Nature And Atrribtes Of God Flashcards
Define ominpotence
All powerful and idea God Can do anything
Omnipotence including impossible
Can make a square circle as all logic comes from God and he can change it at any time
Descartes view ok omnipotence
He can do anything including impossible
We have limited reason so may not understand, but he can perform miracles
Anselms view on omnipotence
God has unlimited power, he could lie but doesn’t because of beneficence - makes him arbitrary and unpredictable
Goes against bible as says god can’t lie
Who believes God can do only logically possible
Aquinas - Not a contradiction as square circle can’t exist so doesn’t question power. Can’t sin as not in logical nature
Swinburne agrees - only refers to logically possible power as square is not a thing
What is self imposed limitation
God decided he would only operated within natural laws he created
For example god becoming Jesus
Who believes God is eternal and what is it
Boethius
Anselm
Aquinas
Separate to time- timeless
Boethius view
God is eternal
Can see last present future
Time has no meaning for God
Anselm view
Continued Boethius view
4th dinenstionalist approach
God is separate to space and time and we are limited by both
Time is a dimension
Swinburnes view god as everlasting
Bible is within time
Has to be everlasting go along timeline with humans in order to have proper relationship with God
Problems with eternal idea
3
If he is so separate to the world, how does e have relationship with people in it
If he knows future, can we choose ours?
Are we truly free and fully morally responsible?
Problem with everlasting
3
Has God been limited to much?
Did he exist before time?
Exists within time so God changes with time so can a perfect God change
Schleiermacher view on knowledge
Like very close friend
Incredibly well so can accurately predict but still remain with few choice
Knowledge of timeless God
Knows all the possible options- like man standing on mountain looking at all points on surface
Boethius view on knowledge
God doesn’t know utter
But knows simultaneous, unchanging present
We remain entirely free because we are separate from Gods foreknowledge
