Thomas Aquinas Omnipotence Essay

I have found in particular the most appealing idea was that of omnipotence. More specifically in reference to Thomas Aquinas’, “Whether God is omnipotent?” selection. Throughout the remainder of this paper, I will be attempting to discuss and dissect the idea of omnipotence, as it relates to God. In order to get to the idea of divine omnipotence, it is essential to understand what Aquinas means when he says God is omnipotent. Aquinas starts off with the question of, “whether there is power in God?” Potentiality is not through God, but it is through “active power” or act. This is because God is pure act, and what exists in potentiality is not considered God. Therefore when Aquinas says, “Active power exists in God according to the measure in which he is actual...” His power is exactly the same as His being, which could be considered as the sum of all things perfect. Therefore, one could assume that God is perfect, and that His perfection allows Him to be more pure and have more power to act. If God is perfect as is implied, that in which His perfection is used, the more powerful He will be and actually is. Thus, creating the possibility that God is omnipotent. Then Aquinas explains because God

To Aquinas something that is “impossible” is not actual, and therefore is nothing at all. Aquinas then says, “...whatsoever has or can have the nature of being, is numbered among the absolutely possible things, in respect of which God is called omnipotent.” This is saying that everything possible is possible actually and that nothing is impossible for Him. Since something impossible is considered to be a contradiction in itself, anything that doesn’t imply a contradiction is considered a very possible thing. However, that suggests a contradiction cannot be within the realm of God’s possibility, because “impossible” to God is not really