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Molinism (Middle Knowledge)

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Molina, a Jesuit theologian in the post-Reformation period, argued that God has three logical moments of knowledge prior to creating the universe. God not only possesses knowledge of what could be, i.e. knowledge of all bare possibilities and logical necessities (what Molina calls “natural knowledge”), and knowledge of what will be, i.e. knowledge of all future actualities, or exact and detailed knowledge of the way the world, when created, will be (what Molina calls “free knowledge”), but importantly, God also possesses knowledge of what would be if circumstances were different from what they in fact will be in the actual world, i.e. knowledge of those possible states of affairs which would have become actual had circumstances other than those in the real world obtained (what Molina calls “middle knowledge”).
Bruce Ware from God's Greater Glory pg. 110

Scientia Media. Literally "middle knowledge." Many theologians have said that God knows the world by knowing himself. He knows what is possible or impossible in the world by knowing what he can or cannot do: this knowledge is called the knowledge of simple intelligence or necessary knowledge (since it follows from the very nature of God's being). He also knows what actually takes place in the world (whether past, present, or future from our point of view) by knowing his own plan, his decree for the world: this knowledge is called the knowledge of vision or free knowledge (since it follows from God's free decisions concerning the world process). Such a distinction was made by Thomas Aquinas and his Dominican followers. But in the sixteenth century the theologians of the new Jesuit order, particularly Luis Molina, seeking to restate the Roman Catholic theology in opposition to the challenges of Protestantism and Jansenism, found this distinction inadequate to do justice to human freedom. They introduced a third form of divine knowledge, a middle knowledge or scientia media. This knowledge (a) is a knowledge of what would happen under such-and-such conditions, and (b) is based, neither upon God's nature nor upon his decree, but upon the free decisions of created beings. Thus God knows what will happen if David re­mains in Keilah, and what will happen if he does not (I Sam. 23:1-13); and he knows it, not because he controls the course of history, but because he knows what free decisions people will make in­dependently of his controlling decree. This con­cept found favor with Lutherans (e.g., Quenstedt) and with Arminius and some of his followers. The Reformed agree that God knows what would happen under all conditions, but they reject the notion that this knowledge is ever ultimately based on man's autonomous decisions. Human decisions, they argue, are themselves the effects of God's eternal decrees (see Acts 2:23, Rom. 9:10-18, Eph. 1:11, Phil. 2:12-13).
John M. Frame "Scientia Media" from Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

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Title Notes
The Heresy of Middle Knowledge C. Matthew McMahonicon
Molinism Alfred J. Freddosoicon
Compatibilist Middle Knowledge Theopedia.comicon
Molinism Theopedia.comicon
Matthew 11:20-24 & Molinism (Middle Knowledge)? Joseph R. Nally - Third Millennial Ministriesicon
Middle Knowledge: A Reformed Critique Travis James Campbellicon
The Grounding Objection Revisited: A Critique of Middle Knowledge Steven B. Cowanicon
Is God's Knowledge of Counterfactuals Necessary, Middle or Free? A Calvinistic Proposal Tarrence Tiessenicon
The Compatibility of Calvinsim and Middle Knowledge John D. Laing - Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (Sep 2004)icon
Middle Knowledge (6-part YouTube) This is a six-part series on Middle Knowledge taken from the Institutes of Elenctic Theology by Francis Turretinicon
Shunning Middle Knowledge Paul Helmicon
Theological Compatibilism - A Case of Faith Seeking Understanding Paul Helmicon
Ping-Pong Evangelicals and Middle Knowledge R. Scott Clarkicon
Betting on A Closed Future Steve Hays on Libertarian Free Will and Molinismicon
Refutation of Arminian-Molinism Ronald W. Di Giacomoicon
Dembski on freedom and evil Steve Haysicon
An Explanation and Refutation of "God's Middle Knowledge" Dr. James Whiteicon
Response to Refutation of James White's video titled "Explanation and Refutation of Middle Knowledge" Steve Haysicon
"No Other Name": A Muddle Knowledge Perspective on the Exclusivity of Salvation Through Christ Steve Haysicon
Providence & Prayer Steve Haysicon
Explanation and Refutation of Middle Knowledge (YouTube) Jmae Whiteicon
Question: What is Molinism and is it Biblical? Got Questionsicon
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Recommended Reading

God's Greater Glory
by Bruce Ware

No Other God: A Response to Open Theism
John Frame


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