God's Nature/Attributes: Omnipotence Flashcards
What did Descartes argue about God’s omnipotence?
God must be omnipotent in the sense of being able to do even the logically impossible, because God has all the perfections, so therefore He has no limitations at all
Did Descartes believe God could create a stone too heavy for him to lift?
Yes
Why do most scholars disagree with Descartes?
Things that are logically impossible, such as a stone too heavy for God to lift, are not really ‘things’ at all, because they are impossible
What is an example of omnipotence in the Bible?
The creation stories in Genesis, at the end of the book of Job and the miracle stories
What does Aquinas believe about omnipotence?
God can do everything within his nature, so he cannot be cruel or fail or be unwise
How do people reject Aquinas’ view?
If there are things God cannot do and he is limited by his own nature, he cannot be omnipotent
What does Swinburne believe about omnipotence?
God can do everything, but logical impossibilities are not ‘things’, therefore they could never exist - God can do everything possible
What is Vardy’s view of omnipotence?
God deliberately limits his own power, creating the world in such a way that this would occur. This does not undermine God as he chose to do this to create a world rational for human beings.
How does the letter to the Philippians suggest the same idea as Vardy?
When God came to the world as Jesus Christ, he deliberately limited his power in order to be accessible to humanity
What is the Christian doctrine that God deliberately empties himself of his own power called?
Kenosis
What do Whitehead and Hartshorne argue?
A totally omnipotent god would not be as impressive as a God who could meet resistance
