God's Self-Existence

What do theologians mean when they refer to God's self-existence, or, aseity?

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Answer

When theologians describe God as self-existent, they mean that he doesn't get his existence from somewhere else. God gives us existence and we've got used to the dependence on God for our existence. But God is not in that same position. God exists because God exists, and he wasn't created by another God. God exists because God exists, and the rest of us exist because God willed it to be.

Answer by The Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry

The Very Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry is Academic Dean of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and was previously Dean and President of Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA.