Is divine simplicity biblical? A fresh argument on behalf of a traditional doctrine

Abstract Divine simplicity is plausibly seen as a biblical doctrine, given a standard account of the way doctrine is derived from Scripture. The polemic of Jeremiah 10 against ancient Near Eastern mis pî or ‘mouth opening’ rituals involves a commitment to a radical account of divine aseity. In dialogue with Thomas Aquinas and a number of contemporary figures, I suggest this view of divine aseity might plausibly be thought to lead to the inference to divine simplicity.

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Publication Details

Journal
Scottish Journal of Theology
Published
2025-12-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0036930625101476
Primary Topic
Theology and Philosophy of Evil
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Is divine simplicity biblical? A fresh argument on behalf of a traditional doctrine

Jared Michelson
Scottish Journal of Theology
Theology and Philosophy of Evil
article

Is divine simplicity biblical? A fresh argument on behalf of a traditional doctrine

Jared Michelson
article en

Abstract

Abstract Divine simplicity is plausibly seen as a biblical doctrine, given a standard account of the way doctrine is derived from Scripture. The polemic of Jeremiah 10 against ancient Near Eastern mis pî or ‘mouth opening’ rituals involves a commitment to a radical account of divine aseity. In dialogue with Thomas Aquinas and a number of contemporary figures, I suggest this view of divine aseity might plausibly be thought to lead to the inference to divine simplicity.

Scottish Journal of Theology
University of St Andrews (GB)
Openalex Percentile: Top 64%
Theology and Philosophy of Evil
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Is divine simplicity biblical? A fresh argument on behalf of a traditional doctrine — Jared Michelson · Scottish Journal of Theology (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS