Literature Review
Many Christians indicate that God’s omnipotence (all-powerful nature) is absolute while C.S. Lewis and other Systematic Theologians claim that it is limited. What does it mean to say that God is all powerful? 
From time immemorial, the doctrine of divine omnipotence has generated a lot of controversies among different experts namely philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, scientists and even theologians. A lot of questions have been asked regarding the claim of all-powerful nature of God by many traditional Christians. While many Christians believe and have unwavering faith in God that He can do all things as written in the Holy Book (Luke 1:37) and by manifestations of God’s power in different challenging situations in the past and present, experts and professionals in diverse fields of study think that there is limitation to the omnipotence of God especially in the areas of problem of evil, miracles and logical thinking. C.S Lewis along with many other influential systematic theologians have argued that the all-powerful nature of God should be seen in a different way from the traditional Christians. For these theologians, the all-powerful nature of God is not all encompassing, is not the ability to do anything or everything but the ability to do only things that are logically possible and within the scope of human comprehension.
This academic piece of writing examines the divergent views and opinions of many Christians and theologians on the all-powerful nature of God. Some readers may assume that this research work is carried out to critique the belief and faith of many traditional Christians while some readers may argue that it is written to make people sceptical about the all-powerful nature of God. This literature review explores traditional and historic theological evidence, modern systematic theology, and contemporary comments to find out what Christians mean when they refer to God as all-powerful. 
The Position of the Bible about the all-powerful nature of God
The Holy Bible is full of thoughtful, mind-blowing and avalanche of evidence about the power, abilities and wonders of God in different dimensions. There are hundreds and hundreds of manifestations of God’s omnipotence from the Old Testament all through the New Testament. From the creative power of God such as making a way for the Israelites to walk on the dry ground across the red sea (Exo 14:21-22) to the restorative power of God, for example bringing back the axe head that fell into the river (2 Kings 6:6-7) and the reviving power of God that brought back Lazarus from the grave after four days (John 11:43-44). As a result, many Christians and non-Christians are persuaded to believe the all-powerful nature of God. Furthermore, the bible establishes God as a sovereign God “God is in Heaven and does what pleases Him” (Psalm 115:3). God is introduced as the creator of the heavens and earth and He is also portrayed as the God of possibilities. Is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah 32:17). In the New Testament, God is described as the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last and the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13-15). The avalanche of reference to God through different names He is called reveals His powerful nature to a great extent. Although some people may still have questions and concerns about why God has not demonstrated His all-powerful nature in some circumstances.

Historic Christian Theology: Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas attests to the omnipotence of God. In his book, The Summer Theologica, he develops the claim that whatever implies contradiction does not come within the scope of divine omnipotence because it cannot have the aspect of possibility. He further clarifies that God can do all things which is understood to mean He can do all things that are possible and for this reason, He is said to be omnipotent. Aquinas argues that God is called omnipotent because He can do all things that are possible absolutely; which is a second way of saying something is possible. A thing is said to be possible or impossible absolutely according the relation in which the very terms stand to one another. All things are possible if the predicate is not incompatible with the subject.

C.S Lewis – Logical Inconsistencies
Evidence supporting the claim that God is not all-powerful lies in the findings of C.S. Lewis in his book The Problem of Pain. Omnipotence is defined as the power to do all or everything and with reference to the scripture with God all things are possible (Luke 1:37). Lewis views the all-powerful nature of God from two perspectives: good and almighty. ‘If God were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy therefore God lacks either goodness or power or both. Lewis further argues that the omnipotence of God means He can only do what is intrinsically possible and not things that are not intrinsically impossible. For example, God cannot make a square circle.
William Ockham
William Ockham along similar lines argues and pontificates on the two aspects of God’s power: the absolute power and the ordained power. God can do something in a manner which is established by laws which were ordained and established by God which suggests that God acts according to His ordained power. Also, the absolute power of God was the power which existed before God had decided upon any course of action or world ordering. On account of God’s omnipotence, Ockham propounds the view that God is not now able to do everything because He has deliberately limited the possibilities to do so. God, in exercising His omnipotence chooses to restrict all other options available. Ockham submits that God’s actions limits God’s options and calls this the notion of divine self-limitation.
Alister McGrath argues that the belief of God’s omnipotence especially by the traditional Christian faith is limited, contradictory and illogical. McGrath put forward the claim that if God is omnipotent, it means He can do anything and everything. He further clarifies that God cannot make a square circle or a round triangle which are obvious contradictions. Consequently, the omnipotence of God is not all encompassing. Along similar lines, McGrath (2001) lend support to the claim that there are exceptions to the all-powerful nature of God by asking this question: Can God create a stone which is too heavy to lift? And if God can create a stone which is too heavy to lift, can He lift the stone? If God cannot lift the stone, it is proven that God is not all-powerful. 
Contemporary Theologians
Millard Erickson lends support to the claim of many Christians that God is an omnipotent God in his book God the Father Almighty. He argues that the confidence that God demonstrates to demand a type of veneration that He is a supreme God to be worshipped and which must not be shared with any other object (Exodus 20:3) is huge evidence to believe the all-powerful nature of God. Erickson points out that there are two considerations to examine divine omnipotence which are: names of God that convey the idea of power and attributions of ability and power to God. Erickson reflects on recurrence of God’s name (El Shaddai) in both the Old and New Testament of the Holy Bible to give compelling reasons in favour of the argument of the divine omnipotence and all-powerful nature of God. 

What does it mean to say God is All-Powerful?
In surveying the literature, I come across different comments, propositions, assumptions, and submissions about the attributes of God, the acts of God and God’s omnipotence. This research work will properly investigate the arguments for and against the all-powerful nature of God. The views of many Christians and non-Christians will be considered.


Conclusion
The subject of divine omnipotence shows a great a great disparity and clash of interests among philosophers, theologians – systematic, classical, modern and pastoral theologians and many other logical thinkers. This research work aims to demystifies the mysteries around the all-powerful of God and the understanding of many Christians on this subject.




Bibliography
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Carr, David M., The Formation of the Hebrew Bible: A New Reconstruction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012). 
Docherty, Susan, Journal for the Study of the New Testament Vol.38(1) 112-125 (Birmingham: SAGE, 2015).
Grenz, Stanley J & Roger, Olson., Who Needs Theology? (Leicester: Inter Varsity Press, 1996).
Hendel, Ronald, Remembering Abraham: Culture, Memory and History in the Hebrew Bible
(New York: Oxford Academic Books, 2005). 
Hendel, Ronald, ‘Remembering Abraham’, Remembering Abraham: Culture, Memory, and History in the Hebrew Bible (New York, 2005; online edn, Oxford Academic, 1 Feb.2006), https://doi.org/10.1093/0195177967.003.0002, accessed 14 Dec. 2025.
Erickson, Millard J., Christian Theology: (2 ed., United States: Baker Book House, 1994).
Erickson, Millard J., God the Father Almighty: (United States: Baker Book House, 1998).
Lewis, C.S., The Problem of Pain: (London: Harper Collins Publishers, 2012).
McGrath, Alister E., The Christian Theology Reader: (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2001).
McGrath, Alister E., Christian Theology – An introduction: (2 ed., Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2001).
Nelson, Thomas Inc., The Holy Bible, New King James Version: (Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996).
Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology: (Edinburgh: T & T Clark Ltd, 1998).
Pink, Arthur W., The Attributes of God: (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1998).
Stone, Howard W., & Duke, James O., How to Think Theologically: (2 ed., Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2006).
Walter, Elwell A., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: (United States: Baker Book House, 1994).
Yandian, Bob., Theology Simplified: (Shippensburg: Harrison House Publishers, 2021)