Is it traditional in the Christian religion for God to be both all-good and all-powerful?

Question

I am having an argument with a friend about this, and while I know that it is traditional in the Christian religion for God to be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent (hence the problem of evil), I need trustworthy resources to show my friend that he is incorrect in stating that Christians do not traditionally believe this doctrine.

I am having an argument with a friend about this, and while I know that it is traditional in the Christian religion for God to be both omnipotent and omnibenevolent (hence the problem of evil), I need trustworthy resources to show my friend that he is incorrect in stating that Christians do not traditionally believe this doctrine.

To Timaeus: Actually, St. Augustine's solution to the problem of evil was that evil is nothing but a "privation" (that is, a lack of) the good. St. Augustine did believe that God was not contingent on anything for his existence, but that was NOT his whole conception of omnipotence -- indeed, that's not much of a conception of omnipotence at all. Augustine believed, much like many other theologians, that God could do anything logically possible. That is the only circumscription of God's power for Augustine, and he makes a persuasive argument that being confined by logical possibility is not much of a circumscription at all.

Also, I am asking for online resources.

Also to Timaeus:

It doesn't make much sense for Augustine to worry about the problem of evil, as he did and as he proposed a solution to, if his idea of omnipotence is as circumscribed as you put it. (The problem of evil doesn't even arise if God is only necessary (not depending on anything else for his existence) and not all-powerful)

Answer 1

The confusion often sets in in terms of understanding what is meant by God's omnipotence. Classical Christian theology (Augustine and Aquinas) understand this catagory to indicate that God requires nothing to be who God is-- God is not contigent upon any other reality for his existence. It does not mean (for Augustine and Aquinas) that God can do whatever God wants. That God is not dependent on any other reality for his existence is one of the qualities of God's being that distinquishes the nature of God and the nature of a creature. Further, both Augustine and Aqunias recognize that it is propoer to say the God is limited by his nature, meaning, that God cannot act contrary to his nature.

William of Occam and Duns Scotus disagreed precisely on this point, and in an effort to counter what they perceived as a threat to God's sovereignty, proposed an understanding of God that is called voluntarism. In this understanding, God's nature and will are not co-terminus, and God can act contrary to his nature. Omnipotence is understood by a voluntarist as meaning that God can do whatever God wants.

It was actually the crisis provoked by a voluntarist conception of God that set the foundations for much of the atheism of modernity.

Consider reading Susan Neiman's book "Evil in Modern Thought." for a fuller consideration of these and related issues.

Answer 2

Christians tend to stress the omnibenevolent aspects.
Jewish tradition (& muslim) stressed the omnipotent.
But we do believe that GOD is the ultimate judge.
For Christians, He will come again in the form of Jesus;
to take with Him to Heaven, those He has redeemed.

Answer 3

supposedly nothing is outside of god's realm, so he controls everything. Even hell and sheol. Through recent translations they have tryed to get away from god controlling hell. Good is relevant, so by his definition he could be.

Answer 4

He's wrong, you need a new friend

Answer 5

Yes,He is.