Arguments for the existence of God

Question 1

What is revealed theology?

Answer 1

• the name Christians give to knowledge which they believe God has chosen to show people
• these are not ideas people could have observed or worked out for themselves
• Include life after death, doctrine of Trinity or nature of the salvation

Question 2

What is revelation?

Answer 2

• means ‘uncovering’
• theologically means when God chooses to let himself know

Question 3

what is immediate revelation?

Answer 3

where someone is given direct knowledge of God

Question 4

what is mediate revelation?

Answer 4

where someone gains knowledge of God in a secondary, non-direct way

Question 5

what is natural theology?

Answer 5

• drawing conclusions about the nature and activity of God by using reason and observation of the world

Question 6

what does Karl Barth say about revelation?

Answer 6

• says that God can only be known through revealed theology and not through natural theology
• says “God is radically other”
• God is so metaphysical and transcendental that we must put revealed theology above human logic and reason
• we would have known if we had not failed in ‘The Fall’

Question 7

what does John Calvin say about revelation?

Answer 7

• says “the desire for good is written in the human heart, because man is created in God”
• says you can only start to truly understand God by accepting Jesus as Redeemer of the world
• not done on a rational level but can only occur on a spiritual one