African Theism and Divine openness: A Theo-religious dialogue on God’s relationship with the world

Mogomotsi Jaba ORCID iD

Issue: Vol. 12 No.6 2026 Issue Article 2 pp. 226 – 238
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261262 Published online 14th July 2026.
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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African theism and openness-of-God theology have striking theo-religious similarities, the key one being that both view God as having a give-and-take relationship with humans. This study seeks to engage African theism and openness theology in a meaningful dialogue, with the intention of exploring how this exchange may enhance both African and Christian religious practices. To achieve its main objective, the study utilised an analytical method, focusing on a critical cross-religious comparison of African theism and open theism. The study discovered that the intersection of the two theistic traditions is based on critical theo-religious concepts such as libertarian free will, divine kenosis, and the openness of the future. Upon thorough examination, these concepts suggest that God holds human relationships in high regard, to the degree that He has opted to collaborate with humans in forming the future. In such an arrangement, individuals possess the agency to influence the trajectory of future developments. They possess the capacity to influence divine decision-making in significant ways. The study advances the fields of African and Christian studies, especially concerning the nature of God’s relationship with the world.

Keywords: African theism, Kenosis, Libertarian Free Will, Open Theism,

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Mogomotsi Jaba, PhD, Research fellow, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Jaba, Mogomotsi. “African Theism and Divine openness: A Theo-religious dialogue on God’s relationship with the world,” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 12, no.6 (2026): 226 – 238. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20261262

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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