Critically assess the traditional Christian concept of God being eternal
Nyree Hands-Heart
Critically asses the traditional Christian concept of God being eternal
The classic understanding of God being eternal is that the word eternal refers to God existing outside of time and God having no beginning or end, however time does pass for God. This view of God as eternal or a temporal also includes the notion that God has knowledge of everything that has happened, is currently happening and will happen in the future within our world, simultaneously.
Christian’s since the time of Boethius have had this view of God being eternal. Both Aquinas and Anselm have suggested that God exists outside of time, Aquinas believed that God is eternal because nothing can contain God (Proslogion 19). Aquinas believed that God is eternal because, time and change are inseparable; since God cannot change, so God cannot be in time.
The six main reasons why Christian’s believe God is eternal are: The bible suggests that God has always existed; God is not a physical being like us; God is the creator of the universe, time passing is a feature of the universe and as God is the creator of the universe then he is therefore outside of time; God is also the ultimate cause of everything that happens; God is perfect and perfect things don’t change; Finally God exists necessarily.