DOCSLIB.ORG

Mysticism, Dependency, and Oral Imagery Experience of Union With

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mysticism, Dependency, and Oral Imagery Experience of Union With Mysticism, Dependency, and Oral Imagery 123 122 Journal of the Academy of Religion and Psychical Research Vol. 3, No. 2 April, 1980 was the "oceanic" or mystical feeling. He considered this experience of union with God or the world a pathological at MYSTICISM, DEPENDENCY, AND ORAL IMAGERY tempt to recapture infantile omnipotence. Adults usually experience ego as well-differentiated from the external world; By Mary Jo Meadow "the ego-feeling we are aware of now is thus only a shrunken vestige of a far more extensive feeling - a feeling which embraced the universe and expressed an inseparable connection of the ego with the external world" (Freud, 1929/1952, p. ABSTRACT: Freud considered mystical experience a pathological, regressive 768). attempt to recapture infantile omnipotence while for yogic psychology the trust implied by the oral imagery of mystics represents the higher stages While Freud acknowledged that this "primitive" ego feeling "V of spiritual growth. Although Erich Fromm, Erik Erickson, and Jane Loev- may coexist with a more mature ego differentiation m some (I inger - other psychological theorists cited - do not specifically address adults, he saw it as a way the ego denies the threatening dan mysticism, their views toward acceptance, dependency, and trust can be re gers of the external world. "I can imagine that the oceanic lated to mystical consciousness and probably can be used to describe the feeling could become connected with religion later on. That psychological orientation of some mystics. feeling of oneness with the universe which is its ideational content sounds very like a first attempt at the consolations of religion, like another way taken by the ego of denying the t on or publication of Mystics, those persons claiming direct experience of God dangers it sees threatening it in the external world (Freud, or Ultimate Reality, typically report their ineffable exper 1929/1952, p. 770). Thus, for Freud, mystical experience is iences with noetic qualities in symbolic language. Their im a regressive phenomenon, and the oral imagery of some mystics agery often involves seeing their God as parent, child, lover, betrays its dynamics. adversary, friend, adviser - a variety of interpersonal rela tionships. The sexual imagery of mystics has been the most FROMM AND DEPENDENCY ON GOD explored. This paper focuses on dependency, deity as parent, personal use only. Citati and related oral imagery. Erich Fromm related matriarchal concepts of deity to an underlying human wish for a mother's unconditional love. rums. Nutzung nur für persönliche Zwecke. RELIGIOUS AND MYSTICAL DEPENDENCY Patriarchal deity concepts are somewhat less primitive, yet "inasmuch as God is the father, I am the child. I have not tten permission of the copyright holder. Many mystics consider themselves as children or infants emerged fully from the autistic wish for omniscience and om being succored by God as nurturing parent. Tl.is image is nipotence. ...I still claim, like a child, that there must be congruent with the Christian Bible where one is instructed to a father" (Fromm, 1956, p. 70). According to Fromm, more ma •i: pray to "our father" for one's needs. Indeed, many religions ture individuals move beyond conceptualizing deity as parent 11 prescribe an attitude of "spiritual childhood" which is com to using the God-symbol to stand for chosen values. r monly most pronounced in their mystical traditions. St. Therese of Lisieux, in The Story of a Soul, taught: "To remain Fromm cited some dangers in seeing deity as an all-powerful little...is to expect everything from God, as a little child parent. "The more perfect God becomes, the more imperfect be ip-i expects everything from his father. ...I have not wished to comes man. He projects the best he has onto God and thus im grow up, since I felt myself incapable of earning my living, poverishes himself. Now God has all love, all wisdom, all jus the eternal life of heaven." tice . ... In worshipping God he tries to get in touch with that part of himself which he has lost through projection (Fromm, Propriety of the Erich Fromm Document Center. For Eigentum des Erich Fromm Dokumentationszent Rechteinhabers. des Erlaubnis der schriftlichen – bedürfen von Teilen – auch Veröffentlichungen material prohibited without express wri express without prohibited material Some medieval mystics reflect a strong oral imagery. In 1950, pp. 48-49). This leads the individual to expect little her Showings, Julian of Norwich referred to "the breasts of of self and fail to accomplish for oneself what one might. Christ" by which one is nurtured. Using similar imagery, Thus Fromm saw dependency on deity as childish behavior, al Teresa of Avila, in Conceptions of the Love of God, spoke of most as negatively as Freud did. being sustained by the divine milk" with whicfTTier God contin ually nourished her; she developed an idea of God as "great ERIKSON AND~BASIC TRUST mother" and herself as daughter. In Oeuvres (I, Chapter 8), Magdalen of Pazzi also uses oral imagery: "By the breast of Erik Erikson sees the more positive aspects of trust and Thy divinity, Thou dost give to the soul a milk so sweet and acceptance in the oral imagery of mystics. Discussing psycho- smooth that when it has tasted these delights it acts like a sexual developmental stages (Erikson, 1963), he says that in child who cries at being weaned." adulthood one ideally fully develops a basic trust which ori ginated in infancy. This task, which requires a high level FREUD AND INFANTILE OMNIPOTENCE of personal integration, involves ripening two kinds of trust: in the powers of the universe and in one's own striving and Freud dismissed mystical imagery as regressive in response meaningfulness. For Erikson, the infant's basic trust is the to the suggestion that the ultimate source of all religiousness Meadow, M. J., 1980: Mysticism, dependency and oral imagery, In: The Journal of Religion and Psychical Research, Chico Vol. 3 (April 1980), pp. 122-126. 124 Journal of the Academy of Religion and Psychical Research Mysticism, Dependency, and Oral Imagery 125 seedbed upon which the institution of religion is founded. .,tn;,i tasks As in Loevinger's model, persons may be The full development of this trust in the highly matured Crated along the growth continuum by the behaviors they mani person produces a vision very similar to that attained by the fest! Etchlevel of development will be terminal for some world's great mystics. Both the mystic and the integrated individuals. individual fully accept limitations of self and the universe, do not fear death, and have an accepting trust in goodness and meaningfulness. LOEVINGER AND EGO DEVELOPMENT In Jane Loevinger's (1966; 1976) ego development model we find another suggestion that the "orality" of mystics need not necessarily be regressive. Loevinger posits that devel opment occurs in an orderly sequence of stages with each suc cessive stage laying the groundwork for following stages. Since each stage is a potential fixation point in adults, each S it af 1976) Thus yoga holds it more difficult to re i& may be used to describe different "types" of persons. The ceive than to give At thischakra one becomes aware o when on or publication of model posits in ego development four main streams of growth: onesurrenderbecomesandwhatreceptivityone is willingare •W^rig^^iSg^8^.to swallow. nysr.ics, uiu impulse control, interpersonal style, conscious preoccupa 2S to swallow what their God pours out ^-"hlv Xarced tions, and cognitive style. Although only some aspects of Surrendered trust for which this chakra - a highly advancea IIP' interpersonal style are important for our consideration here, one - ds Beyond this chakra Ue those which represent a ,,0 '• mystics commonly show congruent growth in the other areas. fully realized union with the divine -a state, of course, The earlier stages - impulsive and self-protective - por which mystics claim to have attained. personal use only. Citati tray unacknowledged dependency; people are used as sources of supply or are manipulated. The succeeding conformist and self- SUMMARY rums. Nutzung nur für persönliche Zwecke. aware levels of development are socially dependent stances, but also without acknowledged awareness. Conscientious types Freud clearly saw mysticism as representing gross regres tten permission of the copyright holder. stress personal responsibility and self-management. However, sion while an opposite opinion is expressed in yogic psychol- at the next - individualistic - level, recognition of many oev here mystical orality and the trust it implies represent complex issues concerning dependency surface. The individual istic person sees distinctions among various types of depen dency and has an increasing toleration of personal limitations. Finally, persons at the autonomous stage acknowledge and have attitudes ?owarI dependency and trust which can be applied to deep respect for emotional interdependence; they highly value mystical mentality. In these systems, »e.£" S^/fJsttw emotional ties and accept their bonds. While respecting the 'i: autonomy of self and others, one here is concerned with self- understanding and self-fulfillment in the social context. In proolbfyd««erlb.d the tmderlyins psychological stance or at the highest - integrated - stage, one has fully accepted per least some myscics. sonal limitations and renounced the unattainable. Although Propriety of the Erich Fromm Document Center. For Eigentum des Erich Fromm Dokumentationszent Rechteinhabers. des Erlaubnis der schriftlichen – bedürfen von Teilen – auch Veröffentlichungen material prohibited without express wri express without prohibited material Loevinger does not specifically discuss religious issues, this model depicts recognition and acknowledgement of dependency as integral to personal growth. One could so interpret the_ REFERENCES oral symbolism mystics use to describe their relationship with Erikson, E. H. Childhood and Society.. New York: Norton, 1963. their God or Absolute Reality. Freud, S. Civilization and its Discontents. In HutchinsR.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Omnipotence As a Perfection of God
    Yulia Gorbatova OMNIPOTENCE AS A PERFECTION OF GOD BASIC RESEARCH PROGRAM WORKING PAPERS SERIES: HUMANITIES WP BRP 09/HUM/2012 This Working Paper is an output of a research project implemented at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE). Any opinions or claims contained in this Working Paper do not necessarily reflect the views of HSE. SERIES: HUMANITIES Yulia V. Gorbatova1 2 OMNIPOTENCE AS A PERFECTION OF GOD This article deals with the concept of omnipotence, which is very important for contemporary analytic philosophy of religion. Within the analytic tradition it is usual to show an apparent tension between God’s omnipotence and other divine attributes. In response, some authors have proposed their own ideas on how the classical problems of omnipotence can be solved in terms of possible worlds theory. In this paper we consider the approaches developed by Geach, Adams and Plantinga. While admitting that each of them has made a significant contribution to the refinement of the concept of omnipotence, we point out a number of important challenges that these authors were not able to overcome. JEL Classification: Z Keywords: God, omnipotence, Adams worlds, possible worlds, semantics, Leibniz, Plantinga. 1 National Research University Higher School of Economics. Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Ontology, Logics and Theory of Knowledge: Senior Lecturer; E-mail: [email protected] 2 This study comprises research findings from the “Logical and Ontological Foundations of Modern Analytic Theology”, research grant No 11-01-0172, carried out within The National Research University Higher School of Economics’ Academic Fund Program in 2012/2013. A number of analytic philosophers (including Plantinga) believe that the exclusive nature of God is determined by His specific attributes of omnipotence, omnibenevolence and omniscience.
    [Show full text]
  • ABSTRACT on Science and Atheism: Whether Atheistic Belief Is
    ABSTRACT On Science and Atheism: Whether Atheistic Belief is Scientifically Motivated Charles L. Jester Director: Gerald Cleaver, Ph.D. The intent of this paper is to explore the motivation behind the rejection of theistic religious faiths by modern atheist scientists, and whether it is justified to claim that this rejection is scientifically motivated. First, a brief background of the development of the contemporary schism between faith and science is given, noting in particular changes in belief amongst the scientific community. Next, an exposition on the motivations for scientists’ convictions concerning God is laid out, followed by an address to the question of whether atheistic scientists reject all properties of God, or only certain of them. Based on analyses of personal statements, statistical data on beliefs, and developments in twentieth-century physics and mathematics, it is concluded that modern scientists who reject theism are not overwhelmingly motivated by science, and that they in fact do not reject all ideas of God. APPROVED BY DIRECTOR OF HONORS THESIS: _____________________________________________________ Dr. Gerald B. Cleaver, Department of Physics APPROVED BY THE HONORS PROGRAM: _____________________________________________________ Dr. Andrew Wisely, Director DATE: ___________________________ ON SCIENCE AND ATHEISM: WHETHER ATHEISTIC BELIEF IS SCIENTIFICALLY MOTIVATED A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Honors Program By Charles L. Jester Waco, Texas
    [Show full text]
  • Omnibenevolence, Omnipotence, and Evil
    Omnibenevolence, omnipotence, and evil Last time, we discussed Anselm’s conception of God as that being which has every property that it is better to have than not to have; and from this, we argued that God must have, at least, three properties. omniscient omnipotent omnibenevolent Last time we focused on problems which result from omnipotence alone; today we’ll focus on problems which result from the combination of omnipotence with omnibenevolence. (Later in the course we’ll return to problems involving omniscience.) One of the oldest, and most important, arguments against the existence of God tries to show that the idea that God is all-powerful and all-good contradicts a very obvious fact about the world: the fact that it contains evil. The reading for today is a powerful version of that argument, which is due to the Australian 20th century philosopher John Mackie. What we need to understand, first, is why Mackie thinks that these three claims are contradictory. The three claims are: God is omnipotent. God is wholly good. Some evil exists. Now, it is certainly not obvious that these three claims are contradictory. Mackie thinks that we can show them to be contradictory with the help of two further premises: If something is wholly good, it always eliminates as much evil as it can. If something is omnipotent, it can do anything. God is omnipotent. If something is wholly good, it always eliminates as much evil as it can. God is wholly good. If something is omnipotent, it can do anything. Some evil exists. Now our question is: why does Mackie think that these five claims are contradictory? To answer this, we can begin by thinking about the claims that God is omnipotent and that God is wholly good.
    [Show full text]
  • Divine Omnipotence in Descartes' Philosophy
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 6-2014 Divine Omnipotence In Descartes' Philosophy Alfredo Rodriguez Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/274 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] DIVINE OMNIPOTENCE IN DESCARTES’ PHILOSOPHY BY ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ A master's thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New York 2014 © 2014 Alfredo Rodriguez All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in satisfaction of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. Professor Douglas Lackey Date Thesis Adviser Professor Matthew K. Gold Date Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract Divine Omnipotence in Descartes’ Philosophy by Alfredo Rodriguez Adviser: Professor Douglas Lackey The present thesis explores various aspects of Rene Descartes’ doctrine of divine omnipotence within the context of his overall philosophy and with reference to his medieval heritage. This thesis shows that, contrary to his multiple and explicit statements that God’s power cannot be limited in any way, Descartes took a more nuanced position on divine omnipotence that incorporated aspects of the widely accepted medieval position that God’s goodness is a constraint on his power.
    [Show full text]
  • Healing Theologies in Christian Science and Secret Revelation of John: a Critical Conversation in Practical Theology
    HEALING THEOLOGIES IN CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND SECRET REVELATION OF JOHN: A CRITICAL CONVERSATION IN PRACTICAL THEOLOGY by SHIRLEY THOMAS PAULSON A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGION School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham June 2017 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Dedicated to my mother, in appreciation for her instilling in me an unwavering love for God and for humanity and generations to come ABSTRACT This thesis asks what might be revealed from a Practical Theology conversation between historical texts and contemporary Christian Science experience about healing theologies and practices. Certain enduring theological ideas (God’s goodness and omnipotence, the deceptiveness and impotence of evil, and a correlation between healing and salvation) explain these Christian healing practices. I investigate such ideas and practices using a Practical Theology methodology that accommodates an epistemological contrast and enables meaningful analysis of the ideas. This ‘critical conversation’ between the Secret Revelation of John, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and myself as an autoethnographic ‘text,’ draws out comparisons and contrasting ideas of Christian healing.
    [Show full text]
  • Is New Testament Theology Still Having an Identity Crisis? a Review of Five Recent Contributions
    religions Review Is New Testament Theology Still Having an Identity Crisis? A Review of Five Recent Contributions Joshua Strahan Bible Department, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN 37204, USA; [email protected] Abstract: This article reviews five recent contributions to the field of New Testament theology. More accurately, three NT theologies will be examined alongside two biblical theologies, given that some regard NT theology as inherently deficient apart from OT theology. These five works are notable not only for their diversity of methodology but also their diversity of cultural perspective—one book by a Finn (Timo Eskola’s A Narrative Theology of the New Testament), one by two Germans (Reinhard Feldmeier’s and Hermann Spieckermann’s God of the Living: A Biblical Theology), one by a Canadian (Thomas R. Hatina’s New Testament Theology and its Quest for Relevance: Ancient Texts and Modern Readers), one by an American (Craig L. Blomberg’s A New Testament Theology), and one by a native Briton (John Goldingay’s Biblical Theology). Along the way, this review article will consider how these works navigate the tricky and contested terrain of NT (or biblical) theology, particularly vis-à-vis matters of history, canon, synthesis and diversity, and contemporary relevance. Keywords: biblical theology; theological interpretation; historical criticism; narrative theology; history of religions; canon; dialectical Citation: Strahan, Joshua. 2021. Is 1. Introduction New Testament Theology Still Having an Identity Crisis? A Review The aim of the present article is to review recent contributions to the field of New of Five Recent Contributions. Testament theology (NTT). For an excellent introduction to the history of NTT from its Religions 12: 636.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pantheism of Goethe in Its Relation to That of Spinoza
    University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations 1918 The pantheism of Goethe in its relation to that of Spinoza Hans Naether State University of Iowa Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd This work has been identified with a Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0. Material in the public domain. No restrictions on use. This thesis is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/4084 Recommended Citation Naether, Hans. "The pantheism of Goethe in its relation to that of Spinoza." MA (Master of Arts) thesis, State University of Iowa, 1918. https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.xi8mcgqv Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd THE PANTHEISM OF GOETHE IN ITS RELATION TO THAT OF SPINOZA. A THESIS submitted to The Faculty of the Graduate College of the State University of Iowa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS by Hans Naether. State University of Iowa 1918. TABLE Of CONTENTS. Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION. 1-8. Chapter 2. MARKED INFLUENCES IN THE 'DEVELOPMENT OF GOETHE ’s THOUGHT. 4-13. Chapter 8. WHAT IS PANTHEISM? 14-16. ! Chapter 4. THE PANTHEISM OF GO^TBE.c"' 19-25. Chapter 5. DID SFIN07A TEACH AN IMMANENT GOD? 26-29. Chapter 6. THE RELATION OE GOETHE. TO SPIN02A . 80-47. Chapter 7. GOETHE’S C M CONCEPTION OE GOD. 46-55. Chapter 8. GCETHE.'S PHILO POPE'S IN FAUST. 46-72. Chapter S. GOETHE’S 'APPROACH TO THEISM. 73—j—96. 1. THE PANTHEISM OE GOETHE IN ITS RELATION TO THAT 0? SPINOZA.
    [Show full text]
  • Magnitude of God: Omnipotence and Righteousness, Psalm 139, Book 2
    Biola University Digital Commons @ Biola Biola Radio Publications Biola Radio Magnitude of God: Omnipotence and Righteousness, Psalm 139, Book 2 Al Sanders Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/biola-radio-pubs Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Sanders, Al, "Magnitude of God: Omnipotence and Righteousness, Psalm 139, Book 2" (1982). Biola Radio Publications. 17. https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/biola-radio-pubs/17 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Biola Radio at Digital Commons @ Biola. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biola Radio Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Biola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE----- MAGNITUDE OF GOD OMNIPOTENCE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS Psalm 139, Book II STUDIES IN PSALMS BY AL SANDERS THE----­ MAGNITUDE OF GOD OMNIPOTENCE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS STUDIES IN PSALMS BY AL SANDERS Published in 1982 by Bio la University as a ministry of the Biola Hour 13800 Biola A venue La Mirada, California 90639 As we continue our studies in Psalm 139, we find the magnitude of God awesomely displayed throughout this Psalm. As you remember from Book I in this series, this Psalm divides neatly into four sections with six verses in each. These four stanzas correspond to four of God's attributes. The first six verses speak of God's omniscience, that is, that He is all­ knowing and that nothing can escape His eye. The next series of six verses, 7-12, answers the question "Where can a person hide from God?" These verses answer by clearly displaying God's omnipresence; He is everywhere present at the same time.
    [Show full text]
  • “The Belief in the Existence of an Omniscient, Omnipotent and Benevolent God Is Inconsistent with the Existence of Human Suffering.” Discuss
    “The belief in the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent and benevolent God is inconsistent with the existence of human suffering.” Discuss. “Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?” (Hume, 1907) Normally incorrectly attributed to the eponymous Ancient Greek philosopher, this incorrect accreditation does not render the so-called ‘Riddle of Epicurus’ less contentious. This is indeed a cruel paradox. Assuming that the view of God traditionally held by the Abrahamic religions is correct, he is the Creator of everything and has the following attributes: - Omniscience; defined as “the property of having complete or maximal knowledge”. (Wierenga, 2017) This would mean that if x is true, God would know it to be true, and if x was false, God would know it to be false. In addition, if x was falsely claimed to be true, God would not incorrectly believe x to be true. God’s omniscience would make him aware of all things at all times, and to know how they have been and how they will be, without Him having to think of something specifically to know all there is to know about it. - Omnipotence, which is “maximal power” (Hoffman & Rosencrantz, 2017). This has three possible variants. (Rosen, n.d.) The first of these is God’s power allowing Him to bring about anything, including the logically impossible. The second is that He can do anything which is logically possible. The third is that He can do anything which doesn’t violate the laws of nature or physics.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 3 Divine Transcendence: a Religio-Historical Portrayal
    CHAPTER 3 DIVINE TRANSCENDENCE: A RELIGIO-HISTORICAL PORTRAYAL 3.1 INTRODUCTION One expression of the relationship between God and the world is his transcendence. Transcendence in Christianity means that, “God is separate from and independent of nature and humanity. God is not simply attached to, or involved in, his creation. He is also superior to it in several significant ways” (Erickson 1985:312). However, Isaiah 57:15 indicates the paradox of transcendence, “For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Jeremiah 23:23 reads, “Am I only a God nearby, declares the LORD, and not a God far away?” These verses couple a statement of the transcendence of God with another expression of the relationship of God with his creation, namely his immanence. In contrast with transcendence, God’s immanence indicates, “God condescends to enter into personal fellowship and live with those who have repented of their sins and trusted His son for their salvation” (Enns 1989:637). Within this transcendent-immanent nature of God, the people of the Old Testament entered into a covenantal relationship with God (Ex 6:4; 24:7; 34:27). The term “transcendence” in Arabic is tanzih. It is defined as the elimination of blemishes or of anthropomorphic traits, which is the assertion of God’s incomparability with the creation 59 (Glasse 2001:450).
    [Show full text]
  • Divine Simplicity As a Necessary Condition for Affirming Creation Ex Nihilo
    Abilene Christian University Digital Commons @ ACU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Electronic Theses and Dissertations 8-2019 Divine Simplicity as a Necessary Condition for Affirming eationCr Ex Nihilo Chance Juliano [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd Part of the Metaphysics Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Juliano, Chance, "Divine Simplicity as a Necessary Condition for Affirming eationCr Ex Nihilo" (2019). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 160. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ ACU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ ACU. ABSTRACT Proponents of the Doctrine of Divine Simplicity (DDS) have frequently argued that God must lack any temporal, physical, or metaphysical composition on the grounds that God’s existence would be dependent upon God’s parts. This avenue of discourse has been tried and trod so often that most detractors of DDS find it insufficient to demonstrate DDS. Additionally, objectors to DDS have often rejected the doctrine on the count of the heap of metaphysical (often Aristotelian or Neoplatonist) assumptions that one must make before one can even arrive at DDS. Within this essay I will offer an argument for DDS that is advanced on the grounds of neither (1) arguing that a composite God’s existence would be dependent upon its parts and must be rejected, nor (2) made with a host of controversial metaphysical assumptions.
    [Show full text]
  • Pike for Posting
    Nelson Pike’s Contribution to the Philosophy of Religion* Garrett Pendergraft §1 Introduction In what follows, I have attempted to capture the essence of Nelson Pike’s contribution to the philosophy of religion. It was a daunting task, but also an enjoyable and fruitful one—in large part due to the exemplary rigor and clarity that characterized Pike’s writings. As I hope to demonstrate below, I have found his work to be a rich (and under-appreciated) source of insight. I have divided the topics that Pike wrote about into three general categories: omniscience, omnipotence, and mysticism. I will consider each one in turn, focusing on the main claims and lines of argument. Pike’s writing was persistently technical (but never gratuitously so), and much of its philosophical value is in the technical details. Space unfortunately does not permit me to delve into these details, but I have tried to summarize them in an intuitive way. §2 Omniscience Pike is perhaps best known for his work on the attribute of omniscience, and in particular on the question of whether human freedom is compatible with divine foreknowledge. He developed a forceful argument for the incompatibilist conclusion in his “Divine Omniscience and Voluntary Action” (1965), and has continued to refine that argument over the years. Although I won’t recount every twist and turn that the dialectic has taken since the publication of that seminal paper, I will highlight some of the more significant moves that have been made. Divine omniscience and voluntary action Inspired by Boethius’ writings on divine omniscience, Pike sets out in his (1965) to show how certain traditional assumptions of Christian theism, if true, imply that no human action is ever voluntary.
    [Show full text]