Hayden Mills’s Reviews > Classical Theism: A Christian Introduction > Status Update

Chapter on divine eternity. A resounding success. Still trying to figure out A theory vs. B theory

Chapter on Immutability. He divides the views into Global (no change extrinsic or intrinsic), Local (no change intrinsic) and Weak (change allowed). He argues that weak is right out, but that both global and local are found within the classical tradition.

I learned the term "Cambridge change" - accepting extrinsic changes in God.

Just finished chapter on DDS. I thought a good overview, maybe not as fair to Dolezal as he deserves, but fascinating. He tries to make an argument that "mere sinplciitly" is broader than a maximal position (thomist) and that you can believe there are distinctions (but no compositions) in God and stay orthodox. Head is swimming but my big takeaway is there is more diversity in scholasticism on DDS than I thought.

2 observations

1. He argues that aseity and goodness are "fundamental attributes." Never heard that duo before as the two most logical prior attributes before.

2. He argues for a "mere divine sinplicity," arguing that the orthodox position of DDS is broader than just Thomism.

Whew. Chapter on metaphysics. Substances, accidents, universal, particulars, mereoloy, distinctions, relations, B theory of time, etc. Mr brain hurts.

Steffaniak's def of Christian natural theology

The task of utilizing the material content of natural revelation via renewed reason and service of theological construction under the authority of scripture , the guidance of the holy spirit and the context of the church

I like how he describes confessions as "guardians" of the Faith, much like the Argonath statues from LOTR.