Arguments for God as Eternal

Aquinas believed that God is eternal because

1) The Bible describes God as the creator of the universe. He must exist outside of space and time if he created it. This makes him transcendent

2) God is also timeless (atemporal) because he is immutable - doesn’t change. God is perfect, so He cannot change.

Being timeless and immutable are connected because if God existed within time, He would gain new knowledge as He moved through time. This would mean that his knowledge could be added to, which contradicts his perfection & omniscience.

3) All of time is simultaneously present to God, as he’s outside time

Objections:

• The Bible describes God interacting with his creation, which an eternal God cannot do

  • The Bible describes God intervening, by performing miracles, which an atemporal God cannot do

• God the Creator must change since at one time He knew there was no Universe, and at another, He knew there was. God the Creator changes so isn’t immutable and exists within time.

• An everlasting God is personal, responding to his creation and suffering alongside them.

  • An ever