Download or read book The Oneness and Simplicity of God written by Barry D. Smith and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2013-11-13 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: That YHWH is numerically one is foundational to the theology of the Hebrew Bible. Christian theologians historically have affirmed that there is a more fundamental type of oneness attributable to God. God is one not merely in the sense of being the only God, but also in the sense of being simple or non-composite, having no parts of any kind. In this way, God is said to be an absolute unity. After a consideration of all the evidence, Barry D. Smith reaches the conclusion that there is no basis for ascribing simplicity to God. The simplicity doctrine is not found in Scripture and the traditional arguments used to establish it are unconvincing. In addition, the recent defenses of the simplicity doctrine prompted by Alvin Plantinga's work Does God Have a Nature? are unsuccessful. It should not be thought, however, that the rejection of divine simplicity means that by default God must be conceived as composite, not even as a perfect composite with maximally great, God-making properties. Rather, there is a third option: God should not be conceived as either simple or composite. The question of in which mode God has attributes or exemplifies properties should be set aside.

Download or read book All That Is in God written by James E. Dolezal and published by Reformation Heritage Books. This book was released on 2017-07-13 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unknown to many, increasing numbers of conservative evangelicals are denying basic tenets of classical Christian teaching about God, with departures occurring even among those of the Calvinistic persuasion. James E. Dolezal’s All That Is in God provides an exposition of the historic Christian position while engaging with these contemporary deviations. His convincing critique of the newer position he styles “theistic mutualism” is philosophically robust, systematically nuanced, and biblically based. It demonstrates the need to maintain the traditional viewpoint, particularly on divine simplicity, and spotlights the unfortunate implications for other important Christian doctrines—such as divine eternality and the Trinity—if it were to be abandoned. Arguing carefully and cogently that “all that is in God is God Himself,” the work is sure to stimulate debate on the issue in years to come.

Download or read book God without Parts written by James E. Dolezal and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2011-11-09 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The doctrine of divine simplicity has long played a crucial role in Western Christianity's understanding of God. It claimed that by denying that God is composed of parts Christians are able to account for his absolute self-sufficiency and his ultimate sufficiency as the absolute Creator of the world. If God were a composite being then something other than the Godhead itself would be required to explain or account for God. If this were the case then God would not be most absolute and would not be able to adequately know or account for himself without reference to something other than himself. This book develops these arguments by examining the implications of divine simplicity for God's existence, attributes, knowledge, and will. Along the way there is extensive interaction with older writers, such as Thomas Aquinas and the Reformed scholastics, as well as more recent philosophers and theologians. An attempt is made to answer some of the currently popular criticisms of divine simplicity and to reassert the vital importance of continuing to confess that God is without parts, even in the modern philosophical-theological milieu.

Download or read book Divine Simplicity written by Paul R. Hinlicky and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2016-07-19 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Fresh Articulation of the Unity of God This volume critiques various ways divine simplicity--which suggests God's being is identical to God's attributes--has shaped Christian theology and offers a fresh articulation of the unity of God. The author proposes that the concept of divine simplicity, carried over from the Greek metaphysical tradition, was heedlessly incorporated into the language of Christian trinitarian theology during the patristic period. He identifies numerous problems that have resulted from its retention in postpatristic Christian dogmatics, arguing that uncritical use of the concept renders the biblical God inexpressible and unknowable. This major contribution to contemporary trinitarian dogmatics also contains a unique approach to the problem of Christian-Muslim relations.

Download or read book Divine Simplicity written by Steven J. Duby and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-12-17 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Steven J. Duby examines the doctrine of divine simplicity. This discussion is centered around the three distinguishing features: grounding in biblical exegesis, use of Thomas Aquinas and the Reformed Orthodox; and the writings of modern systematic and philosophical theologians. Duby outlines the general history of the Christian doctrine of divine simplicity and discusses the methodological traits and essential contents of the dogmatic account. He substantiates the claims of the doctrine of divine simplicity by demonstrating that they are implied and required by the scriptural account of God. Duby considers how simplicity is inferred from God's singularity and aseity, as well as how it is inferred from God's immutability and infinity, and the Christian doctrine of creation. The discussion ends with the response to major objections to simplicity, namely that the doctrine does not pay heed to the plurality of the divine attributes, that it eradicates God's freedom in creating the world and acting toward us; and that it does not cohere with the personal distinctions to be made in the doctrine of the Trinity.

Download or read book The Oneness of God written by David K. Bernard and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 503 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Atonement A Guide for the Perplexed written by Adam J. Johnson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-05-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christians agree that they are saved through the death and resurrection of Christ. But how is the atonement achieved in these events? This book offers an introduction to the doctrine of the atonement focused on the unity and diversity of the work of Christ. Johnson reorients current patterns of thought concerning Christ's work by giving the reader a unifying vision of the immensely rich and diverse doctrine of the atonement, offering a sampling of its treasures, and cultivating the desire to further understand and apply these riches to everyday life. Where introductions to the atonement typically favor one aspect of the work of Christ, or work with a set number of themes, aspects or theories, this book takes the opposite approach, developing the foundation for the multi-faceted nature of Christ's work within the being of God himself. It offers a grand unifying vision of Christ's manifold work. Specific elaborations of different theories of the atonement, biblical themes, and the work of different theologians find their place within this larger rubric.

Download or read book Beloved Community written by Paul R. Hinlicky and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2015-05-01 with total page 960 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this scholarly work Paul Hinlicky transcends the impasse between dogmatic and systematic theology as he presents an original, comprehensive system of theology especially apropos to the post-Christendom North American context. Deploying an unusual Spirit-Son-Father trinitarian scheme, Hinlicky carefully develops his system of theology through expansive, wide-ranging argumentation. He engages with other theologians throughout the book and concludes each major section by discussing an alternate perspective on the subject.

Download or read book Gentle and Lowly written by Dane C. Ortlund and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2020-03-18 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christians know that God loves them, but can easily feel that he is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. As a result, they focus a lot—and rightly so—on what Jesus has done to appease God’s wrath for sin. But how does Jesus Christ actually feel about his people amid all their sins and failures? This book draws us to Matthew 11, where Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart,” longing for his people to find rest in him. The gospel flows from God’s deepest heart for his people, a heart of tender love for the sinful and suffering. These chapters take readers into the depths of Christ’s very heart for sinners, diving deep into Bible passages that speak of who Christ is and encouraging readers with the affections of Christ for his people. His longing heart for sinners comforts and sustains readers in their up-and-down lives.

Download or read book Divine Simplicity written by Jordan P. Barrett and published by Fortress Press. This book was released on 2017-12-01 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Divine Simplicity engages recent critics and address one of their major concerns: that the doctrine of divine simplicity is not a biblical teaching. By analyzing the use of Scripture by key theologians from the early church to Karl Barth, Barrett finds that divine simplicity developed in order to respond to theological errors (e.g., Eunomianism) and to avoid misreading Scripture. The volume then explains how divine simplicity can be rearticulated by following a formal analogy from the doctrine of the Trinity in which the divine attributes are identical to the divine essence but are not identical to each other.

Download or read book God and the Big Bang 1st Edition written by Daniel C. Matt and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-11-23 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mysticism and science: What do they have in common? How can one enlighten the other? By drawing on modern cosmology and ancient Kabbalah, Matt shows how science and religion can together enrich our spiritual awareness and help us recover a sense of wonder and find our place in the universe. Drawing on the insights of physics and Jewish mysticism, Daniel Matt uncovers the sense of wonder and oneness that connects us with the universe and God. He describes in understandable terms the parallels between modern cosmology and ancient Kabbalah. He shows how science and religion together can enrich our spiritual understanding. We “embody the energy” of the big bang, writes Matt. Furthermore, “God is not somewhere else, hidden from us. God is right here hidden from us.” To discover the presence of God, Matt draws on both science and theology, fact and belief, and on the truths embodied in Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, as well as Judaism. A rich dialogue between the physical and the spiritual, God & the Big Bangtakes us on a deeply personal, thoughtful and inspiring journey that helps us find our place in the universe—and the universe in ourselves.

Download or read book The Trinity written by Scott Swain and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2020-10-06 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Practical Theology for the Church Today The Trinity is one of the most essential doctrines of the Christian faith, as it reveals a magnificent truth about God—that he is one God eternally existing as three distinct persons. While Christians often struggle to find the right words to describe the union of Father, Son, and Spirit, the Bible gives clarity concerning the triune God's activity in nature (creation), grace (redemption), and glory (reward). In the second installment of the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series, theologian Scott Swain examines the Trinity, presenting its biblical foundations, systematic–theological structure, and practical relevance for the church today.

Download or read book No One Like Him written by John S. Feinberg and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2006-04-26 with total page 881 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many contemporary theologians claim that the classical picture of God painted by Augustine and Aquinas is both outmoded and unbiblical. But rather than abandoning the traditional view completely, John Feinberg seeks a reconstructed model—one that reflects the ongoing advances in human understanding of God's revelation while recognizing the unchanging nature of God and His Word. Feinberg begins by exploring the contemporary concepts of God, particularly the openness and process views, and then studies God's being, nature, and acts—all to articulate a mediating understanding of God not just as the King, but the King who cares! Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.

Download or read book Divine Simplicity and the Triune Identity written by Jonathan M. Platter and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2021-07-05 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There has been a recent revival of interest in the doctrine of divine simplicity in systematic and philosophical theology, following decades of intense reflection on the tri-personhood of the Christian God. While recent studies have produced a greater appreciation of patristic and scholastic theologies, they have not yet engaged in dialogue with proponents of the trinitarian revival that emerged in the latter half of the twentieth century in anything other than polemical terms. This book offers a theological defense of the doctrine of divine simplicity through careful reading of both exemplary historical theologians and Robert W. Jenson, an important American contributor to the trinitarian revival. After tracing continuities and discontinuities amongst select historical theologians, the book approaches Jenson with a multivalent account of divine simplicity. The result is a more nuanced interpretation of Jenson’s theology, an account of divine simplicity that responds to perceived problems, and new constructive proposals for divine simplicity in trinitarian theology.

Download or read book The Lord is One written by Steven J Duby and published by . This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After an age of original integrity, the doctrine of divine simplicity fell from grace. Once a cornerstone of orthodox Christianity's doctrine of God, many modern theologians expelled it from the garden, especially since it often employed now-passé Platonic and Aristotelian metaphysics. But was the doctrine of divine simplicity's fall deserved? Is it unreasonable to hold that God is metaphysically without parts? Is the Lord really one?Rather than dismiss the challenges leveled against divine simplicity by modernity, The Lord is One engages them. The contributors advance in the belief that modernity cannot and should not be escaped, but they do not hesitate to critique currents within it. Thus, this volume presents exegetical, historical, and theological treatments of divine simplicity. It argues the doctrine of divine simplicity is cogent and indispensable while also making space for historically marginalized or idiosyncratic articulations of it. After all, once expelled from the garden, nothing returns exactly as it was.

Download or read book The Attributes of God written by Gerald Bray and published by Crossway. This book was released on 2021-01-25 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we (created beings) know God (the Creator)? Throughout history, the church has recognized the importance of studying and understanding God's attributes. As the Creator of all things, God is unique and cannot be compared to any of his creatures, so to know him, believers turn to the pages of Scripture. In The Attributes of God, renowned theologian Gerald Bray leads us on an exploration of God's being, his essential attributes, his relational attributes, and the relevance of his attributes to our thinking, lives, and worship. As we better understand God's attributes, we will learn to delight in who God is and how he has made himself known to us in Scripture.

Download or read book Mystical Oneness and the Nine Aspects of Being written by Wayne Wirs and published by Wayne Wirs LLC. This book was released on 2016-12-01 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: