Basic 6 · Religious and Moral Education · God the Creator
Attributes of God: All-Powerful, All-Knowing and Everywhere
In this topic you will describe the nature of God through three great attributes: omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Explain the meaning of omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent
- Give teachings on these attributes from the three main religions
- Explain how these attributes affect the way believers live
What you already know
- Qualities of God (Basic 5)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- God’s Creation And Attributes
- Sub-strand
- God the Creator
- Indicator
- B6.1.1.1.1 – Describe the nature of God through His attributes
Introduction
No human being can do everything, know everything or be everywhere at once. Yet the three main religions in Ghana teach that God has all these qualities. These special qualities are called attributes.
1. What Is an Attribute?
Attribute: A quality or characteristic that belongs to someone, especially to God.
People describe God's nature through His attributes. Three of the greatest attributes begin with "omni", a word meaning "all".
| Attribute | Meaning | Example teaching |
|---|---|---|
| omnipotent | all-powerful; nothing is too hard for God | "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14) |
| omniscient | all-knowing; God knows everything, even our thoughts | "His understanding has no limit" (Psalm 147:5) |
| omnipresent | present everywhere at the same time | "Where can I flee from your presence?" (Psalm 139:7) |
2. In Islam
Islam teaches that Allah is Al-Qadir (the All-Powerful), Al-Alim (the All-Knowing) and that He is closer to a person than their own jugular vein (Qur'an 50:16). The famous verse Ayat al-Kursi (Qur'an 2:255) says that Allah is the Ever-Living, who neither sleeps nor tires, and whose knowledge covers the heavens and the earth.
3. In African Traditional Religion
The Akan call God Onyankopɔn (the Great One) and Ɔdomankoma (the Infinite Creator). The proverb "Obi nkyerɛ abɔfra Nyame" means "No one shows a child the Supreme Being", because God's presence and power can be seen everywhere in nature. Other Ghanaian groups also describe God as all-powerful and all-knowing, for example the Ewe name Mawu.
4. How These Attributes Affect Believers
| Attribute | How believers respond |
|---|---|
| omnipotent | they trust God in difficult times and do not lose hope |
| omniscient | they are honest even when no one is watching, because God knows |
| omnipresent | they feel God's company and protection everywhere |
These attributes also comfort believers. A child who is afraid at night can remember that God is present. A family facing illness can trust that God is powerful. A person who has been treated unfairly can remember that God knows the truth.
New words
- attribute
- A quality that belongs to God.
- omnipotent
- All-powerful.
- omniscient
- All-knowing.
- omnipresent
- Present everywhere.
- Ayat al-Kursi
- A famous verse of the Qur'an (2:255) about Allah's greatness.
- Onyankopɔn
- An Akan name for God meaning "the Great One".
Summary
- God's attributes describe His nature.
- God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
- Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion all teach these attributes.
- Believers respond with trust, honesty and a sense of God's presence.
Class activity: Attribute Cards
- Write each "omni" attribute on a card.
- Find one teaching from each religion for each attribute.
- Act out a short scene showing how a believer responds to one attribute.
You need: Bible, Qur’an, Printed Ghanaian moral-scenario cards, Manila attribute-and-action cards
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. "Omnipotent" means…
- A. all-powerful
- B. all-knowing
- C. everywhere
- D. holy
Show answer
Answer: all-powerfulOmni = all; potent = powerful.2. Which attribute means God knows everything?
- A. Omniscient
- B. Omnipotent
- C. Omnipresent
- D. Eternal
Show answer
Answer: OmniscientAll-knowing.3. Ayat al-Kursi is found in…
- A. Qur'an 2:255
- B. Genesis 1:1
- C. Psalm 23
- D. Qur'an 1:1
Show answer
Answer: Qur'an 2:255It describes Allah's greatness.4. Omnipresent means present everywhere.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueAt the same time.5. Only Christianity teaches that God is all-powerful.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseAll three religions teach it.6. The Akan proverb says no one shows a ______ the Supreme Being.
Show answer
Answer: childGod's presence is obvious.7. Explain the meaning of omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.
Show answer
Answer: All-powerful, all-knowing, present everywhere.Three attributes.8. How should knowing that God is omniscient affect a pupil's behaviour?
Show answer
Answer: The pupil should be honest even when no one is watching, because God knows everything.Moral response.
Homework
- Write three ways a believer can show trust in God's power.