What do we mean by “God”?
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Flip to reveal answersMonotheism, polytheism, pantheism?
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Question
Monotheism, polytheism, pantheism?
Answer
Monotheism = one God; polytheism = many gods; pantheism = 'God' is the whole universe.
Question
Omniscient?
Answer
All-knowing — God knows everything.
Question
Omnipotent?
Answer
All-powerful — God can do anything.
Question
Benevolent?
Answer
All-good, perfectly loving — God wants only good.
Question
What is the 'perfect being' idea?
Answer
God as the greatest possible being, lacking no perfection — the source of the classic attribute list.
Question
God as 'timeless'?
Answer
God is outside time — not stuck in a before-and-after like us, so God doesn't wait for things.
Question
Negative theology?
Answer
We can only say what God is NOT (not limited, not changing), never fully what God is.
Question
Why define God first?
Answer
'Does God exist?' can't be answered clearly until we fix WHICH God we mean.
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Full study notes for What do we mean by “God”?
Topic 5.1 hub
Nature and existence of God
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