Catholicism and the Problem of God

The Element provides an overview of the Catholic conception of God and philosophical problems that arose during its historical development. It considers tensions among different Catholic spiritualities and problems with analogical language about God and human desire.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Element provides an overview of the Catholic conception of God and the philosophical problems that have arisen during its historical development. After summarizing key Catholic doctrines, the first section examines the challenges that emerged due to Catholicism's reliance on both Jewish and Greek conceptions of God. The second section explores the controversies surrounding God as Trinitarian and incarnate, which emerged during early church councils and were further developed during the Middle Ages. The third section delves into issues related to God's actions towards creatures, including creation, providence, predestination, and the nature of divine action itself. Finally, the last section explores the challenges of relating to God, including the tensions among different Catholic spiritualities and the complexities of analogical language used to describe God and human desire for God.

Key Catholic Doctrines:
Catholicism holds several key doctrines about God, including the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Virgin Birth. The Trinity is the belief in one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Incarnation is the belief that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human, born of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Birth is the belief that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit without the involvement of a human father.

Problems Arising from Catholicism's Dualistic Conception of God:
One of the challenges that arose during the historical development of Catholicism was the dualistic conception of God. This conception sees God as both transcendent and immanent, with the transcendent aspect referring to God's infinite and unknowable nature and the immanent aspect referring to God's presence in the world. While this conception can be helpful in understanding God's relationship to the world, it can also lead to difficulties in reconciling God's transcendence with God's immanence.

Controversies Surrounding God as Trinitarian and Incarnate:
Another challenge that emerged during the early church councils was the controversy surrounding God as Trinitarian and incarnate. This controversy revolves around the belief that God is three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. While this belief is central to Catholicism, it has been the subject of debate and controversy throughout history. Some argue that the Trinity is a logical contradiction, while others argue that it is a mystery that cannot be fully understood.

Problems Regarding God's Actions Towards Creatures:
In addition to the challenges related to God's nature and the Trinity, there are also problems regarding God's actions towards creatures. These problems include creation, providence, predestination, and the nature of divine action itself. Creation is the belief that God created the world out of nothing. Providence is the belief that God is actively involved in the world and guides human events. Predestination is the belief that God has predetermined the fate of all individuals before they were born. The nature of divine action itself is a complex issue that has been debated for centuries. Some argue that God is a purely rational being who acts based on logical principles, while others argue that God is a loving and compassionate being who acts out of love.

Challenges of Relating to God:
Finally, there are challenges of relating to God that arise from the tensions among different Catholic spiritualities and the complexities of analogical language used to describe God and human desire for God. These challenges include the question of how to balance the need for personal experience of God with the need for theological understanding and the question of how to relate to God in a world that is often characterized by suffering and injustice.

In conclusion, The Element provides an overview of the Catholic conception of God and the philosophical problems that have arisen during its historical development. While Catholicism holds several key doctrines about God, there have been challenges and controversies related to God's nature, the Trinity, the Incarnation, and God's actions towards creatures. These challenges have led to tensions among different Catholic spiritualities and have raised questions about how to relate to God in a world that is often characterized by suffering and injustice. By exploring these issues, The Element offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion of Catholic theology and philosophy.

Weight: 126g
Dimension: 150 x 228 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009290678