The Nature of Divine Perfection and Its Reflection in Creation

Prof. Michael Gorman explains Aquinas’ doctrine that in God, essence and existence are identical, highlighting how this principle underpins divine simplicity and distinguishes God from all created beings.

This lecture was given on June 1st, 2024, at Mount Saint Mary College.

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About the Speaker:

Michael Gorman is Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.  He has doctorates in philosophy and theology, and his work covers both areas, with a special emphasis on metaphysical themes. He is the author of over thirty-five scholarly articles, a book entitled Aquinas on the Metaphysics of the Hypostatic Union (Cambridge University Press, 2017), and a book that will appear in the spring of 2024 entitled A Contemporary Introduction to Thomistic Metaphysics (The Catholic University of America Press, 2024). 

Keywords: Divine Perfection, Divine Simplicity, Essence and Existence, Metaphysical Composition, Philosophy of Religion, Thomistic Metaphysics, Transcendence