Nature Of God Flashcards
(24 cards)
Which Greek philosophers put forward the traditional ideas about an ultimate reality?
Plato and Aristotle
What was Platos idea about the theory of forms?
- World of particulars - the human world
- World of forms - true forms, the real world. Humans go into this world through education
- Form of the Good - For Plato this is the ultimate being who is above and beyond the other two worlds
How, according to Aristotle , do we gain knowledge?
Through experience (empiricism), not ideas
What were Aristotle’s 4 causes?
- Material
- Efficient
- Formal
- Final
Which issue was Aristotle most interested in?
What causes things to exists, and what/who started off the motion of change
Who, for Aristotle , was the final cause of our universe?
The ultimate being / prime mover
What does a “simple God” refer to in philosophy?
The traditional ways in which God was thought of, as not being changeable or having parts or characteristics
Which scholars are associated with the idea as God being simple?
Augustine , Aquinas and Anselm
What are the 3 aspects of a simple God?
- God is God- he cannot be broken down or explained in terms of parts
- God is immutable - he is perfect and lacks nothing
- God is immaterial - does nor have a body or characteristics
What did Aquinas argue that God was?
A necessary , transcendent, simple being
What is meant by eternal timeless and which scholars are associated with it?
God exists above and beyond the universe and is not in our time thus not affected by it
Aquinas and Boethius
Why did Boethuis argue that God is eternal timeless?
Because God is changeless and so does and cannot exist in our time otherwise he would be subject to change. All time is present to God simultaneously
Why did Aquinas argue that God is eternal timeless?
God exists without a beginning or conclusion and so must exist outside of time. Uses the cosmological argument : unmoved , uncaused and necessary
What is meant by eternal everlasting and which scholars are associated with it?
God exists without beginning or end however time passes for God
Richard Swinburne and Nicholas Wolterstorff
Why did Swinburne argue that God was eternal everlasting?
The idea of events occurring simultaneously to God makes no sense, God is reactive and response as there is evidence in the bible to support this e.g. Parting of the Red Sea
Why does Wolterstorff argue that God is eternal everlasting?
We worship God because of what he can and does do in time, he is a being worthy of worship because we have the opportunity to share a close relationship with him
What are the two ways in which God’s omnipotence has been viewed and which scholars are associated with them?
- Gods ability to do anything including the logically impossible, can change the fundamentals laws
- Gods ability to do what is logically possible for a perfect God to do, his power is different from ours as it is infinite and not limited
1 = René Descartes 2 = Aquinas
What are the two main ways of God’s omniscience and what do they mean?
- Unlimited- knows all past, present and future. Fits in with the idea of transcendency
- Limited - Refers to what is logically possible for God to know or chooses to limit what he knows to allow humans free will. Fits in with the idea of immanentcy
What are the two ways of Gods omnibenevolence and what do they mean?
- God is perfect - impossible for him to do evil and is essentially good. God is the standard humans should strive for
- God desires perfection - he could do evil but chooses not to. Suggests mortality comes from an external force and not God. This makes his goodness more praiseworthy
What does creation ‘ex nihilo’ mean?
Creation out of nothing - God created everything and has authority over it
What does creation ‘ex materia’ mean?
The universe exists independently of God and God worked on pre existing matter
What does creation ‘ex deo’ mean?
Creation occurred out of the very substance of God. This means that the world and humans share Gods substance and as well grow and develop, so does God
What is revealed theology?
That God somehow reveals himself to his people , evidence in bible , links to God being immanent
What is meant by natural theology?
Study of God based on the observations of nature. William Payleys design argument links to this e.g. Looking at the structure of a birds wing can indirectly reveal something about gods nature
