Divine simplicity and impassibility
- S21.1 Consensus from Era II: God ‘simple, uncompounded’ (Irenaeus), ‘what it has’ (Augustine) (high)
- S21.2 Consensus from Era I: God the Son suffered in the flesh, the divine nature impassible (Ignatius; Cyril at Ephesus) (high)
Two separate measures, shown side by side; neither is combined with the other (confidence-weighted, out of 4; counts show how many of this doctrine's 2 questions each rests on; ⚠ marks coverage more than 10 points below the median, a less certain rank). This doctrine is second-order (tier weight 2). How scoring works · Scripture and tradition · Glossary · Every score with its citation
Closeness to Scripture
Closeness to the fathers
Charts: closeness to the fathers by question, and timeline
- c. 110 Ignatius S21.2
- c. 180 Irenaeus S21.1
- c. 415 Augustine S21.1
- c. 431 Ephesus S21.2
- 1646 Westminster Confession Presbyterian
S21 · Divine simplicity and impassibility
God without parts or passions; essence and energies.
Tier: Second-order (scoring weight 2). How the tiers were set: theological triage. Method: conventions. Traditions’ sources: confessional sources.
In short
Early Christians said God is ‘simple’, meaning he has no parts, and ‘impassible’, meaning his divine nature does not suffer or change; Christ suffered in his human flesh. Scripture says God does not change like a man, though it also speaks of his compassion. Nearly every classic confession says God is ‘without body, parts, or passions’. The Orthodox distinguish God’s essence from his energies but deny that this divides him.
Plan
Questions: S21.1 divine simplicity (God without parts or composition; the Palamite essence–energies distinction); S21.2 divine impassibility (the divine nature does not suffer; the Son suffered in the flesh). Scripture: Exod 3:14; Num 23:19; 1 Sam 15:11, 29; Mal 3:6; Hos 11:8; John 4:24; Jas 1:17; 1 Pet 4:1. Fathers: Ignatius, Ephesians 7; Irenaeus, Against Heresies II.13.3; Augustine, City of God XI.10; Cyril’s Third Letter to Nestorius (Ephesus 431).
Questions
- S21.1 Divine simplicity: is God without parts or composition?
- S21.2 Divine impassibility: does the divine nature suffer?
Verdicts and trace
Weighed under the source-proximity principle: Scripture first, then the father eras I–IV.
S21.1 · Divine simplicity: is God without parts or composition?
| Question | Verdict | Confidence | Reasoning | Key sources | Scripture (benchmark) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S21.1 | Consensus from Era II: God ‘simple, uncompounded’ (Irenaeus), ‘what it has’ (Augustine) | High | S21.1.1 · S21.1.3 weighing | irenaeus-s21-s1 · augustine-s21-s1 | S21.1.4: medium |
S21.2 · Divine impassibility: does the divine nature suffer?
| Question | Verdict | Confidence | Reasoning | Key sources | Scripture (benchmark) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S21.2 | Consensus from Era I: God the Son suffered in the flesh, the divine nature impassible (Ignatius; Cyril at Ephesus) | High | S21.2.1 · S21.2.3 weighing | ignatius-s21-s1 · ephesus-s21-s1 | S21.2.4: medium |
Post-750 development
Which of this doctrine’s questions each tradition stays closest to, or departs from. Each row links to the tradition’s notes; exact scores and bases are in the reasoning.
| Tradition | Closest to the fathers on | Departs or sharpens on |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Orthodox | partly S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Oriental Orthodox | S21.2 | — |
| Lutheran | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Anglican | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Presbyterian | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Reformed Baptist | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| General Baptist | S21.1, S21.2 | — |
| Anabaptist | — | — |
Overall verdict
S21.1: divine simplicity is patristic consensus from Era II and is inferred from Scripture; the Eastern essence–energies distinction claims not to compromise it. S21.2: the divine nature is impassible and the Son suffered in the flesh, consensus from Era I. Most classic confessions say God is ‘without body, parts, or passions’.
Verification status
Lateran IV, AC I, Art. I, WCF II.1, 1689 2.1, FC SD VIII, the 1351 Tome (English translation) and the Ephesus text are verified. The Oriental Orthodox simplicity cell is not assessed; the General Baptist cells rest on the Orthodox Creed (1679) art. I (verified). The FC SD VIII paragraph number was not read.