God and time

• What is the word for timeless?

  Atemporal
• What does eternal mean?

  Timeless, lives outside time
• What does everlasting mean?

  Moves along the same timeline as us - within time
• What is another word for within time?

  Sempiternal
• What are the arguments for an atemporal God?

  • God is everywhere all at once, showing he is not limited by the constraints of time
  • If he were bound by time he would be limited and not fulfil the definition of ‘a being than which nothing greater can be conceived‘, as we could conceive of a timeless being
• What are some strengths of a sempiternal God?

  • Doesn’t limit our free will, as God is moving along the same timeline as we are
  • Can’t have a loving God that knows of future evils and doesn’t/can’t stop them
• What does Augustine say about God and time?


  The biblical God is timeless and unchangeable
• What does Aquinas say about God and time?

  When we speak of God we are using analogical language, not univocal

  Any words we use cannot be applied directly as God is not like us

  God can be loving and unchanging as he is God
• Who agrees with Aquinas?

  Richard Creel