We’ve covered this before.
Craig slurs the argument, making the conclusion a bit unclear. The point is not really that a three-self trinitarian theology is just somehow superior to a unitarian theology. Rather, the point is supposed to be that the concept of a perfect being who is a self collapses into incoherence; it is perfect, yet (the idea is) lacks a feature any perfect being must have. That is, the conclusion is that a God who is a self is as contradictory as a square-circle. The “social” trinitarian view is supposed to win the race because one of its rivals blows a tire midway through the race.
In my view, this Swinburne-Davis argument has been adequately rebutted. I invite Drs. Craig, Swinburne, or Davis to respond.
Finally, note how Craig loves to associate unitarian understandings of God with Islam. A good rhetorical move, to be sure. But while most Islamic theologies are unitarian (I think some aren’t that, but instead Ultimist – positing on ineffable ultimate reality which is not a self) of course it is false that all unitarian theologies are Islamic, as evidened by Christian and Jewish unitarians, including great Christian apologists of past ages.
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I’m not Craig, Swinburne, or Davis, but my response to your paper is under review for a journal. If you want, I can send you the penultimate draft. But I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with most of the moves I make.
Yes, please send it. A good answer is a good answer. I’m going to send you comments on the other paper this coming week.
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