OMNIPOTENCE

What is the topic about?

What people fundamentally mean when they use the word “God”

What does omnipotence mean?

All powerful

What is the debate surrounding Gods omnipotence?

What it means to say that God can “do anything”

Which Theologian believes that God can do the logically impossible?

Descartes

Which theologians believe that God cannot do the logically impossible?

Thomas Aquinas

Augustine

Can God create a square circle according to Aquinas?

NO- this is an absurd question as a square circle would make no sense- a “square circle” is contradictory and meaningless

Why does Descartes argue that God can do the logically impossible and create a “square circle” ?

God’s existence is prior to the laws of logic and therefore God is not bound by those laws

Why can Aquinas’ more narrow definition be critiqued ?

• Can God ride a bicycle?

• God is not conceived as being flesh and blood so it is difficult to conceive how God would have the ability to ride a bike

• Does Gods non material nature limit his power?

• There is physically impossible not just logically impossible

Why is the belief that God wouldn’t be able to ride a bike an issue?

Riding a bike is logically possible- Gods immaterial nature therefore clearly limits his power

how should Gods omnipotence be understood according to St. Augustine?

God can do whatever he chooses to.

God has the power to do evil acts however he wouldn’t because he has good will.

What type of limitations is God subject to according to Augustine?

Self imposed limitation - certain things are contrary to his nature and therefore wouldn’t do them.

What is the difference between limitations for humans and God according to Augstine?

Humans- we are aware of our limitations and boundaries that prevent us from being omnipotent

God- God is omnipotent and knows no such frustration/boundaries- He does anything he wills and therefore feels no lack of power.

What is the paradox of omnipotence?

The argument that there are some things that even an omnipotent being cannot do

If God used his omnipotence to make a stone that no one could lift including himself then h wouldn’t be omnipotent as he couldn’t lift the stone or he couldn’t make the stone which also makes him not omnipotent.

On a deeper level, what does the paradox of omnipotence raise questions on?

Whether an omnipotent God could alter the past.

Who’s argument undermines the paradox of omnipotence and why?

Augustine- God wouldn’t want to lift an unliftable stone or create one.

What does Anthony Kenny argue?

For divine omnipotence to be coherent it must be something less than the complete omnipotence which is the possession if all logically possible powers

What is a semantic approach?

Understanding the word “omnipotence” in a scriptural way where by we do not mean “omnipotent” in a scientific way as we are limited by our finite human mind but in awe,prayer and worship as a way to express his greatness.