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The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and...
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The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Theologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 June 2024) | Viewed by 5117

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. John C. Peckham

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Theology and Christian Philosophy, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI 49104, USA
Interests: systematic theology; philosophical theology; doctrine of God; problem of evil; theological method

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce an upcoming issue of Religions that will focus on the concept of God: the intersection of classical theism and relational theism. This topic is garnering increasing attention in contemporary systematic and philosophical theology.

Recent decades have seen a significant increase in discussion of the doctrine of God, with considerable discussion of classical theism, open theism, process theism, and alternatives to such conceptions. This Special Issue takes up prominent questions regarding the nature and attributes of God, with focus on models of God that are at the intersection between classical and relational theism. Such models are both classical (in affirming the Creator–creature distinction) and relational (in affirming that God is genuinely related to the world), while distinct from (strict) classical theism as well as process (and similar) views.

This Issue focuses particularly on concepts of God that are sometimes referred to as neo-classical theism or moderate classical theism. Such concepts of God align with classical concepts in that they affirm some core tenets of classical theism (divine perfection, necessity, aseity, self-sufficiency, unity, eternity, immutability, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence). Yet, such conceptions are relational in that they affirm God is genuinely related to the world and they depart from one or more attributes of (strict) classical theism such as divine timelessness, strict simplicity, strict immutability, and/or strict impassibility.

Articles in this issue might consist of constructive proposals or discussion and analysis of existing proposals that focus on any aspect(s) of the nature and attributes of God, the God–world relationship, or discussions of the Trinity doctrine that relate to current debates at the intersection of classical theism and relational theism. Both original research articles and review articles along these lines would be welcome.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editor ([email protected]) or to Religions editorial office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

Prof. Dr. John C. Peckham
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • doctrine of God
  • God–world relationship
  • classical theism
  • relational theism
  • neo-classical theism
  • attributes of God
  • nature of God
  • creator–creature distinction
  • theology proper
  • Christianity

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Hermeneutical Systematic Dimensions of the Debate on God as Timeless and/or Temporal
by Adriani Milli Rodrigues
Religions 2024, 15(8), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15080888 - 24 Jul 2024
Viewed by 249
Abstract
While the debate on God’s eternity as timeless and/or temporal is a fascinating topic in itself, especially in philosophical theology, the discussion of time and temporality has a hermeneutical systematic potential for the articulation of Christian theology. In this article, I explore the [...] Read more.
While the debate on God’s eternity as timeless and/or temporal is a fascinating topic in itself, especially in philosophical theology, the discussion of time and temporality has a hermeneutical systematic potential for the articulation of Christian theology. In this article, I explore the hermeneutical systematic dimensions of time and timelessness for Christian theology in Augustine’s Confessions (Book XI) in dialogue with contemporary articulations of divine timelessness and temporality, as delineated by Allan Padgett and William Craig. The study identifies how timelessness and temporality are hermeneutically and systematically shaped and serve as presuppositions for related concepts in anthropological and cosmological approaches that inform different views about the relationship of God with His creatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism)
18 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Divine Simplicity, Divine Relations, and the Problem of Robust Persons
by Ronnie Campbell
Religions 2024, 15(7), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070874 - 21 Jul 2024
Viewed by 382
Abstract
In this paper, I aim to defend a robust concept of “person” as it relates to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. I begin by situating the debate in the current context between Social Trinitarianism (ST) and Latin Trinitarianism (LT) and then zero [...] Read more.
In this paper, I aim to defend a robust concept of “person” as it relates to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. I begin by situating the debate in the current context between Social Trinitarianism (ST) and Latin Trinitarianism (LT) and then zero in on Thomas Aquinas’s view of the divine Persons as subsistent relations. I will argue that such an understanding of divine Persons has two significant difficulties. First, Aquinas’s view of a strong doctrine of divine simplicity is susceptible to modal collapse. For on such a view, there are no real distinctions within God; such distinctions are conceptually only. If there are no real distinctions within God, then how can we make sense of the eternal relations within God? Second, I question whether a relation can be equated with a Person. After all, relations do not know things, perform actions, or love in the way Scripture portrays the divine Persons. I will then offer a constructive and more robust view of the divine Person—one that aligns with the control of Scripture. In doing so, I consider two objections, one centering on whether defenders of ST fall into tri-theism and the other on whether divine Persons can indeed work together. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism)
13 pages, 204 KiB  
Article
Does Providence Entail Divine Temporality? Maybe
by R. T. Mullins
Religions 2024, 15(6), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15060702 - 6 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1118
Abstract
Within contemporary Christian philosophical theology, there are three broad theories of providence being debated. These are theological determinism, Molinism, and open theism. Of course, there are nuances amongst proponents of each theory, but the nuances are not terribly important for my purposes in [...] Read more.
Within contemporary Christian philosophical theology, there are three broad theories of providence being debated. These are theological determinism, Molinism, and open theism. Of course, there are nuances amongst proponents of each theory, but the nuances are not terribly important for my purposes in this essay. I will argue that the basic conceptual machinery of each theory seems to entail divine temporality. Since open theists are already committed to divine temporality, there is nothing for me to argue there. Things get interesting when I consider theological determinism and Molinism. There are proponents of each view who already affirm divine temporality, but there are also proponents of each view who affirm divine timelessness. What I will argue is that theological determinism and Molinism are incompatible with divine timelessness. In order to make my case, I will start by defining some terms. Then, I will offer some arguments related to acting for a reason, divine freedom, and so-called logical moments in the life of a timeless God. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism)
19 pages, 564 KiB  
Article
God and Space
by William Lane Craig
Religions 2024, 15(3), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15030276 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1163
Abstract
This paper inquires into the nature of God’s relationship to space. It explores two different views, one that God transcends space or exists aspatially and the other that God exists throughout space and so is spatially extended. It seeks to adjudicate the debate [...] Read more.
This paper inquires into the nature of God’s relationship to space. It explores two different views, one that God transcends space or exists aspatially and the other that God exists throughout space and so is spatially extended. It seeks to adjudicate the debate between these competing perspectives by weighing the principal arguments for and against each view. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism)
12 pages, 214 KiB  
Article
The Eternal Relations of Origin, Causality, and Implications for Models of God
by Andrew Hollingsworth
Religions 2024, 15(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010035 - 25 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1513
Abstract
The classical doctrine of the eternal relations or origin (ERO) claims that these relations are (1) atemporal and (2) causal. In this paper, I investigate the casual nature of the ERO, highlighting that the patristic and medieval Christian thinkers who developed this doctrine [...] Read more.
The classical doctrine of the eternal relations or origin (ERO) claims that these relations are (1) atemporal and (2) causal. In this paper, I investigate the casual nature of the ERO, highlighting that the patristic and medieval Christian thinkers who developed this doctrine understood causality in terms of Aristotle’s efficient causality, highlighting that these are casual acts that produce an effect. I then provide an analysis of some of the major theories of efficient causation on offer in contemporary metaphysics to see which theory best comports with how the ancient and medieval Christian thinkers understood the efficient–causal aspect of the ERO, concluding that a powers theory of causation seems to work best. I conclude by discussing the implications the classical doctrine of the ERO has for models of God, arguing that they are compatible only with classical theism and neoclassical theism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Concept of God: The Intersection of Classical Theism and Relational Theism)
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