The Nature of God: An Inquiry Into Divine Attributes

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Cornell University Press, 1989 - Philosophy - 238 pages

The Nature of God explores a perennial problem in the philosophy of religion. Drawing upon developments in philosophy, most notably those in philosophical logic, Edward R. Wierenga examines the traditional divine attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, eternity, timelessness, immutability, and goodness. His philosophically defensible formulations of the nature of God are in accord with the views of classical theists. The author provides an account of each of the divine attributes by stating in contemporary terms what such classical theists as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas wrote about the nature of God; he then seeks to determine whether one can defend the ascription of traditional divine attributes to God against philosophical objections.Clearly written and comprehensive, The Nature of God contains a wealth of illuminating and original material on a central topic in the philosophy of religion

 

Contents

Introduction
1
Omnipotence
12
Omniscience
36
3
46
Foreknowledge Free Will and the Necessity of the Past
59
Foreknowledge and Free Will
65
The Assumption Restated
71
Omniscience Free Will and Middle Knowledge
116
Goodness and Omnipotence
204
Goodness and Freedom
207
Impeccability and Praiseworthiness
211
The Source of Moral Obligation I God and Morality
213
The Divine Command Theory
215
Divine Commands and Divine Will
217
Some Objections
219
s Utilitarianism and the Divine Command Theory
232

Eternity Timelessness and Immutability
166
Some Objections
183
S An Alternative Account of Omniscience
186
Divine Action and Immutability
191
Divine Goodness and Impeccability I Perfectly Good
202
Conclusion
235
202
237
Index
238
Copyright

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About the author (1989)

Edward Wierenga is Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester.

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