#22: Is the Traditional Concept of God Coherent? | Dr. Ryan Mullins episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 10, 2026 · 42 MIN

#22: Is the Traditional Concept of God Coherent? | Dr. Ryan Mullins

from Let’s Discuss · host The Prometheans

For over 1,500 years, philosophers have described God as timeless, immutable, simple, impassible, and pure actuality.From Augustine and Aquinas to Ibn Sina and Al-Ghazali, classical theism has shaped the dominant understanding of God in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.But is this model coherent?Can a timeless being act?Can an immutable God respond to prayer?Does divine simplicity collapse into determinism?Does classical theism eliminate real contingency?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Mullins, one of the leading contemporary critics of classical theism, to examine whether the traditional attributes of God survive analytic scrutiny.We explore:Divine SimplicityDivine TimelessnessImmutability & ImpassibilityModal CollapseForeknowledge & Free WillNecessary ExistenceClassical Theism vs Theistic PersonalismWhether you're a theist, atheist, philosopher, or theology student — this discussion challenges the very foundations of how we understand God.This is metaphysics at the highest level.If you enjoy rigorous philosophy and theology, subscribe for more long-form intellectual conversations.You can also watch this video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/5hK3iz_k480?si=-KEBi4Vyt6cMZ0aXSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@prometheans789?si=Xd30vUmBa0ZQkhKL

For over 1,500 years, philosophers have described God as timeless, immutable, simple, impassible, and pure actuality.From Augustine and Aquinas to Ibn Sina and Al-Ghazali, classical theism has shaped the dominant understanding of God in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.But is this model coherent?Can a timeless being act?Can an immutable God respond to prayer?Does divine simplicity collapse into determinism?Does classical theism eliminate real contingency?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ryan Mullins, one of the leading contemporary critics of classical theism, to examine whether the traditional attributes of God survive analytic scrutiny.We explore:Divine SimplicityDivine TimelessnessImmutability & ImpassibilityModal CollapseForeknowledge & Free WillNecessary ExistenceClassical Theism vs Theistic PersonalismWhether you're a theist, atheist, philosopher, or theology student — this discussion challenges the very foundations of how we understand God.This is metaphysics at the highest level.If you enjoy rigorous philosophy and theology, subscribe for more long-form intellectual conversations.You can also watch this video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/5hK3iz_k480?si=-KEBi4Vyt6cMZ0aXSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@prometheans789?si=Xd30vUmBa0ZQkhKL

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#22: Is the Traditional Concept of God Coherent? | Dr. Ryan Mullins

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For over 1,500 years, philosophers have described God as timeless, immutable, simple, impassible, and pure actuality.From Augustine and Aquinas to Ibn Sina and Al-Ghazali, classical theism has shaped the dominant understanding of God in...

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