Nature or Attributes Of God
Ancient Greek understanding of god:
● Polytheism nature
● Believed that there were multiple Gods who were in conflict with each other even in
relationships
● No quality of omnipotence
Omnipotence (all powerful)
Descartes Aquinas Swinburne Other scholars
- Considers god as the - Aquinas argues that - Swinburne Omnipotence is only a
supreme perfect God is limited by agrees with phrase to refer to God's
logic and therefore aquinas that god power
- Believes that God is he can't do anything can do anything
omnipotent and all that is logically - but not the - Anthony Kenny
powerful and that he is impossible. logically possible and Peter
capable of doing ‘’He can do He also makes Geach say that
absolutely anything even everything that is his own point by 'omnipotent' is
the logically impossible. absolutely saying that merely a
possible….everyth logical statement about
- So if god wanted to ing that does not impossibilities God's power.
create a circular square imply a are not ‘things’. Kenny says that:
he would be able to do contradiction’’ -
that. summa theologica - ‘ a knot god - "A being is
could not omnipotent if it
- God has created his - If something is untie?’’ - could has every
laws and rules and thus logically not be a thing, so power which it
he can overcome them, contradictory such god cannot make is logically
or even replace them as a square circle this possible to
according to his will. then that thing can't possess."
be made at all as it
- He believes that God is can’t even be - God has the
not limited in any way. imagined either. power to do what
it is possible for
- In Matthew 19:26 Jesus - God wouldn't go him to do -
says ‘’with man, this is against his law of omnipotence is
impossible, but with nature as it would just a statement.
god all things are mean he is It's all about God
possible’’ inconsistent with his having power,
This implies that nature not about
anything that humans whether he
cannot do god can so - He argued that God chooses to
god can do the logically is completely create the
impossible that humans omnipotent in the universe/make
cannot comprehend. sense of being in contradictions
charge of the whole etc.
- Anselm would agree with world, creating it
descartes argument as and keeping it in
anselm argues that ‘’ existence.
god is that than which
nothing greater can be - Uses omnipotence
conceived’’ paradox:
Mainly the idea that
- Descartes also says that if something is
Ancient Greek understanding of god:
● Polytheism nature
● Believed that there were multiple Gods who were in conflict with each other even in
relationships
● No quality of omnipotence
Omnipotence (all powerful)
Descartes Aquinas Swinburne Other scholars
- Considers god as the - Aquinas argues that - Swinburne Omnipotence is only a
supreme perfect God is limited by agrees with phrase to refer to God's
logic and therefore aquinas that god power
- Believes that God is he can't do anything can do anything
omnipotent and all that is logically - but not the - Anthony Kenny
powerful and that he is impossible. logically possible and Peter
capable of doing ‘’He can do He also makes Geach say that
absolutely anything even everything that is his own point by 'omnipotent' is
the logically impossible. absolutely saying that merely a
possible….everyth logical statement about
- So if god wanted to ing that does not impossibilities God's power.
create a circular square imply a are not ‘things’. Kenny says that:
he would be able to do contradiction’’ -
that. summa theologica - ‘ a knot god - "A being is
could not omnipotent if it
- God has created his - If something is untie?’’ - could has every
laws and rules and thus logically not be a thing, so power which it
he can overcome them, contradictory such god cannot make is logically
or even replace them as a square circle this possible to
according to his will. then that thing can't possess."
be made at all as it
- He believes that God is can’t even be - God has the
not limited in any way. imagined either. power to do what
it is possible for
- In Matthew 19:26 Jesus - God wouldn't go him to do -
says ‘’with man, this is against his law of omnipotence is
impossible, but with nature as it would just a statement.
god all things are mean he is It's all about God
possible’’ inconsistent with his having power,
This implies that nature not about
anything that humans whether he
cannot do god can so - He argued that God chooses to
god can do the logically is completely create the
impossible that humans omnipotent in the universe/make
cannot comprehend. sense of being in contradictions
charge of the whole etc.
- Anselm would agree with world, creating it
descartes argument as and keeping it in
anselm argues that ‘’ existence.
god is that than which
nothing greater can be - Uses omnipotence
conceived’’ paradox:
Mainly the idea that
- Descartes also says that if something is
