Tag Archives: classical theism

Dionysian Ponderings: Beyond the Beyond … and then Beyond

Posted on 3 June 2018 by

“Dionysius adopts the doctrine of God as ‘nameless,’ ‘unknowable,’ and ‘beyond being’ from the Neoplatonic tradition established by Plotinus,” writes Eric Perl, “and his thought can be understood only in that context” (Theophany, p. 13). We will need to revisit … Continue reading →

Posted in Dionysius the Areopagite | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Thomas Aquinas, Eleonore Stump, and the Maverick Philosopher: Is God “a” being among beings?

Posted on 20 March 2018 by

Is God a being among beings? It seems like the kind of question that only a fussy scholastic might worry about. Christians typically speak of God as if he were a being. We tell stories about him. We proclaim his … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Eternal God and a World That Need Not Be

Posted on 6 June 2016 by

As I write this article, I am sitting on my deck with my two Collies, Tiriel and Fëanor. They are keeping vigilant watch. The clouds are gathering. The thunder is getting closer. With each peal they scramble around the deck, … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Divine Simplicity as Negative Theology

Posted on 16 May 2016 by

“From first to last,” writes philosopher Brian Davies, “the doctrine of divine simplicity is a piece of negative or apophatic theology and not a purported description of God” (“Classical Theism and the Doctrine of Divine Simplicity,” in Language, Meaning and … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Revisiting God and Odin: Classical Theism versus Theistic Personalism

Posted on 16 April 2016 by

When I wrote my “God is Not Odin …” it quickly became one of Eclectic Orthodoxy’s most frequently viewed articles, and I’m delighted that the reblog has also generated interest, presumably among those who missed it the first go-around. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Theology | Tagged , , | 17 Comments

If God is Being, does prayer make sense?

Posted on 25 May 2015 by

In a recent article, Roger Olson contrasts his own “biblical” understanding of God as a personal being, albeit “the greatest of all beings, transcendently surpassing in greatness and glory all creatures,” with the traditional understanding of God as Being itself, infinite, … Continue reading →

Posted in McCabe & Turner | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Divine Simplicity Sure Ain’t Simple

Posted on 22 December 2013 by

One line in particular jumped out at me while reading David Bentley Hart’s The Experience of God two weeks ago: “It seems obvious to me that a denial of divine simplicity is tantamount to atheism” (p. 128). Oh no. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophical Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments