Divine eternity

Abstract:: I argue that Open Theism leads to a retreat from ascribing to God 'complete omniscience'. Having surrendered this ground, the Open Theist cannot but retreat from ascribing to God complete omnipotence; the Open Theist must admit that God might perform actions which He reasonably expected would meet certain descriptions but which nevertheless do not do so. This then makes whatever goodness (in the sense of beneficence, not just benevolence) God has a matter of luck. Open Theism is committed to a partially ignorant God, one who is subject to the vagaries of luck for the efficacy of at least some of His actions and for His goodness.

Publisher:: Springer
Journal:: International Journal for Philosophy of Religion More from this journal
Volume:: 64
Issue:: 1
Pages:: 35-50
Publication date:: 2008-08-01
Edition:: Author's Original
DOI:: 10.1007/s11153-008-9162-0
EISSN:: 1572-8684
ISSN:: 0020-7047

Language:: English
Keywords:: omnipotence

necessary goodness

omniscience

moral luck

Open Theism
Subjects:: Theology and Religion
UUID:: uuid:2f72d7d3-9730-415a-a3ec-2247cadac67a
Local pid:: ora:2559
Deposit date:: 2009-01-23

Copyright holder:: Springer Science + Business Media B V
Notes:: Citation: Mawson, T. J. (2008). 'Divine eternity', International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 64(1), 35-50. [Available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/0020-7047].

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