1 Preface
Originally published article on 2019/06/14 and revised for an entry on academia.edu, 2023/12/30. The original website version was very short, so I also republished the new version on Blogger, 2023/12/30.
From
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
Saturday, September 19, 2020: PhD Full Version PDF: Theodicy and Practical Theology 2010, Wales TSD
The unlimited and unfixed. Blackburn (1996: 193). God is considered infinite and his creation finite and therefore limited.
---
2 The Unfixed: December 30, 2023
The unlimited and unfixed. Blackburn (1996: 193). God is considered infinite and his creation finite and therefore limited.
---
2 The Unfixed: December 30, 2023
In the Blackburn text within his entry, infinity, it defines infinity as 'The unlimited which goes beyond any fixed bound.' (193). Theologically and philosophically, I view God as unfixed, but this unfixed nature (ontological nature) would exist within logic. God is not by nature, illogical and contradictory. For example, God could not stop being God, or make another equal, infinite, eternal God.
Referencing my PhD and website work:
Referencing my PhD and website work:
John Frame explains that God cannot perform logically contradictory actions, Frame (2002: 518). Erickson (1994: 277). Shedd (1874-1890)(1980: 359-360 Volume 1). God cannot make a square circle, Frame (2002: 518). Thiessen (1956: 126). God cannot commit that which is immoral and sinful, Frame (2002: 518). Thiessen (1956: 126). Weber (1955)(1981: 440). Interestingly, God cannot commit actions ‘appropriate only to finite creatures.’ Frame (2002: 520).
God cannot logically have finite attributes. All of God's attributes and nature are infinite. In the incarnation, God the Son takes a finite human nature, as Jesus Christ, while remaining the eternal, infinite God. But the infinite and finite natures do not mix. God the Son, as infinite, within the Trinity, did (does) take a finite, human nature in the incarnation. Correctly, and classically, the natures do not mix. Jesus Christ is both finite man and infinite God. There is an aspect of mystery in the incarnation, but the Triune nature of God which is infinite and eternal is not altered by Christ taking on additional finite human nature. According to the Pocket Dictionary, the hypostatic union is the theological term which describes the bringing together of the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ is one person. (62). God the Son, Jesus Christ, being both fully human and fully divine. (62). Hypostasis (ὑπόστασις) from the Greek in this context, is the essential nature and essence of a person/entity.
Jesus Christ remains fully, infinitely, divine and fully, finitely, human, forever as the King that will one day return to fully culminate the Kingdom of God:
Acts 1: 9-11
New American Standard Bible: NASB
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, 11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
3 Symbolic Logic
LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.
Langer: Key symbols
≡df = Equivalence by definition
: = Equal (s)
ε = Epsilon and means is
⊃ = Is the same as
⊨ is Entails
˜ = Not
∃ = There exists
∃! = There exists
∴ = Therefore
. = Therefore
< = Is included
v = a logical inclusive disjunction (disjunction is the relationship between two distinct alternatives)
x = variable
. = Conjunction meaning And
0 = Null class
cls = Class
int = Interpretation
My philosophical example based on reviewing the Langer text: The infinite class (God) is simply infinite, nothing can be multiplied or added to that class. The finite class is simply finite, nothing can be multiplied or added to that class.
i = infinite
f = finite
i ˜ ⊃ f
The infinite is not the same as the finite.
i ˜ ⊨ f
The infinite does not entail the finite.
And I add:
i . ˜ f
The infinite is therefore, not the finite.
i : ˜ f
The infinite equals not, the finite.
(∃! i) + (∃! f) ˜ :
There exists the infinite, plus there exists the finite, they are not equal.
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (2003) What Does God Know and When Does He Know It?, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
FRAME, JOHN M. (1999) ‘The Bible on the Problem of Evil: Insights from Romans 3:1-8,21-26; 5:1-5; 8:28-39’, IIIM Magazine Online, Volume 1, Number 33, October 11 to October 17, Fern Park, Florida, Third Millennium.
FRAME, JOHN M. (2002) The Doctrine of God, P and R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 1, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI and CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.
PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.
PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.
SHEDD, WILLIAM G.T. (1874-1890)(1980) Dogmatic Theology, Volume 2, Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers.
THIESSEN, HENRY C. (1956) Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
WEBER, OTTO (1955)(1981) Foundations of Dogmatics, Volumes 1 and 2, Translated and annotated by Darrell L. Guder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
