Is God Limited? by Francis John McConnell - PDF book

Is God Limited?
by Francis John McConnell

Is God Limited 

The book "Is God Limited?" by Francis John McConnell was published in 1924.

 From the time of earliest Christian thinkers there has appeared off and on the notion that God is somehow limited by matter. The desire is, of course, always to save God. By the way, it is noteworthy what a large volume of intellectual effort throughout Christian history has been devoted to saving God, as well as, or rather than to saving man. Humorous as it seems, the instinct has been sound. 

One way to save man is to give him a worthy idea of God. So the theologians have felt that God is inherently all that Christian thought has represented him to be. The evil in the world then must come from matter. It will be understood that we are now dealing with what we call physical evil. Moral evil, and even the physical pain of man, .

Excerpt form the introduction

From the time of earliest Christian thinkers there has appeared off and on the notion that God is somehow limited by matter. 

The desire is, of course, always to save God. By the way, it is noteworthy what a large volume of intellectual effort throughout Christian history has been devoted to saving God, as well as, or rather than to saving man. Humorous as it seems, the instinct has been sound. One way to save man is to give him a worthy idea of God. So the theologians have felt that God is inherently all that Christian thought has represented him to be. 

The evil in the world then must come from matter. 

It will be understood that we are now dealing with what we call physical evil. Moral evil, and even the physical pain of man, From the time of earliest Christian thinkers there has appeared off and on the notion that God is somehow limited by matter. 

The desire is, of course, always to save God. By the way, it is noteworthy what a large volume of intellectual effort throughout Christian history has been devoted to saving God, as well as, or rather than to saving man. Humorous as it seems, the instinct has been sound. One way to save man is to give him a worthy idea of God. So the theologians have felt that God is inherently all that Christian thought has represented him to be. The evil in the world then must come from matter. It will be understood that we are now dealing with what we call physical evil. Moral evil, and even the physical pain of man, 

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This is summary of is God Limited Summary and great ideas from the book 

Introduction of "Is God Limited?" by Francis John McConnell raise the central question of whether God is limited, a question prompted by intellectual, theological, and emotional forces of the early 20th century. The author recounts that traditional Christian theology has long defined God as omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, but modern critics increasingly question how these attributes reconcile with concepts like human freedom and the problem of evil. Philosophers and theologians struggle with the meanings of omnipresence and omniscience, especially as modern thought is influenced by relativity and a move away from absolutism.

The author highlights two powerful forces raising the question of God’s limitations: one is the intellectual critique challenging traditional absolutes; the other is the moral and emotional horror brought by the Great War and widespread suffering, prompting doubts about the perfection or unlimited power of God. The reality of widespread human and animal suffering makes it difficult to reconcile with the idea of an all-powerful, perfect Creator.

There is also discussion of the complexities in conceiving God as a Person, given that human personality is inherently limited by physicality and development. Questions arise about limitations in God's personality, such as in thinking and feeling.

The introduction's key ideas include:

- The question of God’s limitation is not about denying God's existence but about understanding the nature and terms in which God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are expressed.

- Philosophers and theologians must confront the tension between God's absoluteness and the relative nature of human experience.

- The problem of evil and suffering, both human and animal, raises questions about divine limitation or the nature of God’s interaction with creation.

- Some modern thinkers propose a finite God to account for human freedom or companionship with God.

- The essay aims not to resolve all these questions but to offer an attitude and approach to think about them reflectively and respectfully.

- The problem is divided into three parts: limitations concerning the physical universe, the world of men, and the concept of God’s personality, with a focus on preserving the moral and spiritual values central to Christianity.

Overall, the hook sets the stage for a nuanced exploration of the paradoxes and challenges in the traditional concept of God’s unlimited nature confronted by the realities of the modern intellectual and moral landscape [1].