Is the God of Christianity an Impersonal Being?

[harvey1]

It might strike some people as completely beyond question that the loving Father of Christianity can be an impersonal God, but I'm not convinced that this is the case. For definition purposes, let's say a personal God is a God that is a person and who watches over the universe with the same care and mindfulness as a caring human mother would watch over her children. And, let's say an impersonal God is a God that is not a person and whose divine actions are generally impersonal with regard to God's interaction with the world. By impersonal I don't mean that God doesn't act in a personal manner, or that one cannot have a relationship with God. I mean that God should be considered as predominantly an impersonal being with any personal interaction as the exception to the rule.

My contention is that God of Christianity is actually impersonal like the second definition and not to be understood as personal in the first sense of the term. Is this a correct understanding of Christianity?

[Tilia]

My contention is that God of Christianity is actually impersonal like the second definition and not to be understood as personal in the first sense of the term. Is this a correct understanding of Christianity?

God is the image in which persons are made. God knows what is good (the word 'God' means 'good'); he has love, has anger, jealousy (in a good way), hatred (in a good way), compassion and mercy, and knows every secret of men's hearts. His underlying nature found 'exact expression' in the person Jesus. God is very much a person.

[harvey1]

God is very much a person.

Well, let's look at a few scriptures which I think suggest differently:

God is Spirit" (John 4:24)

* God is essence and not of bodily form

He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth (John 14:16)

* The Spirit of truth (or the Spirit of the Father) identifies God with the concept of truth

And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.(I John 5:6)

* The Spirit is equivalent to truth

I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6)

* God is a journey, God is truth, God is a destination

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." (John 15:26)

* God is a Father, God is a Son, God is a Holy Spirit

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

* Christ equates himself with the name Yahweh gave to Moses "I AM." This name in Hebrew can be said to mean "to be," "to become," to have become."

In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1)

The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; while as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the deep, when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men. “ Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.(Prov. 8:16-36)

* You can see here that Wisdom is spoken of in the same manner as the Logos. Which makes sense since Logos means Word--or God's wisdom. The 2nd member of the Trinity is Wisdom incarnating into human form.

These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father (John 16:25)

* Notice that Jesus spoke of the "Father" in figurative language.

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Therefore, putting the picture together, it seems that God, Logos, Spirit are not people or a person. Rather, it seems to me that a better way to describe the Trinity is the collective nature of truth as it operates in the world.

[McCulloch]

I always thought the that the standard orthodox christian theology is that god (singular, there is only one god) is three persons. It never really made sense to me but that is the dogma.

[Sender]

I always thought the that the standard orthodox christian theology is that god (singular, there is only one god) is three persons. It never really made sense to me but that is the dogma.

To those who don't believe in the name written above of all other names, Jesus, when you finally meet him, it will be to late.

[Tilia]

* God is essence and not of bodily form

Does 'person' have to have bodily form?

He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth (John 14:16)

* The Spirit of truth (or the Spirit of the Father) identifies God with the concept of truth

So? Notice the personal pronoun.

I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6)

* God is a journey, God is truth, God is a destination

Jesus was obviously a person, yet described Himself as 'the truth'. No-one said, "Excuse me, you've just proposed a logical impossibility."

But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." (John 15:26)

* God is a Father, God is a Son,

Both being descriptions of person.

God is a Holy Spirit

Who is also described as person through the personal pronoun.

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

* Christ equates himself with the name Yahweh gave to Moses "I AM." This name in Hebrew can be said to mean "to be," "to become," to have become."

So?

* You can see here that Wisdom is spoken of in the same manner as the Logos. Which makes sense since Logos means Word--or God's wisdom. The 2nd member of the Trinity is Wisdom incarnating into human form.

There is no 'Trinity'; but Jesus is identified via the figure of personification as Wisdom, yes, which is not a whit different from His self-description as 'the truth'.

These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father (John 16:25)

* Notice that Jesus spoke of the "Father" in figurative language.

Quite so. No fundamentalist polytheism here, please!

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Therefore, putting the picture together, it seems that God, Logos, Spirit are not people or a person.

I can't see a single bit of logic to support that anywhere, to be honest!

[harvey1]

I always thought the that the standard orthodox christian theology is that god (singular, there is only one god) is three persons. It never really made sense to me but that is the dogma.

Well, the word person is never applied to God in the scriptures. According to Augustine, "The Word is knowledge with love" (De Trin. ix, 10). Augustine also says: "When we speak of the person of the Father, we mean nothing else but the substance of the Father" ((De Trin. vii, 6)

[harvey1]

Both being descriptions of person.

So, what are you saying? Before there was a universe two people were sitting around for an infinite period of time and then one day they decided to make a universe. Is that your idea?

[Tilia]

Well, the word person is never applied to God in the scriptures.

Amos 6:8 says 'The Lord God has sworn by himself.' The word used for 'himself' is 'nephesh', which means 'person' or other words, such as 'soul' or 'mind', that imply a person.

[Tilia]

Both being descriptions of person.

So, what are you saying? Before there was a universe two people were sitting around for an infinite period of time and then one day they decided to make a universe. Is that your idea?

What has this got to do with God not being a person?