Abstract
Because the notion of ‘power’, and of ‘absolute power’ in particular, is associated with coercion, violence and oppression, it is problematic to attribute power to God. Jürgen Moltmann and Eberhard Jüngel reject a ‘theistic’, ‘metaphysical’ concept of God’s ‘absolute power’ and highlight the powerlessness of the suffering and dying God on the cross. In their view, limitation of power is also central to God’s creative power. In this article, this kenotic view on God’s creative power is examined. Firstly, the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is explored as an important and still influential source of the modern view on absolute power as dominion. Next, it is discussed whether the innovative view on divine, creative power of Sören Kierkegaard can be seen as kenotic. Because both Hobbes and Kierkegaard refer indirectly to the classical distinction between potentia absoluta and potentia ordinata, this distinction, and its rejection by Schleiermacher, is investigated. The article concludes by proposing ‘empowering power’ as a non-oppressive and non-kenotic view on God’s creative power.
Highlights
Absolute power is the privilege of the tyrant
Many modern and postmodern theologians have replaced the traditional picture of a powerful God by the picture of a powerless and in some sense ‘weak’ God
In this article, with Katherine Sonderegger (2015:154–164), I shall call the view of Moltmann and Jüngel and their followers (e.g. Welker 2013:189) the kenotic view on God’s power
Summary
Affiliations: 1Department of Systematic Theological Beliefs, Protestant Theological University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Dr Johan Buitendag, Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics, Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria and Dean of the Faculty of Theology. Jürgen Moltmann and Eberhard Jüngel reject a ‘theistic’, ‘metaphysical’ concept of God’s ‘absolute power’ and highlight the powerlessness of the suffering and dying God on the cross In their view, limitation of power is central to God’s creative power. The political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is explored as an important and still influential source of the modern view on absolute power as dominion It is discussed whether the innovative view on divine, creative power of Sören Kierkegaard can be seen as kenotic. The article concludes by proposing ‘empowering power’ as a non-oppressive and non-kenotic view on God’s creative power
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