An anwser to “Could God Create a rock so heavy he himself could not lift it”

Last updated on: November 28, 2009 at 2:34 pm by Billy Kangas

An anwser to “Could God Create a rock so heavy he himself could not lift it” 2009-11-28T14:34:00-04:00 Billy Kangas

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I have often heard the question asked “could God create a rock so heavy he himself could not lift it” or more recently “could God create a burrito so hot he could not eat it”… there are potentially millions of these examples.

Today I would like to answer these questions for you.

First: we should get our terminology right. I am a theist so what God means to me is a being which is outside of the universe, who created the universe. I don’t mean a life force within the universe or anything like that. I assume transcendence of all when I use the term God. Some might not, and for them the answer to this question might be quite different.

Second: all these examples I have heard deal with an attribute of an object contained within the universe. (a rock, a burrito, etc…). The attribute itself is something that is relative to the empirical capacity of the one who is experiencing it, and/or relative to the environment in which the subject is being interacted with. (i.e. the weight of a rock changes based on the gravitational field in which you experience it, the heat of a burrito is something that is only experienced by beings and objects that have the proper receptacles to register the effects of the capsaicin in the peppers used.)

Third: For God to be able to interact with these objects in a way that answers these questions he would have to manifest himself in the world in a way that is particular rather then transcendent. He would have to choose to enter the world in a form that has the capacity to be limited by the laws of physics.

Fourth: We have a term for this, it’s called “incarnation.” For the question to be answered God would have to become incarnate in a form that is able to interact with the given object in a way that allowed him to experience the attribute or quality relative to the question within a point of reference where the attributes are manifest in a way in which the incarnate God could experience them in a way that allowed the question to be answered.

Fifth: as a Christian I believe God did this in the Person of Jesus Christ, and within this form there were many rocks God had created that Jesus was not strong enough to lift. And although I don’t know if Jesus ever had a burrito, there probably were some foods to hot for him to eat.

So I guess the answer to most of these questions would be: YES

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 26, 2009

The Lord's Supper - Part IV - Thanksgiving!!

Next Post

November 29, 2009 Luke: A longer walk with Jesus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Bible Books CCC Prayer Christmas Current Events Family Film Free Photo Fridays Humor hunger liturgical calendar liturgy Music Photos pope Prayer Prayerful Leader questions Quotes Review Saints Satire Scripture SYNOD SYNOD FOR THE FAMILY teaching Uncategorized video Weekly Round Up

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 April 2026 February 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 February 2025 January 2025 September 2024 June 2024 May 2024 February 2024 December 2023 August 2023 May 2023 February 2023 November 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 September 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 August 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 November 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 October 2008 August 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Multitudes of locusts came in waves—the cutting, swarming, hopping, and destroying locusts. What did this plague foreshadow?

Select your answer to see how you score.

God's wrath A famine The day of the Lord An invasion