Moltmann and Aquinas

Moltmann's Passable God has been criticized for its lack of emphasis on divine transcendence. It could also be said to undermine the traditional understanding of God's immutability and perfection. However, the weakness is not so much in Moltmanns use of the term passability as it is in peoples understanding of the Trinity. God as Trinity must necessarily be perfect and impassable.[footnoteRef:1] But God as Man was passable and did suffer and feel and have all the experiences associated with human nature, as stated in the Gospel. The created human nature of God in Jesus, the Word Incarnate, did grow and experience pain, and diethis is all recorded, and therefore it can be said that in His human nature God was passable. But in His Godhead, in the Three-as-One Divine Nature, God is not passable, and this distinction has to be made, which is the problem for Moltmann. This is why critics can argue that Moltmann's view of the passability of God does not adequately account for the mystery of God's power and authority, which is often associated with the notion of divine transcendence. Still, one must not neglect to consider the suffering...

Additionally, some have argued that Moltmann's focus on the suffering and vulnerability of God detracts from the notion of God as a powerful and sovereign being. But, again, this can hardly be a valid criticism, as a focus on...…that divert from traditional understanding, as Aquinas puts it. [2: Cho, Anna. "The linguistic characteristics of the language of human rights and its use in reality as the kingdom of God in the light of Speech Act Theory."HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies75, no. 4 (2019), 3.]

An international ecumenical commission that explores the doctrine of an impassable God could help clarify the traditional understanding of God as the supreme being, and address some of the criticisms that have been leveled against it. By exploring the philosophical and theological foundations of this doctrine, such a commission could provide a deeper understanding of the nature of God and strengthen the foundations of Christian faith. However, it should also be noted that such a commission would need to be open to diverse perspectives and engage with…