Starting from 1995 to the year 2000 there was a wide range of controversy revolving around
the idea of Open theism. The belief held that if God knew the past and present exhaustively,
but only knew the future partially. One pastor and faculty member at Bethel University, Greg Boyd that held this belief at Bethel was criticized by the prominent pastor, John Piper in the Bethel General Conference (BGC) using Tom Oden’s quote from “Christianity Today,” “The fantasy of God is ignorant of the future is a heresy and must be rejected.” Piper called that Boyd should be fired and have his pastorial Credentials revoked. The controversy led to a debate on November 30, 1999 in the RC gym.

Fig 1. Photograph of Gregory Boyd

In the RC gym, students and faculty gathered around to witness the theological debate. Boyd went up against Roger Thompson, a pastor of the Berean Baptist Church. He presented the argument of the classical view, one in opposition to open theism that argues that if God is truly infinite, nothing is “unknowable” to Him, including all future actions and events.

Fig 2. Photograph taken of the “Bethel Beyond the Boyd Debate” 

The faculty, staff and student responses were mixed. Nate Taylor (sophomore of Bethel) commented that “the presentation was open-ended and
was slightly disappointed.” Provost [currently President] Jay Barnes mentions that he was delighted with the responsiveness of students to come and pend several hours listening to discussion about theological issues. He also states, ” I was delighted with the quality, thoroughness and respectfulness of the presentations
done by Pastor Thompson and Dr. Boyd. I believe that the sessions helped us to continue thinking about this and helped students gain a deeper awareness of the importance and complexity of
these issues.” It appears even in the hostility form the situation regarding Boyd’s call of termination that the students and faculty were able to learn about the importance of debating theological views. A frustrated senior, Beth Howington says, “The forums Bethel has sponsored have been good to incite discussion within the student
body. However, it is disappointing that some, on both sides of the issue, have taken this issue beyond healthy debate, and it has begun to cause divisiveness among students…In two millennia, the issue of God’s foreknowledge has never reached a definitive conclusion, so why divide our campus over it?”

In the 2000 Bapist General Conference, the BGC Executive Minstry Team unanimously stated, “Be it resolved that we, the delegates of the Baptist General Conference (who are also the delegates of Bethel College and Seminary)* affirm that God’s knowledge of all past, present and future events is exhaustive; and, we also believe that the “openness” view of God’s foreknowledge is contrary to our fellowship’s historic understanding of God’s omniscience.” With this claim, the board do however acknowledge the debate regarding Open Theism is of critical importnace in seeking truth and unity. With this said, the BGC found Boyd within his boundaries to his belief, so he was able to stay at Bethel and keep his pastorial credentails. However due to the controversy Boyd later resigned himself.

SOURCES:

http://content.clic.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p16120coll18/id/13353
http://content.clic.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15186coll6/id/8002
http://content.clic.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15186coll6/id/8002

1994-2004, an Overview of the Debate on Open Theism in Evangelicalism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GregBoyd.jpg