The Eternal God: A Defense of Divine Temporality

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17162/rt.v36i2.1675

Keywords:

God, time, eternity, creation, Scripture

Abstract

Christianity affirms the existence of an eternal God. Yet what divine eternality means is a matter of dispute. Throughout the history of Christian thought, two broad views of divine eternality have been considered: timelessness and temporality. This article offers definitions of each view, and explain some of the basics on the metaphysics of time. It also offers two reasons why divine temporality is
preferable. The first is based on the teachings of Scripture, and the second is based on the incompatibility of divine timelessness and creation out of nothing.

Author Biography

R. T. Mullins, Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki

R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) has published over 30 essays on various topics in philosophical theology related to models of God, philosophy of time, personal identity, the problem of evil, disability theology, the Trinity, and the incarnation. He has published two books, The End of the Timeless God (Oxford University Press, 2016) and God and Emotion (Cambridge University Press, 2020). Mullins has held research and teaching fellowships at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Cambridge, the University of St Andrews, and the University of Edinburgh. He has now joined Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki (Finland).

Published

2021-12-29