Towards an Open Theist Renewal Theology

John Wesley's theology of love began a trajectory towards open theism just as his emphasis on an experience of holiness and the Holy Spirit began a trajectory towards pentecostalism; together these trajectories provide the basis for a constructive theology. This dissertation will lay the groundwork for a coherent renewal theology with the experiential strength of Wesleyan charismatic-pentecostalism and the philosophical advantages of open theism. The coherence will be demonstrated by looking at The Works of John Wesley and John Fletcher's Five Checks to Antinomianism and seeing the trajectory toward open theism, especially the kind of open theism that is most concerned with soteriology and the nature of God. The coherence with charismatic-pentecostalism (at least that segment which holds to a synergistic view of soteriology) will be shown by observing open theist themes in the issues of The Apostolic Faith produced during the Azusa Street revival and William Seymour's The Doctrines and Discipline of the Azusa Street Apostolic Faith Mission of Los Angeles, California as representative of the early theological impulses of pentecostalism.;The first chapter of the dissertation contrasts open and classical theism and includes a review of the literature surrounding open theism. The second chapter concedes ways in which some material in John Wesley does not fit either a renewal or an open theist paradigm. On the other hand, the third chapter indicates how John Wesley and John Fletcher do provide impetus to a trajectory toward open theism. The fourth chapter observes ways in which early pentecostalism was on a trajectory from Wesley and Fletcher as evidenced in the publications of the Azusa Street revival, and how these documents highlight themes important to open theism. The fifth chapter asks how a convergence of the two trajectories can be fruitful theologically and in praxis in forming a Wesleyan renewal theology with an open theist identity.