Comments on: The Foreknowledge of God

By: Eric James Stone

Eric James Stone — Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My belief is that God’s foreknowledge must be much more than “psychohistorial.” If not, then God could be surprised by random events (such as the appearance of a mutant like the Mule in the Foundation series.)

I used to have a problem reconciling free will and foreknowledge. But in discussing the topic with my mother years ago, she gave an explanation that satified me. This is approximately how the conversation went:

“Do you remember what you did last weekend?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have the freedom to choose what you did then?”

“Yes.”

“Does the fact that you remember now what you did last weekend mean you were not free to choose at that time?”

“No.”

“God remembers the future.”

For me, that explanation worked. Maybe its because I’ve read enough time-travel science fiction that the concept of remembering future events doesn’t seem too strange to me.

By: Clark Goble

Clark Goble — Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

One way to resolve all this is to say that God knows every possibility. Thus he won’t be surprised by the *existence* of something (like the Mule) and thereby knows all universals. However he may not know the particulars of what this world’s manifestation will be. (i.e. which, of all the myriad of possibilities will be actualized)

I think this resolves all the concerns of foreknowledge by people like Bruce R. McConkie while keeping open eternal progression as taught by many other general authorities.

By: Aaron Shafovaloff

Aaron Shafovaloff — Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I highly recommend reading Ephesians 1, John 6:35-45, Romans 9, and Acts 2 & 4, for more info on this issue.