Tag: Maximally Great Being
A Maximally Great Fight!
Question: Dr. Stratton, In your book Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism, you discuss perfect being theology. With that in mind, I have a question that seems impossible to answer: Is it possible for more than one maximally great being to exist? – Dan Tim’s Response: I enjoy dwelling upon perfect being theology and … Continue reading A Maximally Great Fight!
Maximal Greatness & Middle Knowledge
Why think that Mere Molinism is true? If this view corresponds to reality, then two other propositions must also be true: (i) Logically prior to God’s decision to create the world, God knew everything that would happen in any possible scenario He could create (entails God’s middle knowledge). (ii) As beings created in God’s image, humans, like God, possess the categorical … Continue reading Maximal Greatness & Middle Knowledge
Determinism vs Freedom: Systematic Theology or Theological Idolatry?
Question Why is free will so important to so many people? Why idolize something that God would not be in control of? In fact, this libertarian freedom you always speak of is impossible, no one has it, not even God because He must always act according to His nature! All is determined! Seems to me … Continue reading Determinism vs Freedom: Systematic Theology or Theological Idolatry?
God’s Origin Story
In my last article, I compared superhero origin stories to the beginning of the universe. Every superhero needs an origin story, and so does the universe. We need a reason why it exists. I argued the best explanation is a God who caused the universe to come into existence. But doesn’t that just push the … Continue reading God’s Origin Story
God’s Love & the Euthyphro Dilemma
Question Dear Tim, In your article The Omnibenevolence of God you pointed out that on the Islamic view, Allah is quite similar to some Calvinistic views of God. Regarding this view, you said: “God is not all-loving, and whatever Allah does is simply called “good,” even if it is really hateful.” I agree with you, but … Continue reading God’s Love & the Euthyphro Dilemma
A Choice Apart From Time
Question Dear Tim, I recently ran across a blog post by an atheist who is a physics major with a philosophy minor. In response to the Kalam Cosmological Argument, he contends that God could not have created the universe. His argument proceeds as follows: 1. The word “choice” must imply a progression from a state of multiple … Continue reading A Choice Apart From Time
The Ontologi-Kalam-alogical Argument
Is it logically possible that God exists? That is to say, is the concept of God logically incoherent or not? God is defined as “something which nothing greater can be conceived.” Or rather, in more idiomatic English: “God is the greatest conceivable being.” With this definition in mind, is there anything logically incoherent about the concept of … Continue reading The Ontologi-Kalam-alogical Argument
Lex Luthor’s Lousy Logic
“If God is all-powerful He cannot be good, if God is good He cannot be all-powerful!” – Lex Luthor in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice Why does Lex think such a thing? He reaches this conclusion based on all the evil and suffering in the world (especially the suffering he experienced as a child). Lex … Continue reading Lex Luthor’s Lousy Logic
Justified True Belief: (the EFCA Statement of Faith)
Free-Thinking Ministries is committed to getting our theology right. As a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) for nearly a decade and I think the EFCA has a pretty good statement of faith. If I had my druthers I would tweak a couple of these statements (especially the ninth statement on eschatology); … Continue reading Justified True Belief: (the EFCA Statement of Faith)
Compatibilistic Free Will: Can you have your cake & eat it too?
I have spent the majority of my academic career contemplating free will. For over a decade I held the view of theological determinism and labeled myself as a “Calvinist.” For years I rejected the notion that humans were free to think or act in a libertarian sense. I found it interesting that when I began to … Continue reading Compatibilistic Free Will: Can you have your cake & eat it too?