1. 2) Who said ‘you can’t cross the same river twice?’
Rapid Recall!
Fill in the table with what you remember from memory! Prizes for the first correctly filled in one!
1) What is a Particular?
2) Who said ‘you can’t cross the same river twice?’
3)What does the sun represent in Plato’s Analogy of the Cave?
4) What does telos mean?
5) What is the Demiurge?
6) How does the Prime Mover cause movement?

2. Omnipotence?

3. Aiming for an A*? Try to complete the ‘Top Philosopher’ tasks!
Learning Outcomes
To be able describe Aquinas’ views on God’s omnipotence (Grade C).
To be able to explain, in detail, different views on God’s omnipotence (Grade B).
To be able to evaluate the concept of God’s omnipotence (Grade A).
Aiming for an A*? Try to complete the ‘Top Philosopher’ tasks!

4. Cow time! Literacy Target
Check that you have spelt all the key words correctly.
Omnipotence
God
Paradox
Take the time to check over the rest of your work for any other spelling mistakes.
Ask for a dictionary or use the internet to check over any words that you are not sure are correct.

5. How does this link with what we are learning about?
Think, Pair, Share
How does this link with what we are learning about?

6. Aquinas on God’s Omnipotence
Aquinas argued that God is completely omnipotent in the sense of being in charge of the whole world, creating it and keeping it in existence. In Summa Theologica, Aquinas said that God is Omnipotent because ‘he can do everything that is absolutely possible’, qualified by saying that ‘everything that does not imply a contradiction is among those possibilities in respect of which God Is called omnipotent’.
Think, Pair, Share
What does Aquinas mean?

7. What is he trying to say?
So Aquinas is saying that God can do anything logically possible, but if it is not logically possible then it can not be done, even by God. If something is logically contradictory, such as square circles, then it is not a thing that can be made at all.

8. Think, Pair, Share
If God is incorporeal, can he go for a swim? A: What would Descartes say? B: What would Aquinas say? A: What is your opinion? B: What is your opinion?

9. Aquinas Read the article and create a mind map on Aquinas views…
Aquinas began each topic by first posing a question (e.g. 'Whether God is omnipotent?'). Next he presented 'objections' to the idea. After the objections he would write 'on the contrary’. Aquinas' own view comes next prefaced with 'I answer that...'.
Aquinas’ views on God’s omnipotence
Top Philosopher task:
Find out what is meant by the term ‘kenosis’. Explain how it relates to God’s omnipotence.
Stretch yourself task:
Would Aquinas agree we can call God powerful?

10. Think, Pair, Share
A: Describe one issue with God being omnipotent. B:Describe one issue with God being omnipotent. A: Explain Descartes’ views on God being omnipotent. B: State one issue with Descartes’ views on God being omnipotent.

11. Vardy:
In the Puzzle of Evil, Vardy suggests God’s omnipotence is much more limited than many Christians have previously suggested. God is not in control of the whole of history, able to move things around like a chessboard. Vardy suggests that God created the universe in such a way that his ability to act is limited. He chose to do this to make free, rational human beings. He says it is still right to call God omnipotent as he has chosen to limit his own power.
Swinburne:
He supports Aquinas’ view. In his book ‘The Coherence of Theism’, he argues that God’s omnipotence means he can do everything- but he argues that ‘everything’ has to be understood properly. God can create all ‘things’ but self-contradictory definitions do not refer to ‘things’. A square circle is not a thing so God can’t make one.
Macquarrie:
He emphasises that any limitations on God’s omnipotence are self-imposed. God is not constrained by logic, nor the physical world, nor by the actions of human beings. He merely chooses to limited his own power for the love of humanity.

12. A.N Whitehead:
He argued that the absolute omnipotence in the sense of total power would not in reality be a perfect quality and that it would be better to think of God as a being whose power cannot be surpassed by any other being, rather than a being with total power.
Hartshorne:
He argues that totally power, when we examine the idea, is not impressive. He argues that total power means that nothing else will be able to put up any resistance. It is like praising someone who came first in a race with no competitors. He argues that omnipotence means having total control and influence. He says by having free will be are capable of putting up resistance to God.
Descartes:

13. Sort the cards out into a Zig-Zag with for and against arguments…
‘If God is omnipotent, then he must be able to do absolutely anything.’ Discuss.
Sort the cards out into a Zig-Zag with for and against arguments…
For
Stretch yourself:
To reach a better A02 grade you must always link your arguments. E.g. However Descartes would disagree with Aquinas because…..
Number the cards in the order you would put them in an essay!
Against
For
Against
Top philosopher:
Include two synoptic links on your zig-zag!

14. We can do Conclusions!
‘If God is omnipotent, then he must be able to do absolutely anything.’ Discuss
(40 marks).
Let’s make sure your conclusion is well argued…
You must include in your arguments the following words and phrases.
However
Consequently
On the other hand
Therefore
power
control
logical
Stretch yourself:
Free will
evil
objection
limit
Everything

15. Mini White Boards
Describe example from the bible to support God being Omnipotent.
Explain one the view of one Philosopher’s view on God’s Omnipotence.
Explain one the view of one Philosopher’s view on God’s Omnipotence.
Explain your own opinion whether God can be omnipotent or not.

16. Learning Outcomes:
To be able to describe the issues around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to explain Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.
To be able to evaluate Descartes’ views around God’s omnipotence.