God's Nature/Attributes: Omnibenevolence

Question 1

How is God described in the Bible?

Answer 1

Good and perfect

Question 2

How is God described in Genesis as creating the universe?

Answer 2

‘very good’

Question 3

What is the God of the Bible interested in?

Answer 3

Moral good

Question 4

When is God angry at people?

Answer 4

When they treat each other poorly

Question 5

Criticism: How is God not good?

Answer 5

In the old Testament, e.g., He asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as a test, and He regretted the flood in the story of Noah, showing God can make mistakes

Question 6

Criticism: Evil

Answer 6

The problem of evil contradicts God’s benevolence and his omnibenevolence can contradict other traits

Question 7

Evidence in the Bible God is good

Answer 7

Miracles, 10 Commandments, sending Jesus

Question 8

How is God’s love shown in Genesis

Answer 8

He gives Adam a partner

Question 9

Aquinas

Answer 9

We can only understand a tiny proportion of God’s love

Question 10

How does Dawkins describe God in the Old Testament

Answer 10

A capriciously malevolent bully

Question 11

How does Mackie describe God?

Answer 11

‘A wholly good omnipotent being would eliminate evil completely; if there really are evils, then there cannot be any such being’

Question 12

Events in which God could intervene

Answer 12

The holocaust, natural disasters, starvation