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1 - By and from God

Efficient Causation and God as the Origin and Agent of Creation

from I - Participation and Causation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2019

Andrew Davison
Andrew Davison
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

In the first of five opening chapters on participation and divine causation, we look at 'efficient' or 'agent' causation: what it means, from a participatory perspective, for God to be the cause and agent of creation. The chapter situates the idea of participation within the foundational doctrine, common to the Abrahamic faiths, of creation as being ex nihilo. Nothing is coaeval with God; nor did God rely upon anything else for creation: on eternally existent matter, for instance. Creation is not some past event, now over, but should rather be seen as a relation of dependence upon the creator. This is explored in terms of gift and of the relation of the doctrine of creation to the doctrine of God. This leads on to a discussion of theological apologetics.

Keywords

participationtheologydoctrine metaphysicsThomas Aquinas efficient causationefficientcausecreation ex nihilogiftGodapologetics
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Participation in God
A Study in Christian Doctrine and Metaphysics
 , pp. 13 - 41
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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  • By and from God
  • Andrew Davison, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Participation in God
  • Online publication: 15 August 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108629287.003
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  • By and from God
  • Andrew Davison, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Participation in God
  • Online publication: 15 August 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108629287.003
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • By and from God
  • Andrew Davison, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Participation in God
  • Online publication: 15 August 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108629287.003
Available formats
×