A Paradoxical Account of Divine Omnipresence.

This essay examines the doctrine of divine omnipresence. I begin by presenting three desiderata for an adequate account of omnipresence. Four accounts are analyzed in light of these desiderata, two in the tradition and two in contemporary philosophical theology. I argue that none succeed in providin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Heythrop Journal Vol. 64; no. 3; pp. 367 - 383
Main Author: Price, RANDall J.
Format: Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell May2023
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:This essay examines the doctrine of divine omnipresence. I begin by presenting three desiderata for an adequate account of omnipresence. Four accounts are analyzed in light of these desiderata, two in the tradition and two in contemporary philosophical theology. I argue that none succeed in providing an adequate account of divine omnipresence. As an alternative, I offer a paradoxical account of omnipresence, arguing that one can be rational in affirming that what appears to be a doctrine afflicted by apparent contradiction is in fact merely a paradox. I explain what makes affirmations of paradoxical doctrines rational, why omnipresence should be understood as a paradox, and discuss a similar account of omnipresence in the writings of Pseudo‐Dionysius the Areopagite.