Attributes of God

Question 1

What is the traditional concept of God?

Answer 1

Omnipotence, Omniscience, transcedent, Omnibenevolent, simple - God’s nature and his essence are the same, what ever he is, he is it entirely.

Question 2

What is a main problem of God’s omnipotence?

Answer 2

Just because God is understood as omnipotent does that mean he can do the impossible? Can he make a square round or 2+2=5? Generally believed that God cannot do these things not due to weakness but he can’t do the logically impossible as self contradiction.

Question 3

What is a problem raised about God’s omniscience?

Answer 3

If he knows everything or has the ability to know everything, how does he know what is logically impossible to know? To describe God as omniscient means God can’t do or know what it is logically impossible to know. It is not logically possible to know what someone will freely do tomorrow. As God is omnipotent he allows people that freedom, but does this limit his omniscience?

Question 4

What are the two ways of understanding what it means to call God eternal?

Answer 4

Eternal = Everlasting. God has existed in the past, exists now and will exist in the future, Bible. God is on the bus.
Eternal = timeless, God exists outside time, Augustine, Boethius and Aquinas. God is outside of the bus.

Question 5

What happens in Genesis 1?

Answer 5

God is presumed to pre exist creation, as the sole creator of all matter.
God ordered the world to be formed and his creation is good. If he commands something it happens, the world was created ex nihilo ( from nothing) God created the world out of nothing so is apart from the universe and transcedent.
Transcedency = God is not limited by space and time, doesn’t need the world and is incomprehensible.

Question 6

What is outlined in Genesis 2-3?

Answer 6

Human’s relationship with God, a covenant ( two way binding relationship based on love) between God and humans out of love, humans are in the image of God but still have human free will.God rewards and punishes humans.

Question 7

What is the belief of deism?

Answer 7

Impersonal God, sustains the world but doesn’t intervene.

Question 8

What is the belief of theism?

Answer 8

A personal God you can have a relationship with.

Question 9

How is God usually viewed?

Answer 9

As perfect, creation evidence for God’s goodness. 10 commandments Exodus 20 summary of religious: “ you shall have no other Gods but me”, You shalt no take the name of the Lord in vain. Remember Sabbath day and keep it holy, and social duties: honour mother and father, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill etc.
God cares how people behave and shows what is acceptable in his eyes.

Question 10

What is the God of the Old testament like?

Answer 10

Personally involved with the moral behaivour of his people. Will shown in Genesis 18 destruction of Sodom and Gomarrah.

Question 11

What are issues surrounding God’s goodness?

Answer 11

If God loves what is good as it is good, there must be a standard of goodness independent from God. ‘Kindness is good’ God saying what we already know. If something is good as God loves it then do we have to agreement with his judgement e.g. God approving stealing? Suffering happened when people have acted in ‘response’ to God’s commands.

Question 12

What does it mean to say God is immanent?

Answer 12

God is involved and active in the world.

Question 13

What does it mean to say God is immutable?

Answer 13

God can’t be changed or modified.

Question 14

What are traditional views of God?

Answer 14

Plato - theologia, theology. The form of the good the ultimate form in the world of forms associated with God.
Aristotle - Prime Mover causes all change and motion and desire to perfect the universe associated with God.
Augustine - believed in an ultimate truth which accounts for all the unchanging truths in the human mind, which he thought must be God.

Question 15

What is the Christian philosophy of God?

Answer 15

He is not polytheisitic, Christians and Muslims monotheists, God is personal.
God the creator: “ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Rely on God for existence. God is ruler and King of all, everything stand in relation to God, God is eternal without beginning or end.
God is good, but world has gone wrong through sin. God gives us agapeic love. God is holy - to be aware of God shows our imperfections and God’s perfections we need forgiveness and cleansing.

Question 16

What are the 2 types of evil?

Answer 16

Moral evil - comes from immoral human actions.

Natural evil - From the malfunctioning of natural world.

Question 17

What is the problem of evil?

Answer 17

How can an all powerful, all loving God let his creation suffer without ending the torment which leads people unable to believe God exists. However purpose of suffering could be to grow as a person and part of God’s plan.

Question 18

What did Aquinas argue?

Answer 18

His goodness might allow him to tolerate the existence of the existence of what we see as evil as a temporary part of his plan. Without suffering happiness can’t be fully realised. May have a reason we don’t know as incomprehensible.

Question 19

What does the trinity connote?

Answer 19

The father, the son and the holy spirit.

Question 20

What does the idea of God’s simplicity link to?

Answer 20

Idea that God’s nature and God’s existence is the same thing. If God’s very essence is to be and his existence is necessary contrasting to our contingent existence, everything else that has existence has been caused to exist by God.

Question 21

What did Augustine say about God’s simplicity?

Answer 21

God is unchangeable and can’t lose or gain any characteristics. God is unchangeable as change involves movement. God is the cause of change as he is unchanged, If he was unchangeable and made a world in which change happened, he would be part of a world and couldn’t account for it.

Question 22

What did Aquinas think about God’s simplicity?

Answer 22

God is immaterial, bodiless. A body would have characteristics like us, but God is just God.

Question 23

What are the philosophical problems of God’s simplicity?

Answer 23

If God is simple how can we have freedom? God is free as desires never have a casual influence on him so free to make choices, unlike humans causally influenced by their desires.
How can a simple God be involved in the world? He has no body so all of him is present everywhere.
A simple God is unknowable - God known through revelation analogy and via negativa.

Question 24

What did Aquinas think about God’s omnipotence?

Answer 24

God can’t change the past as it is a logical contradiction “ that the past should not have been does not come under the scope of divine power.
God can’t sin : “ God can do some things which now seem to be evil; which, however if He did them would then be good.”
All powerful so can always reach the good outcome not sin, can’t physically sin as he is perfect. If God can’t physically sin is he then not omnipotent?

Question 25

What does Geach argue?

Answer 25

‘Almighty’ and ‘Omnipotent’ can’t simply be put in the same place. Almighty stems from the church, predicate of omnipotence from theological debate, suggests God having power over all things. Omnipotent ability to do everything, almighty and omnipotent not same having power over all things is different from having the ability to do anything.

Question 26

What does Swinburne think?

Answer 26

God’s omnipotence is restricted to things that are logically possible. Just because God doesn’t act in every situation or doesn’t want to, doesn’t mean God can’t act and so is still omnipotent.
God can’t do something he perceives as being wrong as he is perfect and doesn’t sin - doesn’t that mean he’s not omnipotent?

Question 27

What are issue questions with the everlasting and timeless debate?

Answer 27

If God is everlasting is he omnipotent? Because he wouldn’t be able to move himself independently through time? If he does he can the course the past and the future so problem with free will.
If God is timeless how can he have a personal relationship with his creation?
The idea of a timeless God seems to be at odds with the everlasting view of God presented in scripture.
Can God be omnipresent is timeless?
Trinity goes against catholic idea of timeless, as Jesus is God and came down to earth. Need God to be eternal to understand how we were created?
Do we need God if God is outside of time and he is timeless?
Why did evil happen in the past if God is timeless or eternal?

Question 28

What is the idea of infinite regression?

Answer 28

Logically everything has a cause, we can’t go back infinitely and we need to have an eternal entity that created the world. Thus both the idea of a timeless or an everlasting God is logically conceivable, requires a belief in the cosmological argument.
By applying the same logic, we know a posterori this is impossible for something to come out of nothing and for something to have always existed in past, present and gutre, Logically impossible to have something that is eternal.
Timeless a priori God argue makes sense to have a God that is eternally timeless, as not subjected to same physical laws this world is.

Question 29

Where is the idea of God being eternal hinted at?

Answer 29

Isaiah 57; “ For this says the high and lofty one Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.”
Influenced by classical philosophy, Plato later Boethius.

Question 30

What does Nicholas Wolterstorff suggest?

Answer 30

The eternity of God has appealed to people as eternal God different humans’ experience of life in physical world: “ the gnawing of time bites all. Our evil deeds can never be undone.”
People try to stop ageing and effects of time, past carries on and can’t be changed. Plausible to believe in eternal God in a world without antibiotics and modern medical care where death very prominent.
Aquinas and Anselm God exists outside time - Anslem God eternal as nothing can contain God proslogion 19. Aquinas, time and change inseparable, God can’t change and can’t be in time.

Question 31

What are the 6 reasons why Christians traditionally believe God is eternal?

Answer 31

1) Bible suggests God always exists.
2) God is not a physical being like us.
3) God is the creator, time passing is a feature of the universe, as created outside of time.
4) God is the ultimate cause of why things exist and change in the universe.
5) God is perfect, not subject to time as time passing = Imperfection. When time passes you change + lose what you were previously - Anselm.
6) God exists necessarily.

Question 32

What did Boethius think? God is not temporal (related to and limited by time.)

Answer 32

1) God is changeless/impassable.
2) God doesn’t exist in time.
3) Eternity is “the whole simultaneous and perfect possession of unending life” life isn’t just endless but it is not like physical life as it doesn’t involve change or experiencing life as a series of events one following another.
4) God’s life is limitless and posseses life eternally without end.
5) For God there is no past, present and future, God exists eternally and all time is present to God at the same time. God doesn’t see history as it happens, but all time present to God ‘stimultaneously.’
6) God is simple he doesn’t learn new things and time doesn’t pass for God.
7) God’s knowledge is transcedent and separate from the movements of time, sees thinks in our future. God knows that something will happen not through necessity, condtional necessity only necessary as known by God. Simple necessity ‘when we say that all humans are necessarily mortal’ part of our nature to be mortal. Conditional necessity is ‘when you see a man walking, it is necessary to

Question 33

What did Aquinas think?

Answer 33

” Eternity exists as a simultaneous whole and time does not 1) God exists unendingly without a beginning or conclusion.
2) God must exist outside of time, time consists of parts, time involves beginnings and ends e.g. all humans are born, live their lives and die.
3) God is the creator of the universe and all life, who always exists without end.
4) Time doesn’t pass for God.
5) Time involves living life ‘successively’ as we do as human beings - one event follows another, God this is not the case - timeless not in time with us living successively.
God exists outside time and the nature of God is to exist.

Question 34

What are criticisms of timelessness?

Answer 34

Anthony Kenny - The word ‘stimultaneous’ suggests all time is happening at the same moment in time, which is logically incoherent, as everything in time can’t happen at the same time e.g. my writing this essay is stimulatenous with the whole of eternity, questions free will as he sees it and determines what we do. Richard Swinburne agrees this doesn’t ‘make much sense.’
The timeless and eternal God can’t be involved in his creation as he is outside of time, problems for beliefs in miracles or incarnation, against divine timeless.
What about convenant between God and humans? Wiles - no selective response from God ongoing creativity.
The Bible teaches God changes in his activity and relationships towards humanity if God changes in his activity and relationships he would be temporal in some sense. A changeless being wouldn’t act in the world or change in their relationship towards humans. God is not a person, which is why some philosophers use analogous
and symbolic lang.
How can he respond to prayers? - Aquinas, prayers not requests, act of being aware of God’s activity in the world.

Question 35

What are the strengths of timelessness?

Answer 35

Bible may imply God does intervene and so is personal can’t be if timeless, but you can reject things in the Bible as old and outdated the personal lang outdated with out modern concept of God.
Paul Helm - God brought about and sustains the universe by his will, God timelessly produces the entire space - time universe through 1 eternal act.
God shows his love for us through sustaining the universe.
Shows God is necessary as he started time.
Must be timeless to not be restricted by the physical laws of earth.
Anselm support - God is eternal as nothing can contain God.

Question 36

What is a solution to the problems caused by understanding God’s eternity as timeless?

Answer 36

Understanding God as eternal and everlasting. He has everlasting existence but that time doesn’t pass for God.
Richard Swinburne supported - fits in better with the biblical understanding of God. God exists at all points inside time but not outside time.
Nicholas Wolterstorff the biblical view of God requires him to act freely in response to the actions of humans and so he has to act in time. If the incarnation is to be logical and if God is a redeemer, he has to be seen as everlasting. God’s omniscience only involves knowing what has happened, illogical to know future events.
Supports omnibenevolence and personal. But questions omnscience, immutable and perfect - God limited by time.

Question 37

What are the problems raised by this approach?

Answer 37

How can God be in time and not be affected by creation and subject to change?
Can we make sense of God as temporal without being spatial - related to and within space.
Isn’t a God who is within time limited just as we are and so can’t be omnipotent?

Question 38

What is an alternative approach to God’s eternity?

Answer 38

God moves through time within his creation, affected by interaction limiting his omnipotence, allowing for omniscience and free will. Time is as real for God as for us, but: God is everlasting, can’t grow old and die.
Some aspects of God are unchangeable, God is omnibenevolent and knows everything.
God is understood as sharing in every event in the world, every cell, animal and person, God has always acted creatively in the world. Freedom is inherent to the world and God can’t overrule it.
DZ Phillips - eternity is not related to the notion of temporal time, but has a qualitative nature. God can’t be comprehended and arguing he is eternal is a try and expressing this. Still created time, still important. Moral evil from our misuse of free will. Allows free will.

Question 39

What are the 3 ways to understand what is meant by God’s omnipotence?

Answer 39

He can do the logically impossible.Descartes “God can do everything”
He can do what is logically possible for a perfect God to do - Anthony Kenny “ God can do everything.”
Omnipotence is a word to describe God’s power.

Question 40

What is the paradox of the stone?

Answer 40

Can God create a stone so heavy he cannot lift it? Either God can create a stone or he can’t,if he can’t there is something he cannot do and can’t be omnipotent. If he can,there is something he cannot do as he can’t lift the stone and therefore he isn’t omnipotent. In both cases he is not omnipotent, a being that isn’t, isn’t God and so he doesn’t exist. Aquinas, God is eternal and so has no body, so concept illogical.
Does God’s power make all things possible and power beyond human comprehension?

Question 41

What did J L Mackie argue?

Answer 41

God’s omnipotence is incoherent, for God to be omnipotent he needs to do everything and there are definite limitations on the type of things God could do, so it seems impossible to be all powerful.

Question 42

What are the problems raised by the word omnipotent?

Answer 42

It is vague, what does it mean?
Evil and suffering exists conflicting with omnibenevolence and omnipotence.
If he could only form logical events miracles can’t happen.
Illogical to say he is as if he was he could make things he can’t do.
If God is omnipotent he must be able to create change, but he is described as immutable.

Question 43

What are some solutions to this?

Answer 43

Agree omnipotence is logically incoherent and abandon the belief - process theologians and atheists.
Maintain God can do all things, changes laws of logic ( Descartes.)
God can do all things but not the logically impossible as not real things - Aquinas.
Redefine omnipotence as ‘that which is logically possible for a being such as God’ Swinburne, Geach “ God is almighty” has power over all creation, all things.
STILL INTERPRETING WHAT GOD CAN OR CAN’T DO!

Question 44

What did Peter Vardy think?

Answer 44

God’s omnipotence is more limited than previously suggested - agree as inconsistencies in the world.
God isn’t control of all history and able to move everything like pieces on a chessboard, God doesn’t make everything happen due to his will.
God created the universe that his ability to act is necessarily limited.
The whole of the universe is finely tuned in such a way that if God acted in any different way, everything wouldn’t be able to exist in the way that it does.
The universe is suited for the existence of free, rational human beings and to remain this way omnipotence has to be very much limited.This limitation is self imposed.
God chose to create the universe in that way knowing what it would mean, still correct to call God omnipotent as nothing limits God’s power except by his own choosing.
Doesn’t mean God has total power to do anything, but God is limited by universe he created doesn’t lessen God’s power significantly.
It is a consequence of God’s wish to create a universe where humans could have a loving relationship with him.

Question 45

What did Peter Geach think?

Answer 45

Difference between the words omnipotent and almighty.
Omnipotence comes from the greek word Pantokrator, ability to do absolutely anything.
Almighty suggests God has power over all things and all powerful in a different sense, less problematic than God can do anything. God cannot do x is true, but not a limit on his almighty nature. What God cannot do is that in which his perfection he cannot will to do - can’t do evil.
God as almighty means God as creator has power over all things.
Avoids the weaknesses of definition.
Clearer and simpler to understand, purposeful definition.

Question 46

What did Aquinas think?

Answer 46

He is omnipotent in being in charge of the whole world, creating it and sustaining its existence and everything in the world depends on God for existence.
God is all powerful, but need clarity on what is possible - only things that don’t imply an error in logic.
E.g. God can’t make 2+2=5 as logically incorrect.
Tasks that appear impossible for God to carry put e.g. square circle don’t imply a limit on the omnipotence of God as they aren’t proper tasks, they are pseudo - false tasks. A square circle is nonsense, pseudo task without meaning.
God can’t do anything inconsistent with his nature, as imply error in logic e.g. God has no body and so can’t swim or die.
God is perfectly food and can’t do any form of evil. “ His omnipotence is qualified by the rules of logic and his divine nature, neither of which he can contravene.”

Question 47

What does Descartes think?

Answer 47

“God possesses all perfections.” God can do anything, even that which is logically impossible. God can choose to break the laws of nature.
God created the universe and so the laws of logic.
It is a mistake to say God is limited by logic, God created logic and can do things which go against how we understand logic.
God can’t necessarily do the logically impossible, but humans don’t know what is possible for God and God is not limted by the laws of logic he has created - as the source can suspend logic or replace them.
God might be able to do things we see as impossible, we can’t use logic to limit what God is able to do or not. God is a perfect being and so human knowledge is not full enough to limit God’s power.

Question 48

What is a theodicy?

Answer 48

An explanation for why God, a being who is all good and all powerful nevertheless allows evil in the world. Response to problem of evil - all powerful being able to prevent evil, all good would prevent evil from happening but it exists.

Question 49

What is Swinburne’s theodicy?

Answer 49

” If there is a God it is to be expected that he would do certain things.” Thrills of pleasure and contentment are good, but there are greater things God can give us like responsibility for ourselves - “ the problem is that God cannot give us these goods without allowing evil on the way.”
The maximum amount of good God can give us requires some evil to exist.
“ The problem of evil is not that of the absence of varioius good states.. However much good God creates he could have created more and he does not in general have any obligation to create.” They are plenty of evils, positive bad states which God could choose to remove.

Question 50

What are the problems of this?

Answer 50

Does this mean God is not all powerful?
Does maximum goodness logically require logically require some evil??
If he could remove evils suggests not omnibenevolent.

Question 51

What do theists think?

Answer 51

Distinction between there being a lack of perfect or complete goodness in the world and the presence of Swinburne “positive badness” The problem of evil for Swinburne concerns “positive badness” but not lack of “perfect goodness.”
We should be grateful for any goodness from God.

Question 52

What does Swinburne argue about moral evil ( caused by humans)?

Answer 52

Moral evil due to human beings having free will. Moral evil down to misusing of our free will. Free will defence “ it is a great good that humans have a free will.. free and responsible choice.”
This necessitates the natural possibility of moral evil, not logically possible God could give us free will and that we would always use it in the right way.
Humans bringing about evil logical consequence of this free choice, “ not even God could give us this choice without the possibility of resulting evil.” God doesn’t create it we do. For my free will to meaningful it must be possible for me to choose to hurt people as well as help them.
Positive badness good can always come from evil.
Evil is a necessary part of the greater good of creating a world in which humans have free will.

Question 53

What did Swinburne think about natural evil?

Answer 53

“Natural evil is not to be accounted for along the same lines as moral evil.”
“ The operation of natural laws producing evils give human knowledge of how to bring about such evil themselves and how to prevent them.”
It makes possible certain kinds of moral action. Makes us try to end suffering, showing compassion for the suffering of others and showing courage.
Natural evil is a necessary part of achieving a “greater good.” It motivates us to understand the natural world.
It provides opportunities for us to learn things like courage and compassion, promotes human “growth.”
Moral evil by free will not God, the “badness” humans cause is “out weighed” by the goodness of our having free will.
Natural evil is created by God as it needed for us to achieve a greater amount of goodness.

Question 54

What are the evaluation points for this?

Answer 54

It explains why we have different types of evil.
Clear distinction between the different types didn’t just lump them as the same.
Clear we do gain compassion from evil - earthquake stronger sense of valuing what we have and reaching out to others in their time of struggle.
However it still seems unfair the amount we suffer.
Some argue it is logically impossible for God to do evil.
Moral evil not caused by God, but some acts can seem immoral e.g. when he asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

Question 55

What was Golfried Leibniz’s response to the problem of evil?

Answer 55

Turned the problem of its head. There are many different ways God could have created the world.
Being omniscient God saw everything that would ever happen in each of these infinitely many “possible worlds.”
Being all good, the one God chose to create must have been the one with the maximum amount of goodness.
There isn’t any real evil, but that we live in the best of all possible worlds.

Question 56

What does the Theodicy of Augustine state?

Answer 56

Based on Genesis 3, the story of the fall and Romans 5:12-20 St Paul describes Jesus’ crucifixion wipes out the sin committed by Adam and Eve.
Soul deciding theory, free choice to decide whether or not to act morally and whether our souls will go to heaven or hell, our own choice if we obey God.
He believed a good God created the world and at that time the world was good.
Evil was a ‘privation of good’ not a thing in itself just as blindness is a privation of sight.
Evil came from angels turning away from God who used their free will improperly and tempted Adam and Eve starting moral evil.
All humans are seminally present in the loins of Adam, born with original sin, natural tendency to do wrong even if have good intentions.
Natural evil is punishment for this sin or the ‘penal consequences of sin.’
On Eschaton, good to heaven and evil to hell, evil is punished so God’s world perfect in the end.

Question 57

What are the evaluation points of this?

Answer 57

The idea that evil comes from a misuse of free will is backed by Richard Swinburne, who argues the imagery of the fall is relevant even if the story is a myth. However is it really realistic we are all seminally present in the loins of Adam? Seems unfair.
Schleiemacher in the Christian faith theodicy incorrect as logical contradiction that a perfectly created world had gone wrong, as this would mean evil created ex nihilo which is impossible. World was created imperfect or God allowed it to go wrong.
The idea of the world made perfect contradicts evolution, suggests universe has being developing gradually from a state of chaos.

Question 58

What is Irenaeus’ theodicy?

Answer 58

2 stages to creation: 1st man created as a immature being that hadn’t grown or developed. Then period of change, man would respond to situations in life and become a child of God.
Soul making, we develop from the image of God to the likeness of God.
We were created imperfect, so we could choose to become good and turn to God.
Moral evil consequence of having the freedom to grow and develop into a child of God.
Evil necessary to help us develop e.g. natural evil like famine develop compassion. Evil key part of life and mould us into better people.
Salvation open to all but rejecting God punished.

Question 59

What was John Hick’s development?

Answer 59

Eschatological theory concerned with death, judgement and destiny of soul and humankind.
Humans created imago dei, spiritually immature grow into God’s likeness to gave a relationship with God.
Make at a distance from God in knowledge, epistemic distance - not so obvious and overwhelming have to believe e.g driving with police officer.
Moral evil consequence of freedom to grow and develop into child of God.
At death some to heaven.
Those who haven’t completed their development continue soul making after death. Supports universal salvation not hell.

Question 60

What are the evaluation points?

Answer 60

Heaven could allow the enormous amount of suffering in this life. But the quantity and and extremity of evil seems unacceptable in soul making, as evil like the holocaust surely isn’t necessary.
John Hick - everyone goes to heaven which seems unjust as immorality isn’t punished, inconsistent with orthodox Christianity goes against the fall and Jesus is just a moral example.
Allowing evil to continue can’t be an expression of love according to D Z Phillips in the concept of prayer.

Question 61

What are the 2 defintions of omniscience?

Answer 61

Omniscience - God’s unlimited knowledge. all history, past, present and future. God is outside of time and has knowledge of the whole of time from beginning to end, God eternal and timeless.
Limited omniscience - God’s knowledge is limited to what it is logically possible to know or god chooses to limit what he knows to allow humans free will. God’s knowledge changes over time, God gains new knowledge as events occur, God as everlasting. Seems to limit God’s omniscience.

Question 62

What are the problems with omniscience?

Answer 62

If God is omniscient can humans have free will? If God already knows what you are going to do, how can you determine the future? How can you be genuinely free in planning your life and enacting your plans if God already knows what you will plan and do? If our actions are determined by God, no moral responsibility, doubt over theodicies rely on free will defence explain natural and moral evil. If God is in total control of everything responsible for all evil.
Response = Just because God knows what I will choose, doesn’t necessarily mean that my choice wasn’t free. An omniscient God who knows everything about you knows exactly what I will do even with free will, compatabilism, determined and have free will.
If God knows everything that will happen it could have implications on our nature as we understand it. God knowing everything that would happen, but seems as though we are predetermined robots.

Question 63

How does Augustine respond?

Answer 63

The question about God knowing the future, argued God was outside of time, atemporal. we experience time in a linear dimensions, the only real experience we have of time is of the present moment. The past is a memory and the future is an expectation. God as the creator of time can see all time at once, his experience of time is non linear.

Question 64

How does Boethius respond?

Answer 64

Argues God takes in past, present and future in one sight, as well as our free choices. God is eternal and knows eternally, God knows but he doesn’t cause, he just sees present things which for us are in the future.

Question 65

How does Aquinas respond?

Answer 65

Extension of Augustine and Boethius, God can take in all of history. Analogy - driving on a road only able to see it from our particular viewpoint, God is above the road and can see where we have been, where we are and where we are going, The driver makes free choices, God only sees those choices, doesn’t cause them.

Question 66

What is the life after death response?

Answer 66

God judges people after death on how they have behaved in this life, people have to have free will and moral responsibility, if we aren’t fee and God is omniscient then everything is predestined by God.

Question 67

What is the evolution response?

Answer 67

Evolution = there is a random chance to the way in which life has evolved - natural selection, this has caused a lot of suffering but suggests God din’t know which would be there fittest creatures to survive - why did he not only create these types of creatures/
Survival of fittest essential for the well being of animals, if not unfit prey predators would die out. Although questions God’s omni benevolent as lots of suffering in evolutionary process.

Question 68

What is the traditional Christian view about punishment?

Answer 68

Humans receive judgement at the end of time, just and unjust, good and evil reality and people are judged accordingly for their lives.
Evil is not the will of God, but people are held to account for how they use their freedom. If God is perfectly good, how should he reward or punish people?

Question 69

What are the 2 aspects to divine reward and punishment?

Answer 69

Physical reward and punishment in this life. Second in the afterlife. Primary concern in both = justice. God’s goodness demands people receive an appropriate reward or punishment. Jesus promises his followers they will be rewarded if they suffer for his name - Matthew 5:12. New Testament strongly states God will judge people and responsible for actions afterlife.
Many theologians - if a person chooses to live their life in a way that is wicked, God’s goodness demands the person had freedom to act wickedly and justice demands they are treated fairly, people who are wicked are punished and people who experience lives full of suffering not their fault compensated appropriately.

Question 70

What did Swinburne state in Providence and the Problem of Evil?

Answer 70

If lives are “on balance bad, God would be under an obligation to provide life after death for the individuals concerned in which they would be compensated for the bad states of this life” So their lives overall would be good. God treats us as individuals with own vocation.

Question 71

What is Kant’s notion of the Summum Bonum?

Answer 71

Suggests a good God should reward, highest good that we are obliged to try and make happen is a world where moral behaviour leads to happiness. There needs to be an afterlife which God facilitates as sort lives to achieve this goal.
If God is just surely people rewarded for behaviour appropriately, really fair if one person behaves morally all their life and the other immorally but rewarded in the same way.
If all are actions can be traced back to a chain of physical causes and effects like upbringing and experiences we had no choice over, not truly free and incoherent for God to reward and punish. How can a finite crime warrant infinite punishment? Hick ultimately all saved.

Question 72

What does Swinburne argue?

Answer 72

God could know the future, but limits himself out of love for us, we may have freer will and be able to choose our actions, God can remain just. Free will must involve the freedom to damn ourselves otherwise God not completely just.

Question 73

What does Boethius argue?

Answer 73

He recognised unjust for God to reward and punish people not making free decisions, God’s nature allowed him to maintain full omniscience and reward and punish justly. God is timeless with no past or future and this is why God can be God can be fully omniscient and not the cause of our actions. He is able to retain his status as a just God, if God’s omniscience ‘ simultaneous possession of boundless life’ some way actions must be necessary, but not conclusion God must cause these actions.
Actions are necessary as God sees them, but they are conditionally necessary and we have the condition of free will and could have chosen differently. What God sees is due to our free will. Boethius concluded God is wholly simple, perfect, absolutely omniscient and still benevolent as his omniscience doesn’t cause our actions. He judges the sinners of own accord not whose with no other choice, God rewards and punishes justly.

Question 74

What is Kenny’s argument?

Answer 74

The idea of simultaneous knowledge is a contradiction - reductio ad absurdum. If we can derive a contradiction from a premise, we can reject the assumption if God exists outside of time he can’t bear a temporal relations to things which exists within time. How could this God relate to us or judge us?