Brian Leftow - How Free Is God?

God is supposed to be all-powerful, all-knowing and all good. In addition, is God is supposed to be 'all-free'? What does it mean for God to be perfectly free? Can God do literally anything? Can God make choices or must God always do the 'best', whatever 'best' may mean for each action? Are there any limits on God's freedom?


Brian Leftow is the Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at Oriel College, Oxford.


Closer to Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.

[andrebrown]

I cannot force myself to believe in a god. I have tried and when I was younger I was brought up like that, but I always questioned it and always came up with 'This does not seem right!'

[waerlogauk]

Apart from the last 100, 000 years (and only on earth) we live in the bad bunny rabbit world. As far as we can demonstrate sentient life exists only on earth and has been repeatedly subject to almost total extinction. We exist in a recent stable environment which we assume is normal.

[brentonbrenton]

God is Consciousness up the fractal chain from the perspective of 'one'. Just as our consciousness is 100% free to daydream whatever we want, take that freedom to an infinite degree. Our universe is the dream of God. God can dream all things (all universes, even non-universes) - and as infinite consciousness that is what God is and always will be. Unchanging (as consciousness dreaming) and forever changing (contents of the dream). We are fractal separations of that one consciousness - our unity with the greater One hidden by our ego.

Time is a concept that God uses to form the boundary of this dream - but infinite consciousness can dream whatever it wants. You can experience timeless states of consciousness... and when you do it feels the most natural thing, like going home.

[JAYDUBYAH]

Next up: can Santa choose to go on strike at xmas?

[edherwick]

Seems like a decent man, but where exactly does he get this information and the charter to express it apodictically??

[sinancengiz]

when you look around how world is full of unnecessary suffering of all living things, in my view god is either don't exist or god is a sadist who created this incredibly cruel system.

[parismetro]

Using language to discuss the unknowable

[dankuchar]

I don't think God can interfere with free will.

[ferdinandkraft]

Is God free to inflict covid-19 upon his chosen people?

[vmonocerotis]

Wow. Baseless speculation about a purely hypothetical being? I'm impressed!

[ameremortal]

I’m just happy to know that I’ll be dead soon.

[TomAnderson_]

If god is free, then he is free to lie and if your god cannot lie, then he is not free.

[henrycowell]

Trying to rationalize the irrational, another hobby to cultivate during a pandemic related lockdown

[Savantjazzcollective]

God can certainly make married bachelors if he wants. A specific singlen man who is destined and ordained for a specific single woman. This man can in fact be both at the same time, with or without prior knowledge... imo

[Cluedup]

In this world there are followers and critical thinkers. Followers beleive in what they where brought up to beleive critical thinkers beleive what they choose to beleive

[zefSF]

He speaks about god like he had a diner with him last night. This man is delusional.

[pierremartineau]

Wanting to know the thruth so much, that you become ridiculous, this man has extraordinary connections hasn’t he? I think listening to this nonsense that the series should end....really, we’ve had enough.

[alexlepre]

I have been an Agnostic for quite some time now, but this person makes it more confusing and baffling, all good all powerful etc etc god? Proves believers CANNOT even agree among themselves.

[ameremortal]

God was a amazing until he was hijacked by dishonest cowards.