by William Lane Craig | Released April 21, 2025 | Wiley-Blackwell
“To say that God is omnipresent is not to say that He has parts extended through space, but rather that all of Him is present wherever He wills to act.”
— William Lane Craig
Today marks the release of a theological heavyweight—Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume 2a: On God – Attributes of God, the latest installment in William Lane Craig’s multi-volume project to rearticulate Christian doctrine for the 21st century. For pastors, theologians, apologists, and thoughtful Christians, this is more than just a new book. It’s an event.
From God’s Existence to God’s Essence
Craig has built a career defending the existence of God. From his influential revivification of the Kalām cosmological argument to his rigorous debates with atheists, his work has largely focused on the whether of God. But in Volume 2a, the question shifts. Here, Craig confronts the who of God. Who is this being we call Creator? What is He like? Can we say anything meaningful about His nature?
This volume answers with a resounding yes. But not a superficial one. Not one wrapped in sentimental imagery or vague mysticism. Rather, Craig takes us down the deep, clear riverbeds of classical theism—illuminating divine attributes with philosophical precision and theological clarity.
Why This Book Matters Now
We live in an age where even inside the church, the doctrine of God is in crisis. Cultural forces have reshaped Him into a cosmic therapist, a divine mascot for personal affirmation, or a vague spirit-force without agency or holiness.
Craig’s Attributes of God cuts through this confusion. It reminds the church that theology begins—and either stands or falls—with its doctrine of God. If we get God wrong, we get everything wrong. As A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Craig helps us think rightly.
An Explication of Divine Attributes
Rather than attempting to list all divine attributes in a shallow catalog, Craig lingers. He defines. He analyzes. He stretches each idea through the sieve of analytic philosophy, biblical theology, and historical reflection. Below are just a few of the core attributes he tackles:
Aseity
God is not just self-sufficient; He is self-existent. Craig explains this in ways that cut to the metaphysical heart: God depends on nothing and no one—not for existence, not for meaning, not for power. In a world where every creature is derivative, God alone is.
Simplicity
This much-misunderstood doctrine doesn’t mean God is “easy” but rather that He is not composed of parts. His attributes are not pieces but aspects of His singular, unified being. Craig carefully differentiates between simplicity and modal collapse, offering the church a clearer path through one of theology’s densest thickets.
Eternality
Does God exist within time? Is He outside of time? Craig revisits themes from God, Time, and Eternity to show how a timeless God can still interact with a temporal world—without compromising either His nature or our freedom.
Omnipotence and Omniscience
Rather than reduce these to platitudes, Craig explores the logical structure of divine power and knowledge. What does it mean that God can do anything logically possible? How does He know all true propositions, including counterfactuals of creaturely freedom?
This is theology for those who want to love God with all their mind.
A Continuation of a Monumental Work
Volume 2a is part of a broader vision—Craig’s Systematic Philosophical Theology series. The next installment, Volume 2b: Excursus on Natural Theology and The Trinity, will extend this groundwork with:
- Six arguments for God’s existence (Kalām, contingency, fine-tuning, moral, mathematics, ontological)
- The problem of evil
- A biblical and philosophical model of the Trinity (God as a tripersonal soul)
Together, these volumes promise to be a definitive set for 21st-century theology—bridging head and heart, faith and reason.
Craig’s Ongoing Legacy
Craig’s resume is staggering. Dual doctorates. Over 60 books. More than 300 journal articles. Countless debates. And now, in his late career, he’s turning to the bedrock truths of Christianity—not with sentimentality, but with surgical clarity.
“Theology,” Craig has said, “must be both intellectually satisfying and spiritually enriching.”
That’s exactly what this volume is.
Pastoral Reflection
If you’re a pastor, this book will challenge your assumptions and sharpen your teaching. Many struggle to communicate God’s transcendence without making Him feel distant. Craig gives us tools to teach attributes like omniscience or simplicity with both reverence and relevance.
This book belongs not just on seminary shelves, but on pastors’ desks and believers’ nightstands. It is worship fuel.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Seminary students hungry for depth
- Pastors seeking to teach doctrine faithfully
- Apologists defending classical theism
- Christians asking: “What kind of God do I believe in?”
This isn’t a casual read. But it’s a needed one.
Final Thoughts: Could This Be Craig’s Most Important Book Yet?
Craig is not writing for the academic guild alone. He is writing for the church. For the thinking believer. For the future of orthodoxy.
In a moment where many theological works are shallow, reactive, or trendy, Craig’s Attributes of God is timeless. It’s slow. Careful. Weighty. It reminds us that theology is not about speculation—but about adoration.
Get this book. Sit with it. Argue with it. Let it reorder your thoughts about God. And let that reorder everything else.
📘 Quick Details
- Title: Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume 2a: On God – Attributes of God
- Author: William Lane Craig
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
- Release Date: April 21, 2025
- Pages: 576
- ISBN: 978-1394278770
- Affiliate Link: Buy on Amazon
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