more on calvinism and middle knowledge

the way i see it, God has three kinds of knowledge:

1. natural knowledge - knowledge of what COULD be
2. middle knowledge - knowledge of what WOULD be
3. free knowledge - knowledge of what WILL be

Scripture presupposes that God has middle knowledge, not least according to Don Carson (see here and here). the question, then, is not whether God has middle knowledge. the question is how God's middle knowledge relates to God's free knowledge.

according to molinism, man is libertarianly free in God's middle knowledge and libertarianly free in God's free knowledge. however, just because man is libertarianly free in God's middle knowledge does not mean that man is libertarianly free in God's free knowledge. indeed, it is logically impossible for man to be libertarianly free in God's free knowledge.

according to classical calvinism, man is compatibilistically free in God's middle knowledge and compatibilistically free in God's free knowledge. however, just because man is compatibilistically free in God's free knowledge does not mean that man is compatibilistically free in God's middle knowledge. indeed, the whole point of Scripture presupposing that God has middle knowledge is to affirm that man is libertarianly free in God's middle knowledge.

according to moderate calvinism, man is libertarianly free in God's middle knowledge and compatibilistically free in God's free knowledge. man is utterly responsible for good and evil (in God's middle knowledge) and God is utterly responsible for creating the best possible world (from His perspective and in His free knowledge), working good and evil 'for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28, NIV).

*****

in a previous post, calvinism and middle knowledge, i wrote that the difference between classical calvinism and moderate calvinism is that classical calvinism rejects the idea of middle knowledge and moderate calvinism accepts the idea of middle knowledge. i would like to revise my position.

i now hold that the difference between classical calvinism and moderate calvinism is not that classical calvinism rejects the idea of middle knowledge and moderate calvinism accepts the idea of middle knowledge, but that classical calvinism accepts the idea of irresistible grace and moderate calvinism rejects the idea of irresistible grace.

classical calvinism

total depravity - yes
unconditional election - yes
limited atonement - yes
irresistible grace - yes
perseverance of the saints - yes

moderate calvinism

total depravity - yes
unconditional election - yes in one sense, no in another sense
limited atonement - yes in one sense, no in another sense
irresistible grace - no
perseverance of the saints - yes

links: calvinism and middle knowledge (12 oct 08), even more on calvinism and middle knowledge (28 jun 09)