OT divine simplicity
I have not read anything on this topic of divine simplicity and only a little on God's attributes listed below in my bibliography. One of my close friends told me she believed God exists in parts with no distinct components and no unique attributes. I was taught that God's characteristics and essence are one and the same. This is the subject of divine simplicity and I know I might be getting into a philosophy and metaphysics study but I want only a biblical theological study. I would like to research it more. Which credible sources are available in Logos on the subject?
Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology London: Banner of Truth, 1949.
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Morey, Robert A.. Explore Attributes of God. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2001.
Deffinbaugh, Robert L. Let Me See Thy Glory: A Study of the Attributes of God. Biblical Studies Press, 2002.
Hall, Francis Joseph. The Being and Attributes of God. United States: Longmans, Green, and Company, 1909.
Rose Publishing. Attributes of God. United States: Rose Publishing, Incorporated, 2014.
Pink, Arthur W.. The Attributes of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1975.
Feser, Edward. Five proofs for the existence of God. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2017.
Comments
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Have you tried looking at the resources suggested in the Theology Guide?
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Divine simplicity is a philosophical deduction from Christian beliefs about the nature of God. You're not really going to find it directly taught in Scripture.
Check Factbook/the Theology Guide (if you have it) to direct you to entries on it in systematic theologies you have.
Beyond this, I suggest studying the Eastern understanding of God's essence and his uncreated energies.
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Christian Alexander said:
I know I might be getting into a philosophy and metaphysics study but I want only a biblical theological study.
Sorry, but you are asking for a distinction I refuse to make although I won't go into the reasons.
The first book I read on the subject, one I highly recommend:
Sean said:Beyond this, I suggest studying the Eastern understanding of God's essence and his uncreated energies.
I had already decided to suggest Gregory Palamas - everything available - when I saw I'd been beaten to it. Other names that come to mind are
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
- John Scotus Eriugena
- Meister Eckhart
- Nicholas of Cusa
- Thomas Aquinas - questions 3-6 of Summa Theologica
You'll notice that the list is heavy on mystics and apophatic philosophy to the point, I would recommend reading Bernard McGinn's multivolume The Presence of God series - not in Logos despite being absolutely foundational to the history of Christianity. It is not all directly relevant but it provided the necessary context for reading the authors above and will give you a seemingly endless bibliography of additional works to read on the topic.
- The Foundations of Mysticism: Origins to the Fifth Century (The Presence of God: A History of Western Christian Mysticism, Vol. 1): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824514044: Amazon.com: Books
- The Growth of Mysticism: Gregory the Great Through the 12 Century (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824516284: Amazon.com: Books
- The Flowering of Mysticism: Men and Women in the New Mysticism: 1200-1350 (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824517434: Amazon.com: Books
- The Harvest of Mysticism in Medieval Germany (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824523459: Amazon.com: Books
- The Varieties of Vernacular Mysticism: 1350–1550 (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824543921: Amazon.com: Books
- Mysticism in the Golden Age of Spain (1500-1650): 1500-1650 (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824501723: Amazon.com: Books
- The Persistence of Mysticism in Catholic Europe: France, Italy, and Germany 1500-1675 (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824589004: Amazon.com: Books
- Mysticism in the Reformation (1500-1650): 1500-1650 (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824501716: Amazon.com: Books
- The Crisis of Mysticism: Quietism in Seventeenth-Century Spain, Italy, and France (The Presence of God): McGinn, Bernard: 9780824504670: Amazon.com: Books
- watch for additional volumes
Studies on the topic available in Logos from the Protestant perspective:
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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MJ. Smith said:Sean said:
Beyond this, I suggest studying the Eastern understanding of God's essence and his uncreated energies.
I had already decided to suggest Gregory Palamas - everything available - when I saw I'd been beaten to it.
As a protestant theologian, some of the most fruitful study I have had has been dialogue with Eastern sources. It's opened unexpectedly rewarding new lines of thought.
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Sean said:
As a protestant theologian, some of the most fruitful study I have had has been dialogue with Eastern sources.
If you haven't read Maloney's work that I mentioned first, you might want to read it - as it treats Palamas from an Eastern Rite Catholic perspective.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
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MJ. Smith said:Sean said:
As a protestant theologian, some of the most fruitful study I have had has been dialogue with Eastern sources.
If you haven't read Maloney's work that I mentioned first, you might want to read it - as it treats Palamas from an Eastern Rite Catholic perspective.
I think you recommended this work to me earlier when I asked a question about it. It looks really good, but unfortunately it's not easily available where I am located. Can hope for an ebook version some day...
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Maloney's work is good. I am reading it now. I never thought to be in dialogue with Eastern sources. That is a nice addition to my study. Thanks for the suggestions. I will read Palamas nest.
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