Richard Rice (theologian)

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| name = T. Richard Rice|

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| birth_date = 1944

| birth_place = Springfield, MA

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| occupation = Protestant, Seventh-day Adventist Theologian |

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Thomas Richard "Rick" Rice (born 1944) is an American, Seventh-day Adventist theologian and author. A leading proponent of "open theism", Rice is professor emeritus of theology and philosophy of religion at Loma Linda University in California.{{Cite web |url=http://qod.andrews.edu/presenters.html |title=Presenters :: Questions on Doctrine |access-date=2007-07-13 |archive-date=2018-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007052019/http://qod.andrews.edu/presenters.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=T. Richard Rice, PhD |url=https://llu.edu/academics/faculty/rice-trichard/service |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |website=Loma Linda University}}

Biography

Rice received an M.Div. degree from Andrews University in 1969, and an MA and Ph.D. in Christian theology from the University of Chicago in 1972 and 1974, respectively. He taught at La Sierra University, in Riverside, California until 1998, moving then to Loma Linda University, where he was (until his retirement July 2020) a Professor of Religion in the areas of Theology and Philosophy of Religion.{{cite book | author = Loma Linda University | title = Faculty of Religion Bulletin: 2000-2002 | publisher = Loma Linda University | date = August 15, 2000 | location = Loma Linda, CA | page = 52 }} He has served as a church pastor.Reign of God, iv

Open theism

Rice introduced the term "open theism" in his 1980 book The Openness of God: The Relationship of Divine Foreknowledge and Human Free Will. The book was published by Seventh-day Adventist publisher Review and Herald, but proved controversial within the church and was not reprinted. Later, evangelical Clark Pinnock contacted Rice to convey his deep appreciation of the book, and gave it a positive review.For example, Pinnock, Clark H. "Reconstructing evangelical theology: is the open view of God a good idea?" in Andrews University Seminary Studies 2003, v41, Aut, p215–227 It was republished by Pinnock's publisher Bethany House under the title God's Foreknowledge & Man's Free Will. In 1994, Rice and other theologians contributed to the book The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God, which was edited by Pinnock.

David Larson has claimed, "although it may seem new to some, in less detailed forms the basics of “Open Theism” have been taught at Loma Linda University for about fifty years [as of 2007], beginning at least as early as long-time professor Jack W. Provonsha."David Larson, "[http://spectrummagazine.typepad.com/the_spectrum_blog/2007/11/richard-rice-di.html Richard Rice Discusses Open Theism]". Spectrum Blog, 11 November 2007

Publications

Rice has authored numerous books, and has published articles in the Journal of Religion, Religious Studies Review, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Ministry, Insight and Spectrum. His books include:

{{Cite book

| publisher = Pacific Press

| isbn = 0-8163-0570-6

| pages = 93

| title = When Bad Things Happen to God's People

| date = May 1985

}}

{{Cite book

| publisher = InterVarsity Press

| isbn = 0-8308-1852-9

| pages = 202

| author = Clark H. Pinnock (ed.), Richard Rice, John Sanders, William Hasker, David Basinger

| title = The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God

| date = October 1994

}}

{{Cite book |edition=2nd |publisher=Andrews University Press |isbn=1-883925-16-9 |pages=423 |title=Reign of God: An Introduction to Christian Theology from a Seventh-day Adventist Perspective |url= |date=January 1997}}
- {{Cite book
| publisher = Adventist Forum

| isbn = 978-0967369419

| pages = 212

| title = Believing, Behaving, Belonging: Finding New Love for the Church

| date = 2002

}}
- {{Cite book
| publisher = Wipf and Stock

| isbn = 978-1592446766

| pages = 108

| title = God's Foreknowledge and Man's Free Will

| year = 2004

}}
- {{Cite book
| publisher = Wipf and Stock

| isbn = 978-1625640840

| pages = 310

| title = Reason and the Contours of Faith

| year = 2013

}}
- {{Cite book
| publisher = InterVarsity Press

| isbn = 978-0-8308-4037-3

| pages = 170

| title = Suffering and the Search for Meaning

| url = https://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=4037

| date = July 2014

}}
- {{Cite book
| publisher = InterVarsity Press

| isbn = 978-0830852864

| pages = 264

| title = The Future of Open Theism: From Antecedents to Opportunities

| url = https://smile.amazon.com/Future-Open-Theism-Antecedents-Opportunities/dp/0830852867/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1590858817&sr=1-5

| date = April 2020

}}