Is God Really Unchanging? Challenging Classical Theism’s View of God (R.T. Mullins) Ep. #193

March 27, 2025

Is God emotionless and unchanging? Many systematic theologians have long argued that God is completely impassible—meaning He cannot feel, suffer, or be influenced by creation. But is this truly what the Bible teaches?

In this episode, Dr. R.T. Mullins joins The Biblical Mind Podcast to challenge traditional ideas about God’s nature, emotions, and engagement with the world. He explains how philosophy has often shaped theology more than scripture, why systematic theologians ignore biblical descriptions of God’s emotions, and what it actually means to call God all-powerful and all-knowing.

Dru and R.T. explore the hidden assumptions behind classical theism, why ancient theologians rejected the idea that God could suffer, and whether modern theology needs a reset. Mullins also discusses how our view of God shapes how we pray, worship, and think about suffering.

If you’ve ever wondered why theology sometimes feels disconnected from the Bible, or why certain doctrines sound more like philosophy than scripture, this episode will challenge you to rethink how we describe God.

For More of RT Mullin’s Content, Check Out His Podcast:
https://www.rtmullins.com/podcast

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Chapters:
00:00 Understanding the Doctrine of God
03:21 Concepts of God: Models and Attributes
06:23 The Role of Scripture in Systematic Theology
09:15 Historical Perspectives on God’s Attributes
12:21 Philosophical Underpinnings of Theological Claims
15:12 The Challenge of Defining God’s Perfections
18:04 Empathy and Knowledge in God’s Nature
21:13 The Intersection of Philosophy and Scripture
24:11 Concluding Thoughts on God’s Nature
30:53 The Nature of God’s Communication
33:08 Empathy and the Divine: A Theological Dilemma
36:18 Impassibility and the Perfection of God
38:45 The Role of Empathy in Hebrew Moral Philosophy
41:44 The Disconnect Between Systematic Theology and Biblical Texts
45:28 Cultural Perspectives on Biblical Literature
47:16 Upcoming Projects: Debates and Collaborative Works