44. God's Attributes: Simplicity, Perfection, Unity, and Infinity

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Four Divine Attributes and Their Ordering #

• In Summa Contra Gentiles: Thomas treats simplicity, perfection, unity, and infinity in that order
• In Compendium Theologiae: Thomas places unity immediately after simplicity, suggesting a closer correspondence
• In Summa Theologiae: The order differs—unity appears last (before treating immutability), likely for theological reasons related to Trinitarian doctrine

Simplicity and Perfection as Correlatives #

• Simplicity and perfection are distinct concepts but necessarily correlated
• Demonstrated through the hierarchy of angels: the higher (more perfect) angels are also simpler
• The ascent up through angelic orders shows: the simpler they become, the more perfect they become
• This principle extends to God, who is both absolutely simple and absolutely perfect

Unity and Simplicity Correspondence #

• Unity corresponds to simplicity; infinity corresponds to perfection
• God can be only one because He is entirely simple (no composition means no multiplication)
• By contrast, multiple men exist because each has individual matter composed with human essence
• Thomas emphasizes this in the Compendium Theologiae by treating unity immediately after simplicity

God’s Perfection as Infinite and Endless #

• God’s perfection (not His simplicity) is more readily understood as endless
• God’s goodness is infinite—“How good is God? You can’t say.”
• Unlike created perfections (e.g., comparing praise due to Aristotle vs. Plato), God’s perfection admits no comparison or measure
• God is “the good of every good”—perfection itself

God’s Immutability and Its Causes #

• Three reasons why God must be unchanging:
  1. From Simplicity: Whatever changes must be composed (Aristotle, Physics I). Since God is entirely simple, He cannot change.
  2. From Perfection: Change requires lack or need. Since God is universally perfect and lacking nothing, He cannot change.
  3. From Infinity: Even the early Greeks recognized that the infinite cannot move (infinite being cannot move anywhere). Since God is infinite, He cannot change.

Ordering of Divine Attributes in Different Works #

• Summa Contra Gentiles: Simplicity → Perfection → Unity → Infinity
  • This order emphasizes the logical progression from essence to attributes
• Compendium Theologiae: Simplicity → Unity → (then other attributes)
  • Unity placed immediately after simplicity, showing their correspondence
• Summa Theologiae: Simplicity → Perfection → Infinity → Unity → Immutability
  • Unity placed last before immutability, preparing for the Trinity discussion
  • Since the Prima Pars will address both Deo Uno (God as One) and Deo Trino (God as Trinity), placing unity last emphasizes monotheism before the Trinitarian mystery
• Summa Contra Gentiles: Immutability discussed first (after proving God exists)
  • Justified because the argument for motion is most developed here (given twice, with detailed explanation)

Why Perfection Rather Than Simplicity Resonates #

• Students naturally think of God’s perfection as endless rather than His simplicity
• God’s perfection evokes wonder and praise; simplicity is more abstract
• In hymnic and liturgical contexts, we praise God for what He is (perfect goodness), not primarily for what He is not (composition)

The Infinity of God’s Power #

• God cannot make everything He is able to make in a single year (or any finite time)
• If He could, this would impose a limit on His power
• God’s infinite power is incompatible with exhausting creation in any temporal period

Key Arguments #

The Correlation of Simplicity and Perfection #

• Premise 1: Angelic hierarchy shows that higher (more perfect) beings are also simpler
• Premise 2: This pattern extends all the way to God
• Conclusion: Simplicity and perfection, though distinct concepts, necessarily correlate in the order of being

Why God Must Be One #

• Premise 1: God is entirely simple (no composition whatsoever)
• Premise 2: Multiplicity requires composition (individual matter + essence, as in men)
• Conclusion: There can be only one God

The Three Reasons for God’s Immutability #

• From Simplicity: Change requires composition; God is simple; therefore unchanging
• From Perfection: Change requires need/lack; God lacks nothing; therefore unchanging
• From Infinity: Infinite being cannot move (has nowhere to go); God is infinite; therefore unchanging

Important Definitions #

Simplicity (Simplicitas) #

• Complete absence of composition—God is not made up of matter and form, essence and existence, substance and accidents, or any other duality
• The foundation for understanding why God is unique and unchanging

Perfection (Perfectio) #

• The fullness of being; God possesses all perfections in their infinite measure
• Distinct from simplicity but inseparable from it in God

Unity (Unitas) #

• The state of being one; for God, a consequence of absolute simplicity
• Different from numerical unity in creatures, which results from limitation by individual matter

Infinity (Infinitas) #

• Absence of limitation; God’s perfection is not bounded
• God cannot be measured; His goodness, power, and knowledge have no limit

Immensity (Immensitas) #

• Nearly synonymous with eternity in theological usage
• Expresses God’s transcendence and unmeasurability

Examples & Illustrations #

The Angelic Hierarchy #

• Angels demonstrate the correlation of simplicity and perfection
• “The way they go up, the perfect they become, and the simpler they become.”
• Higher angels are both more perfect and more simple than lower angels
• This principle, when extended to infinity, applies to God

The Difference Between God’s Perfection and Creature Perfections #

• We can compare degrees of praise: “I praise my teacher, but I praise Plato even more highly than I would praise my teacher.”
• We can measure Plato against Aristotle
• But God’s goodness admits no such comparison: “How good is God? You can’t say. Beyond everything.”

God’s Infinite Power and Creation #

• God cannot make everything He is able to make in one year because this would impose a limit
• Taking things one by one, He can always make anything He is able to make
• But exhausting His creative power would contradict His infinity

Individual Matter and Multiplicity #

• Men can be multiple because each man has individual matter
• God, having no matter, cannot be multiple
• This illustrates why simplicity necessitates uniqueness

The Universe Analogy #

• Even if the universe were infinite in extent, it would still be measurable in principle
• God’s infinity transcends this—He is not measurable in any sense

Notable Quotes #

“The way they go up, the perfect they become, and the simpler they become.” — Berquist, on the angelic hierarchy

“How good is God? You can’t say… Beyond everything.” — Berquist, on the endlessness of God’s perfection

“God is the good of every good.” — Thomas Aquinas (cited by Berquist)

“You’re never going to be bored if you haven’t seen him.” — Berquist, on the inexhaustibility of God’s perfection

Questions Addressed #

Do simplicity and perfection correspond to unity and infinity? #

• Answer: Yes, though not with perfect parallelism in all of Thomas’s works. Simplicity corresponds to unity (both fundamental to God’s uniqueness); perfection corresponds to infinity (both express the endlessness of God’s being). The ordering varies depending on Thomas’s pedagogical purpose in each work.

Why does God’s perfection seem more readily grasped as endless than His simplicity? #

• Answer: Perfection (goodness) has a positive, affective resonance that naturally evokes wonder. Simplicity, being a negative concept (absence of composition), is more abstract and intellectually demanding. Liturgically and devotionally, we praise God for what He is (perfect) rather than what He is not (composite).

Why is unity placed last in the Summa Theologiae but earlier in the Compendium Theologiae? #

• Answer: In the Summa Theologiae, unity is placed last in the treatment of God’s essence because the Prima Pars immediately proceeds to discuss the Trinity. Emphasizing God’s absolute unity at the end of the essential attributes prepares the reader to understand how Trinity does not contradict the oneness of God. In the Compendium, written as a portable exposition, unity can be treated immediately after simplicity to show their close correspondence.

Can God make everything He is able to make? #

• Answer: Taking individual acts one by one, yes. But He cannot make everything He is able to make in any finite period because this would impose a limit on His infinite power, which would be contradictory.

What role does simplicity play in God’s immutability? #

• Answer: Simplicity is fundamental. Whatever changes must acquire or lose something, implying composition (potential and actuality). Since God is entirely simple with no potentiality, change is impossible. This is the most direct reason for God’s immutability.

Pedagogical Notes #

• Berquist conducted a survey of his students asking whether they would characterize God’s perfection or simplicity as endless; all chose perfection
• This observation suggests that while simplicity is logically foundational, perfection is pedagogically more effective for spiritual understanding
• The different orderings in Thomas’s works reflect different contexts: Summa Contra Gentiles emphasizes logical progression; Summa Theologiae anticipates Trinitarian doctrine; Compendium Theologiae balances brevity with clarity