64,895 research outputs found
Divine simplicity : a dogmatic account
No full textThis thesis offers a constructive account of the doctrine of divine simplicity in Christian theology. In its methodology, the thesis aims to present this divine perfection as an implicate of the scriptural portrayal of God, to draw upon the insights and conceptual resources of Thomas Aquinas and various Reformed orthodox theologians, and to respond to some objections to divine simplicity. The focus on exegetical elaboration of biblical teaching and the use of Thomas and the Reformed orthodox distinguish this work from a number of recent accounts of God in both systematic theology and analytic philosophy. The case for God’s simplicity is made by examining God’s singularity, aseity, immutability, infinity, and act of creation in Holy Scripture and then tracing the ways in which these descriptions of God imply that he is (negatively) not composed of parts. Rather, he is (positively) actus purus and really identical with his own essence, existence, and attributes, each of which is identical with the whole being of the triune God considered under some aspect. In light of the constructive work, this study then addresses the three most pressing objections to divine simplicity: (1) that it denigrates God’s revelation of his many attributes in the economy; (2) that it eliminates God’s freedom in creating the world and acting in history; and (3) that it does not cohere with the doctrine of the Trinity
EVOLUTIONARY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVES ON DIVINE ACTION
No full textIntroduction / Robert John Russell -- Message to the Vatican Observatory Conference on Evolutionary and Molecular Biology / Pope John Paul II -- Message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences / Pope John Paul II -- Evolution and the human person: the Pope in dialogue / George J. Coyne -- Pt. I. Scientific background - - The evolution of life: an overview / Francisco J. Ayala -- The hominid evolutionary journey: a summary / Camilo J. Cela-Conde - - The phenomenon of the eukaryotic cell / Julian Chela-Flores -- Pt. II. Evolution and devine action -- Darwin's devolution: design without designer / Francisco J. Ayala -- Evaluating the teleological argument for divine action / Wesley J. Wildman -- Teleology without teleology: purpose through emergent complexity / Paul Davies -- The immanent directionality of the evolutionary process, and its relationship to teleology / William R. Stoeger -- Special providence and genetic mutation: a new defense of theistic evolution / Robert John Russell -- Neo-Darwinism, self- organization, and divine action in evolution / Charles Birch -- Pt. III. Religious interpretations of biological themes -- The thinking underlying the new 'scientific' world-views / George F.R. Ellis - - Darwin's revolution in the origin of species: a heimeneutical study of the movement from natural theology to natural selection / Anne M. Clifford -- Evolutionary naturalism and religion / Willem B. Drees -- Biocultural evolution: a clue to the meaning of nature / Philip Hefner -- Biological evolution-a positive theological appraisal / Arthur Peacocke -- Original sin and saving grace in evolutionary context / Denis Edwards -- Darwin's gift to theology / John F. Haught -- Five models of God and evolution / Ian G. Barbour -- Pt. IV. Biology, ethics, and the problem of evil -- Beyond biological evolution: mind, morals, and culture / Camilo J. Cela-Conde and Gisele Marty -- Supervenience and the nonreducibility of ethics to biology / Nancey Murphy -- Playing God with our evolutionary future / Ted Peters -- Evolution, divine action, and the problem of evil / Thomas F. Tracy -- Contributors - - Name index -- Subject inde
In search of a timeless God
No full textIn contemporary discussions it is often assumed that God cannot be timeless
if presentism is true, but that God can be timeless if four-dimensional eternalism is
true. I argue that the Christian God cannot be timeless on either ontology of time.
Contemporary atemporalists have not fully grasped the details of eternalism, nor
fleshed out the implications of eternalism for understanding the Christian doctrines of
creation, conservation, and incarnation. Once the details are developed, it can be
shown that eternalism is not compatible with divine timelessness. Instead, the
Christian God would be temporal as understood on eternalism. In order to
demonstrate this, I shall do the following in this thesis. In chapter 1 I shall lay out the
relevant desiderata and methods for assessing the doctrine of divine timelessness.
Chapter 2 will give an up-to-date discussion of the philosophy of time, and lay out the
theories that are needed to understand the doctrine of divine timelessness. Chapter 3
will articulate the traditional doctrine of divine timelessness and develop its
systematic connections to the doctrines of divine immutability and simplicity. Chapter
4 shall argue that the classical Christian theologians were committed to presentism. It
shall also argue that their commitment to presentism conflicts with their commitment
to divine timelessness and omniscience. In chapter 5 I shall argue that classical
Christian theology cannot reconcile divine timelessness with their doctrines of
creation and conservation. In chapter 6, it will be shown how four-dimensional
eternalism can help Christian theology solve some of these problems for divine
timelessness. However, it will also be argued that four-dimensional eternalism
conflicts with Christian theology, and that four-dimensional eternalism is not
compatible with divine timelessness. Chapter 7 offers a thorough examination of the
doctrine of the incarnation. It is argued that divine timelessness is not compatible with the incarnation
God, time and eternity: philosophical foundations for a defence of divine timelessness
No full textThe past two decades have seen an almost exponential growth in publications on the topic of divine eternity and the general area of 'God and time'. Increasing appeal is made to arguments and resources which ranges widely through contemporary science and the philosophy of time, whilst retaining commitments to traditional historical and philosophical theology. This thesis aims to make a methodological contribution to the debate that will be of use to partisans of all views of divine temporality and atemporality, as well as to isolate more specific philosophical foundations which, it is urged, would be required for a defence of divine timelessness. In arguing for the plausibility of these foundations, a case is made for the desirability of such a defence. This thesis argues for a methodology of constraints in which the key features are, first, that the theology of divine eternity can be affected by logical constraints introduced by arguments from Outside' as well as 'inside' itself, and, second, that such a structure is reliant upon the integration of a corresponding understanding (provided by the work of Katherine Hawley) of how science might support metaphysical claims and how alleged support might be challenged. The resulting structure is offered as a general philosophical foundation for debates in the field of 'God and time’. This thesis also argues that the most vital factor in the structure is the ontological status of the present. The denial that the present should be metaphysically favoured is explored, as a general philosophical foundation for a defence of divine timelessness, through topics in language and ontology, science, and epistemology. Results from this analysis are incorporated into the overall structure advocated by the thesis, together with considerations both of their effect on the debate, and of candidates for philosophical foundations from 'inside' theology which fit within the wider methodology of constraints on the theology of divine eternity
Letter from J. R. Eakin to Arthur G. Ringland
No full textLetter (copy) from J. R. Eakin to Arthur C. Ringland about the alignment of 40 acres near the Buggeln ranch
Letter from Arno B. Cammerer to J. R. Eakin
No full textLetter from Arno B. Cammerer to J. R. Eakin describing the procedure for purchasing Bright Angel Trail
Letter from J. R. Eakin to Carl Hayden
No full textLetter from J. R. Eakin to Carl T. Hayden concerning access to Rowe Well and the canyon
Letter from J. R. Eakin to Stephen Mather
No full textLetter from J. R. Eakin to Stephen T. Mather about expenses and reconstruction of the Kaibab Trail
Letter from Carl Hayden to J. R. Eakin
No full textLetter from Carl T. Hayden to J. R. Eakin regarding changes to the Grand Canyon National Park boundaries and the purchase of lands from William Randolph Hearst
God's shining forth : a trinitarian theology of divine light
No full textThis thesis seeks an orderly set of theological reflections on the declaration that “God is light” (1 Jn. 1:5). Such talk of divine light, this study argues, must begin with the doctrine of God, namely, with God’s light in se and his “shining forth” ad extra towards creatures in the darkness of sin and death. This work therefore follows a precise pathway in expounding this theme. Chapter 1 offers a brief survey of the historical and scriptural uses of the concept of light in order to fix its linguistic and conceptual boundaries. Chapter 2 seeks to reflect upon God’s light as the light of his own radiant triune identity, as well as offering a preliminary examination of God’s economic, covenantal shining forth to creatures. Chapter 3 gives a much more detailed rehearsal of this act of shining forth by an account of God’s light as manifest in the economy of his works with which he lovingly elects, reconciles, and illuminates creatures. Chapter 4 proposes that with the treatment of God’s shining forth there belongs a treatment of the light of the church called out of darkness, gathered into the “marvelous light” of God, and set to proclaiming the “excellencies” of God. Chapter 5 concludes this study by examining what bearing the reality of God’s shining forth as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit might have on the work and call of theology as an activity of the “illumined mind.
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