What is Divine Simplicity and Why Does It Matter? | Dr. Steve Duby

[@arthurs1315]

God bless you Dr. Steve. Your video is brilliant. It is inspirational in my spiritual life, and is informatively helpful for my university life.

[@Mutazili]

Mu'tazila theologians had a similar concept of God. Al-Hudhayl argued that God is not different from his attributes, that is, his attributes are Himself; they are identical. Thus God knows things by a science which is his essence, or creates objects by a power which is identical to his essence. In fact, the attributes all carry the same ontological meaning. There is no difference, according to Abu al-Hudhayl, between attributes of action, such as will or creation, and attributes of essence, such as life.

[@kellyblakeborough3371]

But does not love cover all the attributes and hence Jesus left us love to cover the law. Not disregarding any other attributes but love would cover all things

[@MrBears25]

If we view God as making decisions having patterns of thought than he does have parts.

[@godisgreat9749]

Why is that? Can you elaborate? The mind does those things but it is one without parts or van be seen that ways

[@eternalpower123]

Can you advise the best book to read on this subject.

[@SimonWartanian]

His own book _Divine Simplicity: A Dogmatic Account_ is an excellent work, a bit technical though. If you want an easier version then check James Dolezal, _All that is in God_ .

[@travissharon1536]

Dr. John Gifford does some work critiquing this belief that has roots in Greek pagan philosophy.

[@travissharon1536]

I think this description of divine simplicity sounds great. However, heresy like Calvinism, and the superstitious Greek "Unknown god" are products of divine simplicity. God has emotions, God thinks, a simplistic divine being doesn't do those things, and the Bible clearly, CLEARY states that God does think and feel. Divine simplicity puts God into a box, and is scary close to gnostisism.

[@jaredanderson9842]

What you are describing and ascribing to divine simplicity is not divine simplicity. Read Aquinas/ watch a intro class or something- do not base it on a short video like this

[@MBarberfan4life]

Nope. Try again

[@matt_h_27]

You lost the argument at “heresy like Calvinism”. Then you proceeded to strawman divine simplicity into something that it doesn’t teach, like the typical anti-Calvinist.

[@travissharon1536]

@matt_h_27 I've learned a bunch since this comment, and the unknown God part of my comment was incorrect, I think. I'll do some refreshes on divine simplicity, but could you tell me how exactly I strawmanned divine simplicity? As far as Calvinism being heresy, I have to stand by it. Calvinism is controversial and has a direct impact on some fundamentals of the faith. Everyone follows some heresy. I didn't call it damnable.

[@matt_h_27]

@@travissharon1536 Being controversial doesn’t make something heretical. And I guarantee I can make a stronger biblical case for the 5 points of Calvinism than you can for any other soteriological view. I’d be happy to discourse with you on that offline anytime, but it’s dishonest to just label things we seemingly disagree with as heresy. And I say seemingly because what most people disagree with about Calvinism is not even confessional Calvinism. Its strawmen developed with the sole purpose of slandering Calvinism. People like Leighton Flowers have made a KZbin career slandering and misrepresenting the doctrines. As for divine simplicity, it appears Jared called you out on it too shortly after your post. Divine simplicity (in its basic sense) doesn’t put God in a box. It simply removes potential for contradiction in the character, nature and work of God. If God’s properties are misaligned then God may have to betray one element of ahis character to uphold another. That’s nonsense. God’s character is consistent and never changing. He cannot be both Himself and not Himself at the same time. That’s all divine simplicity means.

[@magoog10]

The father is not the son. That’s a distinction. Refuted

[@MBarberfan4life]

Not an argument. Cry harder

[@d.j.p.g.b.9662]

Both are god

[@randywise5241]

Divine simplicity It is not a Christian dotrin. It came from Greek philosophy and was taught by a Muslim. However is right. Not good for defending the faith though. "God is God". is not an argument for God.

[@MBarberfan4life]

Not an argument.

[@Mutazili]

For my part I think it's Islamic, through the Mu'tazila school.

[@matt_h_27]

It’s an obvious logical conclusion. To say, for example, that God is sometimes loving but other times just is to suggest that God’s love is sometimes unjust. Divine simplicity is necessary if we are to avoid logical contradictions in God. Invoking “where it came from” is the setting up of a strawman that has no place in intelligent conversation.

[@SKPainify]

Quran 4:171 "O people of the Book, be not excessive in your Faith, and do not say about Allah anything but the truth.The MasīH ‘Īsā, the son of Maryam, is only a Messenger of Allah, and His Word that He had delivered to Maryam, and a spirit from Him. So, believe in Allah and His Messengers. Do not say “Three”. Stop it. That is good for you. Allah is the only One God. He is far too pure to have a son. To Him belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allah is enough to trust in."

[@leonardu6094]

incoherent nonsense.