I wanted to pass and earn a PhD in theology and so I did exactly what they asked of me. Second, I desired to provide a resource on Molinism that would be understandable to the layman who takes theology seriously. Finally, as a theologian who makes no claims to be an expert in philosophy, I hoped to write a theology book with philosophical elements that would serve as a practical and pastoral resource. My intent was to reconcile theological issues within the church and also demonstrate the practical application of Molinism when applied to theological issues and apologetics while supporting each of those theological points with philosophical arguments.

As one reader noted, my book should be seen as “primarily theological with philosophical elements.” He correctly noted that it should not be confused with a “philosophy book,” but rather, a book on theology and theo-praxis which appeals to philosophical arguments to support a theological case.

Quite honestly, I have been surprised by the overwhelming positive response to my first book. Of course, as Taylor Swift would say, some “haters are gonna hate,” but, by and large, I have received extremely positive remarks and much encouragement from everyone, from individuals who have never heard of Luis de Molina to well-known academics who are experts in the relevant fields.

With that said, I should be clear, my book is not inerrant. Indeed, I have found far-too-many typos, grammar errors, and sentences I could have worded better since my book was published. These will be rectified in the forthcoming second edition of Mere Molinism which Wipf and Stock has already given the green light to publish (along with a Spanish translation of the second edition). Moreover, I have already written over 50 additional pages, typed up significant revisions, and made a plethora of edits to multiple chapters. While the big ideas behind many of the arguments do not change, my syllogisms are cleaned up, fine-tuned, and more precise. These edits, updates, and additions will hopefully make the second edition of Mere Molinism much stronger than the original and a vital resource on the issue of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility.

With that said, the original version of Mere Molinism is still worth reading. Charitable readers should have no problem looking past minor details but will focus on the content and big ideas. Consider the kind words of support from several prominent academics.

The first offered is from Dr. William Lane Craig. I’ve discussed the FreeThinking Argument with Dr. Craig on multiple occasions. Indeed, I often quote his words regarding “a sense of vertigo” setting in when a determinist realizes he/she has no ability to think otherwise about determinism (or anything else). Thus, according to Dr. Craig, if determinism is true, the determinist cannot rationally affirm that determinism is true.[1] This encapsulates the essence of the FreeThinking Argument.

Dr. Craig first heard me present a paper providing much of the content of my final chapter (not all of it) in Denver during the EPS conference in 2019. As soon as I finished he immediately came to the front of the room and said, “Tim, you are living my dream! It’s always been my dream to have someone take my work, expand upon it, make it their own, and run with it. This seems to be exactly what you are doing.” Dr. Craig also invited me to present this paper at his Defenders Sunday School in January 2020. Since most of these arguments are part of Dr. Craig’s “cumulative case,” his endorsement of the the content of the final chapter filled my heart with joy! Dr. Craig’s “stamp of approval” was included on the back of my book:

“For years I’ve hoped to see someone take my work, expand upon it, make it their own, and run with it. This is exactly what Dr. Stratton has done in Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism. Stratton makes a systematic case for “mere Molinism” by examining scripture and history while appealing to metaphysics and perfect being theology. The final chapter connecting Molinism to the cumulative case of apologetic arguments and addressing the Problem of Evil is worth the price of admission alone.”

I was honored to have such an endorsement from someone who God used to start this theological journey in my life.

Since I spilled so much ink surveying the historical views of freedom of significant theologians, I was honored to have the endorsement of who I consider to be the leading theological historian in academia today — Dr. Mike Licona. Consider his thoughts about my book:

“For more than 500 years, questions related to the extent God has pre-determined one’s salvation and the events of one’s life have been vigorously debated. Dr. Stratton’s book builds a needed bridge between Calvinists and Molinists, showing quite convincingly that, although a divide remains pertaining to the role of God in one’s coming to faith in Christ, there are important points where Calvinists and Molinists can cross the theological chasm and agree. Thus, Dr. Stratton is a welcome player in this age-old discussion!”

Craig and Licona’s colleague at Houston Baptist University, Dr. David Baggett is a professor of philosophy and Director of the Center for Moral Apologetics. Baggett is considered among many—including Dr. Craig—to be the world’s leading expert on all things related to the Moral Argument for the existence of God. Given those accolades, I was honored to receive this endorsement from Dr. Baggett:

“Among the moral phenomena in need of rich explanation is moral freedom, without which it would seem we cannot rightly be held deeply responsible for our actions—either accolades for doing well or blameworthiness for shirking our duties. Speaking as an advocate of the moral argument(s) for God, I applaud my friend Tim Stratton’s clear-headed and rigorous defense of the sort of robust libertarian freedom without which morality and many of its salient categories lose much of their distinctive import, prescriptive clout, and binding authority. Resonances between Stratton’s principled and clearly explicated views and my own considered convictions are legion, and I recommend with enthusiasm his work—not least his operative theology rife with the implications of God’s essential and perfect goodness, unspeakable love for everyone, and genuine gracious offer of salvation to all.”

While pursuing my MA degree at Biola University, Dr. Clay Jones—the epitome of a man after God’s own heart—was affectionately referred to by his students as “Dr. Evil.” This is because Dr. Jones taught the class about why a perfectly good and maximally great being—God—allows evil, pain, and terrible suffering in the world. We spent much time studying how otherwise good and “ordinary men” became Nazis who murdered millions of Jews. Indeed, this serves as a historical reminder of how vital it is to know the Law of Christ (reality) and to constantly take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Jones also helped me see how Molinism can answer the so-called “Problem of Evil.” Indeed, it was in his classroom where I started to connect many dots regarding the apologetic significance of Molinism (which is also the title of the final chapter in my book).

With his influence in mind, I was honored to receive the following endorsement from Dr. Clay Jones:

“In the often musty discussion of human freedom, Tim Stratton’s book is a breath of fresh air! Although I’ve taught and debated about the nature of human freedom for over twenty years, I learned a tremendous amount from his book. Not only is it well argued, it is a fabulous, eye-opening historical exposé of what the biggest names in church history have thought about human freedom. Many who think they have had this issue figured out may be surprised. I highly recommend!”

Kirk MacGregor is largely considered to be the world’s leading expert in all things Molinism. Indeed, he literally wrote the book on Luis de Molina. No one knows more about Molina, and because of this fact, I leaned heavily upon MacGregor’s writings (and many emails of personal correspondence) while working on my dissertation.

He also wrote the foreword in my book and had the following to say about it:

“Dr. Tim Stratton has the rare and precious gift of taking highly complex issues in philosophical theology and making them easily understandable to laypeople at the same time as he shows their tremendous importance for scholars in the disciplines of philosophy and religion. This book will be profitably and enjoyably read by laypeople and scholars interested in various themes, including biblical exegesis, the history of Christian thought, metaphysics, epistemology, systematic theology, and practical Christian living . . . . Accordingly, mere Molinism should prove to be both intellectually and emotionally satisfying to any Christian who is fully apprised of its support. I recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in the topics of divine sovereignty and human freedom.”

Bobby Conway became YouTube famous as “The One-Minute Apologist.” He is well known for taking advanced theological and philosophical issues and making them accessible to those who might not have graduate degrees in these fields. Speaking of graduate degrees, Conway has earned two doctoral degrees — he recently earned a PhD in philosophy under the tutelage of the great Yujin Nagasawa at the University of Birmingham (England). Here is what Dr. Conway has to say about my book:

“Dr. Tim Stratton nails it in Human Freedom, Divine Foreknowledge, and Mere Molinism. If you’re looking for a crash course on the wildly popular Molinism discussion, look no further. Stratton’s book is academic candy placed on the lower shelf for every interested reader to grasp. Reach out and digest. You won’t regret it!”

He followed that by telling me that he considers my book to be “a manual I’ll turn to again and again.”

Dr. Jacobus Erasmus is author of the book titled, The Kalām Cosmological Argument: A Reassessment.  He is currently a researcher at North-West University, in South Africa where he also received his PhD in philosophy and was awarded the Merit Prize in 2015 by the university’s School of Philosophy for superior performance for his doctoral dissertation. Dr. Erasmus also holds an Honours Degree in IT. His main research interests include Natural Theology, Philosophy of Religion, and Metaphysics. On top of that, he is also pursuing another PhD focusing on the philosophy of the historical method. Here is what Erasmus had to say after reading my book:

“In Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism, Dr. Stratton explores this important topic from a historical, theological, and philosophical perspective. Along the way, Dr. Stratton makes several unique arguments and contributions, and this alone renders the book valuable for scholars. I found the book to be a fascinating read.”

Dr. Kelly Fitzsimmons Burton is a brilliant epistemologist and has been a college Philosophy professor in Phoenix, AZ since 2003. Her most recent projects include serving as Research Fellow for the Clarity Fund. She is a founding member of the Public Philosophy Society and Public Philosophy Press. She is the author of Retrieving Knowledge: A Socratic Response to Skepticism (2018) and Reason and Proper Function: A Reply to Alvin Plantinga (2019). Dr. Burton and I have had numerous conversations on the matters discussed in my book and I have benefitted greatly from her insight. Consider her professional opinion (by the way, she is a Calvinist):

“As a Philosophy of Religion student in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I read the articles published in Faith and Philosophy and Philosophia Christi with great enthusiasm. But there was one topic the discussion of which seemed interminable to me in those days — free will and predestination. I had grown tired of the endless philosophical debate and tuned out. Theologically, my questions were answered by the Westminster Confession of Faith and theologian Francis Turrettin. I continued to teach the debate in the philosophy classroom. Still, I did not invest much mental energy in seeing the debate move forward as I was focused on more fundamental epistemological questions on the nature of reason.

It was only when Tim Stratton found a connection between the fundamental question of our capacity to use reason and his “freethinking argument” that I could be drawn back into the debate. I am gradually working through Stratton’s Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism, and while I have not changed my own views, I can see how Stratton contributes a fresh approach to an old discussion. I appreciate his careful argumentation, winsome style of engagement, and desire to not only have a correct view but a desire to give glory to God. I look forward to seeing where the conversation about free will and predestination goes from here.”

Joe Mabe recently graduated with a MA degree from Liberty University. In one of his final assignments, he was tasked by his professor with reading and critiquing my book. Here is what Mabe had to say about it:

“Tim Stratton’s Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism is the book adaptation of his doctoral dissertation. The goal of his book is to provide an array of evidence in support of his thesis: God is sovereign over all things, humans have libertarian freedom, and these two facts are best reconciled by Molinism. Stratton is thorough in his data collection, charitable in his evaluation of fellow thinkers, and careful in his philosophical argumentation. The cumulative force of these analyses combined with the multitude of syllogisms offered leaves the reader hard pressed to find Stratton’s conclusions unpersuasive . . . .

Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism provides an expansive range of biblical, historical, theological, and philosophical data pertaining to the sovereignty of God and human freedom. It is obvious that the structural layout of the book is intended to build toward a convincing argument while avoiding confusion. Stratton accomplishes this by offering carefully worded definitions for his terminology and anticipating objections to his claims. By first building a biblical case for divine sovereignty and human freedom, he avoids the oft hurled accusation against Molinists of being ‘too philosophical’. By surveying great Christian thinkers of the past in their original works, he avoids misinterpreting their positions. By offering logically sound, valid, deductive arguments for libertarian freedom and middle knowledge, he demonstrates what it will cost to deny his conclusions. The cumulative force of these well-supported arguments is that Molinism offers the best philosophical framework for understanding God’s omni-properties in a way that coheres with the existence of limited human libertarian freedom.”

Lucas Giolas is a nuclear engineer with Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and Astrophysics from the University of Minnesota AND a Master of Arts degree in Science and Religion from the Talbot School of Theology. He also produces content for Apologetics 315. He recently had the following to say about my book:

“One thing is clear from the start: Stratton is not afraid of scripture. In fact, his opening discussion is a survey of dozens of biblical passages. Some demonstrate God’s exhaustive knowledge. Others demonstrate human libertarian freedom. But Stratton also highlights passages containing elements of both . . . . Overall, Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism is an excellent read. This is especially true if you are new to Molinism, in which case it may be the best book for you to start with.

Two factors set Stratton apart from others writing about Molinism. First, the space dedicated to the historical survey is significant and helps frame the discussion. Second, Stratton has an aptitude for taking complex topics and explaining them in understandable language. In fact, this is probably one of the only books on Molinism that can be read by someone with little background in philosophy. So if you have interest in understanding how to reconcile human freedom with divine knowledge, this is a book you’ll want on your shelf.”

Finally, consider the words of David Pallman. Although he is not yet a scholar, he is one of the most avid reader I know and a phenomenal student at Trinity Theological Seminary and College of the Bible. Indeed, I would venture to say that no one—including professional academics—reads more scholarly books per year than David Pallman. Although he is currently skeptical of my FreeThinking Argument (I am sure he will come around after examining some of my forthcoming revised versions of the argument), this voracious reader had the following words to say about my book:

“First, I found Stratton’s writing style to be remarkably clear and accessible. This is always something I appreciate about a book and especially so in theological and philosophical works. Moreover, it can be difficult to maintain clarity and accessibility in academic writing. Stratton’s manages to do this wonderfully.

Second, the sheer amount of territory that is covered throughout the book is impressive. Stratton takes the reader on a journey through scripture, history, theology, and philosophy. I shudder to think how many hours of research went into this volume for, as any student of any academic field knows, all fields of study are interconnected with other fields such that mastery of one often requires extensive knowledge of others. Nonetheless, Stratton fearlessly rises to the challenge demonstrating a strong understanding of the numerous topics he addresses.

Third, and perhaps on a more personal note, I appreciated Stratton’s unflinching commitment to the authority and inerrancy of scripture. The literature on Molinism tends to be filled with philosophical arguments and jargon. Very rarely do I find Molinists who are willing to give robust exegetical arguments for their views. Stratton’s book is a happy exception to that trend. He readily acknowledges the importance and authority of scripture from the start.

I do believe [Stratton’s book] is thoughtful, interesting, and will doubtless stimulate much discussion. For those who are seeking a full-scale defense of Molinism as well as an exposition of its versatility, I heartily recommend Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism.”

I am humbled and honored to receive such encouraging endorsements from my peers whom I look up to! Indeed, I consider these scholars to be “heroes of the faith!” My prayer is that Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism will start a new conversation behind the doors of the church and strengthen the faith of a multitude of Christians who take theology seriously (the target audience).

Stay reasonable (Isaiah 1:18),

Dr. Tim Stratton


Notes

[1] William Lane Craig, Molinism vs. Calvinism: Troubled by Calvinists, https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/molinism-vs.-calvinism

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About the Author

Tim

Stratton

(The FreeThinking Theist)

Timothy A. Stratton (PhD, North-West University) is a professor at Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary. As a former youth pastor, he is now devoted to answering deep theological and philosophical questions he first encountered from inquisitive teens in his church youth group. Stratton is founder and president of FreeThinking Ministries, a web-based apologetics ministry. Stratton speaks on church and college campuses around the country and offers regular videos on FreeThinking Ministries’ YouTube channel.

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