Summary
Summary Philosophy - Nature Or Attributes Of God - OnmiBenelovence
- Institution
- OCR
Nature Or Attributes Of God - OnmiBenelovence
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
PhilosophyNature Or Attributes Of God - Omnibenevolent
Omibenvolence
the term means well-wishing / all loving
There are a number of Bible verses that highlight God's benevolent nature.
‘For God so loved the world he gave his only son’ (John 3:16).
“He is good; his love endures forever” (Psalms 139).
Problem of Omnibenovlonce
Omnibenevolence often conflicts with certain definitions of omnipotence and
omniscience. For example, if God is all-powerful, he cannot be
omnibenevolent, since he doesn't stop suffering. If God is all-knowing and
all-powerful, he cannot be omnibenevolent, since suffering hasn't been
stopped. Furthermore, the inconsistent triad highlights the issue between the
following three facts:
Evil exists
God is omnipotent
God is omnibenevolent
, Scholars have wrestled with the idea of God's benevolence for centuries.
Anslam argues that God’s goodness lies in himself – it is part of God being
‘that than which nothing greater can be conceived’.
The first Vatican council reaffirmed this belief when they said that God is
‘every perfection’. God’s love doesn’t have a cause – that is, he doesn’t love
us because of any specific thing we do – it is just part of his nature to love.
God’s love is expressed through judgement and forgiveness – punishment
for sin is because of his love for his creation.
Swinburne claims in ‘the coherence of theism’ compares God’s love to
that of a parent God’s goodness may at times involve rewarding and
punishing his creation. In the same way as a parent would with their children.
In the New Testament, God’s love is shown through Christ. Without Christ,
there is no salvation or redemption. This also refers to agape - love through
actions, not just a feeling (John 3:16).
Weakness - Hume would argue that eternal punishment in hell for finite acts
on earth is not good or loving. One of the aims of punishment is reformation.
This can’t be achieved in eternal hell!
Counter Arg - Hell is a part of the totality of evil. Therefore, it is not
something that undermines God’s goodness. Remember, according to
Augustine’s theodicy, Adam and Eve brought sin and suffering into the world,
not God. John Calvin would argue that because humans are corrupt by
nature, no one is worthy of being saved. As such, the ‘limited election’ of
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller GuyFawks. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
76799 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now
