What question did this study set out to answer?

The paper explores the relationship between moral and religious authority and its linkage to power, as well as the legitimacy of divine claims.

July 28, 2026Open Access

Morality, Power, and the Problem of a Self-Sufficient God

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This structured synthesis examines how moral and religious authority intertwines with power, questioning divine claims.

The paper explores the relationship between moral and religious authority and its linkage to power, as well as the legitimacy of divine claims.
Structured synthesis examining metaphysical arguments regarding a self-sufficient God and historical analysis of moral-religious systems.
Addressed various philosophical defenses like actus purus and narrative theodicy within a comprehensive framework.
Critiqued notions of divine revelation, providing a diagnostic framework (cui bono) to assess claims of divine authority.
No convincing authentication of declared revelations has been found, undermining claims of divine authority.
The analysis demonstrates that human moral systems can operate independently of divine authorship.
The paper concludes that understanding who benefits from religious claims (cui bono) is essential for evaluating their validity.

William Stafford (2026) studied this question.

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