A Book Project on Amipotence
A book project I helped lead in editing released this month. I will include links to the two volumes available as paperback/e-book and a single volume hardcover below. Here’s the blurb from the project:
God is not omnipotent nor impotent but amipotent.
At least that’s what Thomas Jay Oord argues. In The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence and other books, Oord makes biblical, philosophical, theological, and experiential cases against omnipotence.
Oord does more than deconstruct omnipotence, however. He offers amipotence to replace it. This new word and idea points to the power of God’s uncontrolling love.
Because an uncontrolling God loves everyone and everything, an amipotent God can’t control anyone or anything. This is good news! And yet an amipotent God is stronger than any rival and the strongest plausibly conceivable power. That’s good news too!
Amipotence fits scripture better than omnipotence, says Oord. And it avoids philosophical contradictions. Amipotence overcomes the problem of evil and answers questions left unanswered by other views of God’s power.
But is amipotence true? Is it really better than other views? Does amipotence have support? And what are its implications?
This book combines two volumes of essays into one massive book exploring amipotence. Explore novel essays that rethink God’s power!
When Thomas Jay Oord and I sat down to lunch at the Wesley Theological Society meeting in March 2024, I had no idea the breadth this project would grow into. The response was overwhelming from authors and so the project split into two volumes. The first has essays in support and criticism of amipotence. The second has essays that expand or apply amipotence. I am grateful to Tom for entrusting me with being the lead editor and with the incredible team of editors with whom we worked. I really mean incredible team of editors. The sheer volume of essays required hours of work and engagement with authors and this project would not have been possible without the work of Steve Fountain, Chris Baker, Fran Stedman, Deanna M, Young, Melissa Owens Stewart, James Travis Young, and of course Thoma Jay Oord’s vision for this project.
We had an amazing group of contributors who provided strong essays in support, critique, application, and expansion. Several friends contributed to the book and I am thankful for those who wrote excellent essays in all four sections. The critics were especially excellent dialogue partners and far superior to a critique my friend Nick Polk (also a contributor to this project) recently reviewed on his Substack.
My one regret is that several who could have provided invaluable essays were concerned about participating. Not because they did not believe themselves up to the task, but because they were afraid of reprisals from gatekeepers who assume if you get along with someone and participate in projects that you agree with everything those participants believe. This is an unfortunate aspect of our current climate in the world and I pray we find a way out of this ridiculous position and remember how to disagree and still love one another.
My essay appears in volume two and is entitled "The Prevenience of Amipotence." I personally read more criticisms and can attest that they are strong and friendly critiques. The strength of this project is that we included criticism and expansion to other faith traditions. As a Christian, this helps me to better understand my own beliefs.
I hope you take time to pick any of the volumes up and consider the essays.
Vol 1: https://a.co/d/3yPWlwL
Vol 2: https://a.co/d/ewQXxsu
Hardcover: https://a.co/d/jjxNsP2
Thanks for your amazing and tireless leadership on this project!