Rethinking the creative power of God

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Rethinking the creative power of God
 
Creator Muis, Jan
 
Subject — Absolute power; Moltmann; Jüngel; Potentia absoluta; Potentia ordinata
Description Because the notion of ‘power’, and of ‘absolute power’ in particular, is associated with coercion, violence and oppression, it is problematic to attribute power to God. Jürgen Moltmann and Eberhard Jüngel reject a ‘theistic’, ‘metaphysical’ concept of God’s ‘absolute power’ and highlight the powerlessness of the suffering and dying God on the cross. In their view, limitation of power is also central to God’s creative power. In this article, this kenotic view on God’s creative power is examined. Firstly, the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is explored as an important and still influential source of the modern view on absolute power as dominion. Next, it is discussed whether the innovative view on divine, creative power of Sören Kierkegaard can be seen as kenotic. Because both Hobbes and Kierkegaard refer indirectly to the classical distinction between potentia absoluta and potentia ordinata, this distinction, and its rejection by Schleiermacher, is investigated. The article concludes by proposing ‘empowering power’ as a non-oppressive and non-kenotic view on God’s creative power.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2016-11-24
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hts.v72i4.3842
 
Source HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 72, No 4 (2016); 7 pages 2072-8050 0259-9422
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3842/8933 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3842/8932 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3842/8934 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3842/8748
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2016 Jan Muis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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