Paul Helm presents a new, expanded edition of his much praised 1988 book Eternal God , which defends the view that God exists in timeless eternity. This is the classical Christian view of God, but it is claimed by many theologians and philosophers of religion to be incoherent. Paul Helm rebuts the charge of incoherence, arguing that divine timelessness is grounded in the idea of God as creator, and that this alone makes possible a proper account of divine omniscience. He develops some of the consequences of divine timelessness, particularly as it affects both divine and human freedom, and considers some of the alleged problems about referring to God. The book thus constitutes a unified treatment of the main concepts of philosophical theology. Helm's revised edition includes four new chapters that develop and extend his account of God and time, taking account of significant work in the area that has appeared since the publication of the first edition, by such prominent figures as William Lane Craig, Brian Leftow, and Richard Swinburne. This new discussion takes the reader into further areas, notably timelessness and creation and the nature of divine causality.

Paul Helm's profile page

Paul Helm was educated at Worcester College, Oxford, and was for many years a member of the Philosophy Department of the University of Liverpool. From 1993-2000 he was the Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion, King's College, London. In 2001 he was appointed J.I.Packer Chair of Philosophical Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.. He is presently a Teaching Fellow there.

"It is ... particularly opportune and appropriate to have a resolute defence of the doctrine of God's atemporal eternity from a philosophical theologian and logician of great skill and acumen."

--Journal of Theological Studies

"Swimming against the tide of contemporary philosophical orthodoxy, Helm has produced an indomitable defence of the concept of a timeless God ... undoubtedly an intellectual tour de force which will drive readers into a reappraisal of a philosophically unfashionable theology ... Helm is a lucid communicator, presenting essentially difficult ideas with remarkable clarity."

--Themelios

Review from previous edition: "Helm develops his ideas in an exceptionally lucid manner and, more importantly for most prospective readers, without the arcane language of symbolic logic - he writes in English. Although the standard of argumentation is quite sophisticated, he has managed to present his case with consumate clarity and readability. There is a signal absence of technical philosophical jargon."

--Colin Wright, Christianity and Society

"A welcome and stimulating treatment of the problem of God's timelessness ... This is a very clear and accessible book; it would make a good text for a graduate seminar and will certainly be required reading for anyone working in this field."

--Review of Metaphysics