OMNIPOTENCE

Omnipotence is derived From the Latin omnis (all) and potens (capable of making or producing). Divine omnipotence is a divine operative attribute, an active potency, or power, for acting ad extra. As an active potency it is distinguished from a passive potency, or capacity for receiving act, which would be opposed to God's perfection. By this power God has dominion over all things outside Himself, which He has brought into existence and which He holds in existence.

Omnipotence extends, however, only to beings that have the inherent possibility of existence—that is, that do not include a contradiction. Thus, God cannot make a square circle or an infinite created being since the essential notes here cancel each other out. (For this reason it is impossible for God to commit a sin—that is, act in a way contrary to His own intrinsic goodness.) These hypothetical beings lie beyond God's power, not because God's power is limited, but because of the inherent limitation in the idea of the thing itself.

Similarly, God's power cannot reverse His own eternal decrees, for this implies change of intention or new knowledge, both of which are impossible in a perfect God.

Some actions are called impossible for God even though they themselves can exist, yet cannot coexist with God's other decrees. Thus, it is true to say that man's immortal soul could be destroyed by God's power, if one considers His power in itself. Yet granting God's design in making man's soul immortal by nature, it is not possible that He act against His own plan. Thus one may say that destroying man's soul is beyond God's ordered power (potentia ordinata —considering His power in conjunction with His divine decrees), but not beyond His absolute power (potentia absoluta —considering in itself His power over man's soul). The usefulness, however, and even the validity, of this distinction is generally called into question.

Omnipotence has been considered the attribute most proper to a deity by men of all times and places. The Bible in particular voices continually the theme of God's power in comparison with the limited power of alien gods or of temporal rulers of Egypt or Babylonia. God is always able to save His people from these enemies. If at times He chooses not to, it is only because His people have not observed His laws.

Most of the Biblical names of God imply power to act or make, though the exact meaning of these terms is often under dispute. Abraham worships 'ēl šaddai (God the Almighty) in Gn 17.1 and 'ēl 'elyôn (Most High God or God Eternal) in Gn 14.18; ’ēl [see el (god) Gn 46.3], and as found in 'ělōhîm (see elohim) throughout the Old Testament, means the Strong God. God is also called "the Mighty One of Jacob" (Gn 4, 9.24), "the creator of the heavens… the designer and maker of the earth" (Is 45.18), and "the Lord of the whole earth" (Jos 3.11,13). This notion of omnipotent Lordship is intimately linked with Jesus' divinity throughout the Gospel of St. Mark.

Somewhat mysterious in meaning is the most proper name of God, Yahweh (see yahweh), probably originally meaning "He who causes all things to be," rather than the later, more common, rendering, "I am who am" (Ex3.14).

In addition, many metaphors refer to Yahweh's hand or arm as symbolic of God's power to rule or guide or punish (cf. Jos 4.24; Ezr 7.28; Ex 15.16).

Omnipotence is not of merely speculative interest to Israel, for this attribute fosters faith's vision of the mirabilia Dei: the salvation acts of God for His people [cf. Dt3.24; Ps 105 (106).2]. It invites the believer to prayer of gratitude or petition; it is one of the motives held out to Israel to sanctify itself.

The doctrine that all things depend upon God appears in the opening chapters of Genesis, where God unfolds His plan of creation. (For treatment of the question whether or not creation out of nothing is to be found here, see creation.) By God's simple utterance things came to be, and as He wants them to be. Moon and sun, often worshiped by pagans, are here merely creatures. In Exodus, God's power is made manifest publicly before Egypt and its Pharaoh (cf. also Is 19.1). In such a way God has power over all nations (Nm 21.3; 1 Sm 14.12). The more marvelous is the work of God's omnipotence in that He selects an unworthy nation for His favors. Even evil is fitted into God's plan; Israel is often purified by it.

The culmination of God's power is found in the incarnation (cf. Rom 1.4). Jesus redeems man and even the physical world by becoming man, performing miracles, dying, and rising again. In the last times He will return, the Son of Man (Dn ch. 7), coming to judge all things as Lord and master.

These Biblical teachings have been interpreted by the magisterium of the Church (see H. Denzinger, Enchiridion symbolorum, Index syst. Blbc).

Scholastic theology considers a number of questions in this area. Omnipotence follows upon God's essence as pure act, having within Himself His own fullness of actuality. Since one thing is able to cause another insofar as it is itself in act, God alone is capable of giving existence to created things. Of course, God's omnipotence is in reality completely identified with His essence, distinguished only by a virtual minor distinction. Other problems dealt with in systematic theology are God's freedom in creating (ibid. 3002) and man's freedom under God's causality (see omniscience; predestination).

See Also: god, articles on.

Bibliography: Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, ed. a. vacant et al., 15 v. (Paris 1903–50; Tables générales 1951), Tables générales 1:975–993. c. spicq, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (Freiburg 1957–65); suppl., Das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil: Dokumente und Kommentare, ed. h. s. brechter et al., pt. 1 (1966) 1:353–355. t. aquinas, Summa theologiae, 1a, 25; C. gent. 2.7. f. suÁrez, De Deo 3.9. j. d. collins, God in Modern Philosophy (Chicago 1959). r. garrigou-lagrange, The One God, tr. b. rose (St. Louis 1943). p. heinisch, Theology of the Old Testament, tr. w. g. heidt (Collegeville, Minn.1950).

[g. roxburgh]