soul, to pronouncements made by many Gentile philosophers and poets, to the unity of the world
and the human race, to the unitary nature of truth and morality, to the nature of the divine being,
which tolerates no equals. And along with polytheism they attacked all things directly or
indirectly connected with it: demonism and superstition, mantic and magic, the deification of
humans and emperor worship, the theaters and the games.97 In this mighty, centuries-long
struggle polytheismwas overcome and deprived both religiously and scientifically of all its power.
However, this does not alter the fact that polytheistic ideas and practices survived in various
forms, repeatedly found fresh acceptance, and especially in modern times powerfully reasserted
themselves. When the confession of the one true God weakens and is denied, and the unity sought
in pantheism eventually satisfies neither the intellect nor the heart, the unity of the world and of
humankind, of religion, morality, and truth can no longer be maintained. Nature and history fall
apart in fragments, and along with consciously or unconsciously fostered polytheistic tendencies,
every form of superstition and idolatry makes a comeback. Modernity offers abundant proof for
this state of affairs, and for that reason the confession of the oneness of God is of even greater
significance today than it was in earlier times.98
Simplicity
[197] The oneness of God does not only consist in a unity of singularity, however, but also in a
unity of simplicity. The fact of the matter is that Scripture, to denote the fullness of the life of God,
uses not only adjectives but also substantives: it tells us not only that God is truthful, righteous,
living, illuminating, loving, and wise, but also that he is the truth, righteousness, life, light, love,
and wisdom (Jer. 10:10; 23:6; John 1:4–5, 9; 14:6; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 John 1:5; 4:8). Hence, on account of
its absolute perfection, every attribute of God is identical with his essence.
Theology later taught this doctrine of Scripture under the term “the simplicity of God.” Irenaeus
calls God “all thought, all perception, all eye, all hearing, the one fountain of all good things.”99
Over against Eunomius the three Cappadocians were forced especially to defend the correctness
of the different divine names and attributes, but Augustine again and again reverted to the
simplicity of God. God, said he, is pure essence without accidents. Compared to him, all created
being is nonbeing.100 In the realm of creatures there are differences between existing, living,
knowing, and willing; there are differences of degree among them. There are creatures that only
exist; other creatures that also live; still others that also think. But in God everything is one. God
is everything he possesses. He is his own wisdom, his own life; being and living coincide in him.101
After Augustine we find this teaching in John of Damascus,102 in the works of the scholastics,103
and further in the thought of all Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed theologians.104
Others, however, firmly rejected and criticized the doctrine of the simplicity of God. Eunomius,
who did in fact teach the absolute simplicity of God, concluded from it that all the divine names
