On the Argument for Divine Timelessness from the Incompleteness of Temporal Life
Article first published online: 16 DEC 2002
DOI: 10.1111/1468-2265.00042
Additional Information
How to Cite
Lane Craig, W. (1997), On the Argument for Divine Timelessness from the Incompleteness of Temporal Life. The Heythrop Journal, 38: 165–171. doi: 10.1111/1468-2265.00042
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 DEC 2002
- Article first published online: 16 DEC 2002
- Abstract
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Timelessness;
- divine Time (philosophy)
A promising argument for divine timelessness is that temporal life is possessed only moment by moment, which is incompatible with the existence of a perfect being.
Since the argument is based on the experience of time’s passage, it cannot be circumvented by appeal to a tenseless theory of time.
Neither can the argument be subverted by appeals to a temporal deity’s possession of a specious present of infinite duration.
Nonetheless, because the argument concerns one’s experience of time’s passage rather than the objective reality of temporal becoming itself, it is considerably weakened by the fact that an omniscient being possessing perfect memory and foreknowledge, need not find such experience to be an imperfection.

1468-2265/asset/HEYJ_centre.gif?v=1&s=9dedac292bbedc53151f31ba6aff58c553f4a2ff)
1468-2265/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=52a30df7a8bf5611c6afaf6b5c9bd1b173eeab26)