Attributes of God

Question 1

Whats a theodicy ?

Answer 1

attempts to justify God in the face of the existence of evil

Question 2

which scholars argued God couldn’t have acted in any other way without depriving humanity of their free will?

Answer 2

Augustine
Irenaues
Hick

Question 3

who developed the paradox of the stone and what scholars can it be used against?

Answer 3

J.L Mackie developed the analogy
used against Aquinas’ argument

Question 4

what does incorporeal mean?

Answer 4

have no body

Question 5

define atemporal?

Answer 5

timeless

Question 6

what scholars present an atemporal argument?

Answer 6

augustine
Boethius
Anselm
Aquinas
Schleirmacher

Question 7

What is the central conflict regarding the attributes of God?

Answer 7

The conflict lies in whether the attributes of God (omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient) can coexist without contradiction.

Question 8

What does Descartes argue about God’s omnipotence?

Answer 8

Descartes argues that God’s omnipotence includes the ability to do anything, even the logically impossible.

Question 9

What is the voluntarism argument?

Answer 9

The voluntarism argument states that God’s omnipotence allows Him to change mathematical, geometric, logical, and moral truths.

Question 10

According to Descartes, how does God’s power relate to human understanding?

Answer 10

God’s power may be beyond human understanding, but this does not mean God lacks power.

Question 11

What did Aquinas define omnipotence as?

Answer 11

Aquinas defined omnipotence as the ability to do anything that is logically possible.

Question 12

How does Aquinas view God’s ability to perform logically impossible tasks?

Answer 12

Aquinas believes God’s power does not include logically impossible actions as they are not feasible.

Question 13

What is the paradox of the stone?

Answer 13

The paradox questions whether God could create a stone so heavy that He could not lift it, illustrating challenges in defining omnipotence.

Question 14

How does Mavrodes support Aquinas regarding the paradox of the stone?

Answer 14

Mavrodes argues that the paradox is a logical contradiction, similar to a four-sided triangle.

Question 15

What does the self-imposed limitation of God refer to?

Answer 15

It refers to the idea that God limits Himself to achieve His goal of bringing humanity into a loving relationship with Him.

Question 16

What is Peter Vardy’s view on God’s omnipotence?

Answer 16

Vardy argues that God’s omnipotence is more limited than commonly suggested and that not everything that happens is due to God.

Question 17

What does Macquarrie emphasize about God’s limitations?

Answer 17

Macquarrie emphasizes that any limitations on God’s omnipotence are self-imposed due to His love for humanity.

Question 18

What does the term ‘kenosis’ mean?

Answer 18

Kenosis means ‘self-emptying,’ referring to God emptying Himself of certain divine attributes to enable Jesus’ human experience.

Question 19

How do A.N. Whitehead and Hartshorne view absolute omnipotence?

Answer 19

They argue that absolute omnipotence as total power wouldn’t be a perfect quality; instead, God should be seen as having power that cannot be surpassed.

Question 20

What does Hartshorne propose about God’s omnipotence?

Answer 20

Hartshorne defines omnipotence as total influence and control, where nothing can act without God’s allowance.

Question 21

Fill in the blank: God’s power is not total because it can be greater than what?

Answer 21

It can be greater than the resistance offered by free will.

Question 22

True or False: Aquinas believes God can do logically impossible things to demonstrate omnipotence.

Answer 22

False

Question 23

What is the implication of God’s self-imposed limitations according to the discussed theories?

Answer 23

God chooses to limit His power to create a logically consistent and orderly universe.

Question 24

What does Aquinas say about contradictions in relation to God’s omnipotence?

Answer 24

Aquinas states that everything that does not imply a contradiction falls under God’s omnipotence.

Question 25

Name all the scholars involved for each attribute

Answer 25

Omnipotence 1. Descartes 2. Aquinas 3. Macquarrie 4. Vardy 5. Mavrodes 6. Hartshorne Omniscience: 1. Boethius 2. Anselm 3. Swinburne 4. Schleirermacher 5. Kenny 6. augustine 7. aquinas Omnibenevolence (Mostly biblical passages) 1. Hosea 11:4-12 2. Psalms 3. 1 John

Question 26

finish the quote by Descartes "It would be rash to think ...."

Answer 26

our imagination reaches as far as his power"

Question 27

what did Descartes argue God had the power to change?

Answer 27

mathematical , geometric , logical and moral truths

Question 28

for Descartes what was a flaw about saying God should conform to the laws of logic?

Answer 28

limited Gods power because made it sound like God no more powerful than Zeus

Question 29

what does Descartes argument suggest about evil?

Answer 29

evil could be something God can change but God chooses to inflict evil on us instead (goes against omnibenevolent God Descartes argued God can be both capable and incapable of evil

Question 30

what was a flaw about tyrants with Descartes omnipotent argument?

Answer 30

Due to God being all powerful without anything preventing him, must be capable of evil or being unforgiving makes him capable of being a tyrant

Question 31

how did aquinas' understanding of an omnipotent God differ from Descartes?

Answer 31

argued God capable of doing anything logically possible

Question 32

why did aquinas argue his argument doesn't limit God about his omnipotence?

Answer 32

because logically impossible things "has not the nature of a feasible or possible thing" God can only bring about things which are consistent to a perfect being, for God to bring evil into world wouldn't be consistent with a perfect being

Question 33

what paradox can be used to criticise Aquinas' argument? in your exam how could you also use this against Descartes?

Answer 33

Paradox of the stone question of whether God can create a stone so heavy he couldn't life it problematic because 1. God create stone but not lift it something he cannot do 2. God can't make the stone, also something he cannot do creating a stone too heavy doesn't seem like a logically impossible thing to do for descartes = God capable of doing anything. capable of anything okay then he can create a stone too heavy for himself, but if omnipotent surely couldn't be too heavy? LOGICAL CONTRADICTION