IS DIVINE IMMUTABILITY COMPATIBLE WITH THE PRACTICE OF PETITIONARY PRAYER?
Philosophy of Religion Paper (May 5, 1994) Michael Czapkay Sudduth There is an apparent tension between two historically prevalent Christian beliefs. Many Christians have believed that God is absolutely immutable, that nothing about the divine essence does in fact change or could change. Accordingly, an immutable God has an unchanging and unchangeable will. On the other hand, Christians of all varieties have held to the practice of petitionary prayer–the making of requests of God–behind which lies the belief that prayer has some causal significance. This belief in the efficacy of prayer is supported by, and no doubt gains its place of fundamental importance in the Christian tradition from, the Old and New Testament Scriptures, the most casual reading of which turns up a plethora of instances of requests being made to God and God hearing and answering such requests. But if for everything that God brings about in the world, his bringing it about is grounded in his unchanging will, can
