God’s Qualities Flashcards
What is the paradox of the stone?
God can either create the heaviest rock and not be able to pick it up or be able to pick up the rock
Either way god will not be seen as omnipotent because he is either not powerful enough to pick up the heaviest rock or not powerful enough to make the heaviest rock
What does Descartes believe about Gods omnipotence?
God can do anything at all, even what seems illogical to us
God is the creator of logical so can change it to his own will
What are some problems with Descartes view of Gods omnipotence?
Why does his power have no limitations?
Paradox of the stone- can God lift the stone if it is too heavy for him to lift?
If we are not similar to God because we do not have the ability to reason like God then are we not made in imago dei?
What did Aquinas believe about Gods omnipotence?
God can only do what is logically consistent with his own qualities
God is incorporeal- has no body- therefore there are things which require a body which God could not do, e.g. swim
What are the weaknesses of Aquinas’ view of Gods omnipotence?
Suggests that logic could be even greater than God and God is controlled by logic
A God outside of logic is greater than a God co trolled by logic so Aquinas’ God would not be the greatest being
Suggests that God is simply a powerful being as opposed to an all powerful being
What does Vardy believe about Gods omnipotence?
Good self limits as a way of showing his love to humanity
Hid could choose to not exist but he loves humanity and wants to have a relationship with us so chooses not to
What are the weaknesses of Vardy’s view of Gods omnipotence?
If God doesn’t show his power then how do we know he is omnipotent?
God should be able to do anything without limiting himself
God doesn’t need to fit logic
What is the problem with God being omniscient and us having free will?
If God is completely omniscient and possesses the knowledge of the future then our human free will is limited
What did Scheiermacher say about Gods omniscience?
Good have complete knowledge if all knowable things; the past, present and possible future
God knows us well enough to make accurate predictions is what we may do and knows all of the options we have to choose from
What analogy does Schliermarcher use to explain Gods relationship with humanity?
God and humanity are like close friends at a restaurant
Gold has al, the available knowledge of our last actions, present thoughts, desires, etc so can make predictions on what decision we will do. But God can be surprised by our actions if they go against out past actions or present thoughts
Middle knowledge
Bid knows us well we ought to to make the most accurate predictions of what we may do and knows all of the options we have chosen from
Weaknesses of Schleiermarchers view of Gods omniscience
It limits Gods omniscience
Changes the definitions of what omniscience is
God isn’t all knowing because he doesn’t have knowledge of the future
What is Boethius’ view of Gods relationship with time?
God exists in a ‘lofty peak’ where he can look down in all of human history
For god everything is in the present
Simultaneous possession of boundless life- God possesses all things at the same time
God exists in an infinite present because he cannot loose the past or not yet posses the present
What is Anselm’s view of Gods relationship to time?
Four dimentionalist approach
Bid exists outside of the four dimensions of lengths, width, height and time
God exists in his own fifth dimension
He has an understanding in linear time but does not live in it
How does Boethius’ view help to argue that we can still have free will even if God is omniscient?
We have free will because we are the ones who choose and experience the action of making choices, God simply witnesses the choices we make
What is Gods providential knowledge split in to and what do they each mean?
Simply necessity- Gods knowledge if necessary natural laws. We don’t choose this to happen, it is not part of what we consider to be free will
Conditional necessity- Gods knowledge/observation of our actions but only because we have chosen them. Our free will choices are observed by God not caused by God
What is Gods foreknowledge split into and what to they each mean?
Preceding necessity- things which we have no control over, they are natural
Following necessity- things we have chosen to do
What does God being eternal mean?
Good exists as a timeless being, separate from the human conception of linear time
What does God being everlasting mean?
God exists within time, God exists from the beginning of time and will exist until the end. He experiences linear time
How does Swinburne argue that God is everlasting?
In the bible there are examples of God appearing to and interacting with humans, an eternal god could not do this
An eternal God would not be able to develop relationships with humans
Only an everlasting God can be truly omnibenevolent
What are the three examples that Swinburne uses from the bible to suggest that God is everlasting?
Joshua 10:40-42 = Jerusalem was at war and Joshua has to slay all of his enemies. God was making decisions while the battle was happening
Exodus 7:14-18 = 10 plagues sent by God as an attempt to free the Israelites. God didn’t know how Pharaoh would react so had to watch the plagues be carried out. If God was eternal he would have inky sent the 10th plague
What are the problems with Swinburne’s argument that God is everlasting?
If God is bound by time then he is not omnipotent
God cannot be transcendent is he is constricted by linear time
What are the problems with Anselm’s four dimensions list approach that argues that God is eternal
Interactionist problem- if God is completely outside of time then how can he interact with time?
How does God have a relationship with humanity?
Garden of Eden- how could he walk in the garden with Adam and Eve if he exists outside of time?
