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Nature or Attributes of God (Key thinkers (Boethius, Anselm, Aquinas,…
Nature or Attributes of God
Key thinkers
Boethius
Anselm
Aquinas
Descartes
Swinburne
Key Ideas
Omnipotence
(The idea that god can do anything, all powerful) The debate about this idea is what it means when you say God can ''do anything''
Descartes: God really can do anything, even the logically impossible
(Square circles, 2+2=5) As logic comes from God, he can change it
Aquinas: God can only do the logically possible.
This does not lead to any contradictions - God cannot make a square circle because a square circle cannot exist. He can only do what a perfect God can do. For example, he cannot sin because it does not fit with his logical nature. This is also Swinburnes view
The paradox of the stone: Can god create a stone too heavy for him to lift?
God has a self imposed limitation
In creating the universe, God chooses to limit himself and only operate within the laws he created. If God intervened it would upset the balance of the universe. God limits himself by becoming human in Jesus Christ. This is more in line with the bibles presentation of God
Eternal
God is Timeless
- God himself is responsible for creating time, so he is outside of it . He can see all of time at once (Past, present and future) - This is Boethius' view. God ''Embraces the infinity of life all at once'' which is different to humans who live from past to present to future. Everything is present for God at the same time. Man standing on a mountain analogy He looks down and sees everything all at once.
Boethius' view helps to solve the problem of free will - If God is omniscient and knows the future, how can we be morally responsible for our actions?
God is Everlasting
- God moves along time like we do, what is the past for us is past for God. This is Swinburne's view
God in the bible seems to be experiencing time, he interacts with different people and is shown to change his mind. This contradicts the idea of a ''simultaneous present'' He does not thing God can view two things at different times as one timeless moment. How can a timeless God be human at a particular point in history?
A god who is eternal cannot love creation in the same way a God who is everlasting can. Boethius' view presents God as being too passive. if God is separate from the world how can he have a relationship with human beings?
Boethius' view renders ideas such as prayer as pointless: Whats the point of praying for the future is God is removed from it?
If god is everlasting and can know the future, surely he is responsible for the Problem of Evil (cornflake problem)
Omniscience
Gods ability to know everything (All-knowing). The idea God would know events from the past that have not been historically recorded, aswell as what is morally right at all times. Can we say we are free if God knows the future?
The key issue is when it comes to knowing the future: If God has knowledge of the future why does he not prevent bad actions from happening (Problem Of Evil). There is also a problem of accountability (Dog on a lead problem)
God may not intervene because he himself is outside of time (Boethius and Anselm) . Additionally, god does not have foreknowledge of the future , but knows the simultaneous, unchanging present.
Boethius maintains the argument we are entirely free because we are separate from Gods foreknowledge
Middle knowledge: God not only has awareness of past present and future, but he would know the outcome of events if other choices had been made. In order for god to know the future he must know about our thoughts and decisions.
If gods Omniscience is linked to the idea that he can know only what it is logically possible to know, this would fit with the idea of an everlasting God. God would not logically be able to know the future. Knowledge cannot be fixed until it happens
Omnibenevolence
(Gods entire attitude is one of compassion, love and fairness)
Jesus' understanding of the word agape leads christians to understand it in the context of loving anyone, even your enemy.