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On the Attributes of God

On the Attributes of God ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD*) BY R. PETTAZZONI The subject of the attributes of Deity was until recent times reserved for the speculations of theology and philosophy. Omni- science is attributed to God as early as Xenophanes (sixth century B.C.), in terms which are re-echoed in the Sibylline oracles and in Clement of Alexandria, and so down to Newton. Epicurus, who denied Providence, denied Divine omniscience at the same time. The doctrine of the attributes of God played a large part in mediaeval theology, both Christian and Muslim, and was copiously treated by the schoolmen in connection with the controversy over universals, with theodicy and with free will. The central problem was that of the relation between the unity and transcendence of God and the manifold variety of His attributes. To get rid of all trace of anthropomorphism, the individual attributes were resolved into so many manifestations of the idea of God itself, as an absolute Being or as infinite Love. The religious pre- supposition behind all this speculative activity was the belief in one only God, i.e., monotheism, dogmatised in accordance with the doctrine of revelation. Even when the idea of God and of the attributes of http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Numen Brill

On the Attributes of God

Numen , Volume 2 (1): 1 – Jan 1, 1955

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
© 1955 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0029-5973
eISSN
1568-5276
DOI
10.1163/156852755X00015
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

ON THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD*) BY R. PETTAZZONI The subject of the attributes of Deity was until recent times reserved for the speculations of theology and philosophy. Omni- science is attributed to God as early as Xenophanes (sixth century B.C.), in terms which are re-echoed in the Sibylline oracles and in Clement of Alexandria, and so down to Newton. Epicurus, who denied Providence, denied Divine omniscience at the same time. The doctrine of the attributes of God played a large part in mediaeval theology, both Christian and Muslim, and was copiously treated by the schoolmen in connection with the controversy over universals, with theodicy and with free will. The central problem was that of the relation between the unity and transcendence of God and the manifold variety of His attributes. To get rid of all trace of anthropomorphism, the individual attributes were resolved into so many manifestations of the idea of God itself, as an absolute Being or as infinite Love. The religious pre- supposition behind all this speculative activity was the belief in one only God, i.e., monotheism, dogmatised in accordance with the doctrine of revelation. Even when the idea of God and of the attributes of

Journal

NumenBrill

Published: Jan 1, 1955

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