Definitions of God

Definitions of God

1. Simple

   • God is God
     • He cannot be broken down or put into parts
     • Anselm says: "That than which nothing greater can be conceived"
       • God must exist in reality
     • God's existence and nature are the same thing
   • Immaterial
     • God is not made of material or characteristics
     • God cannot change - He is perfect
     • Aquinas' necessary being
       • A being separate from time and space
   • Immutable
     • God is perfect and therefore is unchangeable
     • Anything that changes is part of the changing world - God is distinct from the changing world
     • Something unchanging can logically be the cause of the created world that changes

2. Omniscient

   • All - knowing
   • God is aware of all that people do with complete knowledge of the universe and how it came into existence
   • Limited
     • Gods knowledge is limited to what is logically true
     • He chooses to limit himself to allow us free will
     • Everlasting
   • Unlimited
     • God it outside of time
     • Has knowledge from beginning to end
     • Eternal God

3. Omnipotent

   • All - powerful
   • Logically Possible
     • God's power is infinite(without limit)
     • God is perfect He does what is logically possible as a perfect being
       • Cannot sin
       • Cannot act physically
   • Logically impossible
     • God can change the fundamental laws of physics
       • Miracle worker
       • A games designer can change the rules of their game
     • Rene Descartes: "For nothing is impossible for God

4. Omnibenevolent

   • All - loving
   • God is perfect
     • As a perfect being it is impossible for God to do evil
     • He is the standard all human beings should strive for
   • God has desire for perfection
     • God is omnipotent and so has the ability to do evil but chooses to be omnibenevolent to fulfill His role as the ultimate perfect being

5. Creator

   • Ex - deo
     • God created the universe out of His very substance
     • Process theism: the universe can be conceived as God's 'body'
       • When God suffers we suffer, when we grow God grows
   • Ex - materia
     • God was created out of pre - exisitng material
     • Aristotle: no efficient cause to God and the universe - they have always been there
       • God imposed order and form upon it
   • Ex - nihilo
     • God was created from nothing
     • Is His own agent
     • God as origin of everything explains God's absolute mastery over everything

6. Transcendent and Immanent

   • Transcendent
     • To exist 'above' or 'seprate' from
     • God is 'above' - beyond all experience and understanding (unknown and unknowable), He is on a higher level
     • God is timeless and unchangeable - He cannot be with beings that changing in time
   • Immanent
     • Exists within, with us, within the universe
     • God works within human affairs
       • Miracle worker
     • Links with creation ex - deo: God is physically existing with us

7. Eternal - timeless & everlasting

   • Timeless/Eternal- Boethius
     • Defines God as changeless
       • Separate from time
         • All time is presented 'simultaneously' to God
         • 'one glance'
     • God does not need to learn anything new - He is simple/perfect
   • Timeless - Aquinas
     • God exists without beginning or end (unendingly)
     • Outside of time
       • Because time is made up of beginnings and endings
     • God is: uncaused, unmoved and necessary
       • Humans are caused, moved and contingent
   • Everlasting - Swinburne
     • God always exists and will exist without end
     • Reactive and Responsive
       • Everlasting God fits more satisfactorily with God revealed in The Bible
       • Joshua In Battle
       • The Parting of The Red Sea
     • Exists within time but without end