Calvin’s Sensus Divinitatis Flashcards
Q: What would humans be able to do if natural theology was valid?
A: Humans would be able to know God’s existence or God’s morality through their own efforts.
Q: Why does Barth argue that natural theology would make revelation unnecessary?
A: Because if humans could know God’s existence or morality through their own efforts, then there would be no need for divine revelation.
Q: What does the necessity of revelation imply about the validity of natural theology?
A: The necessity of revelation, evidenced by God sending Jesus, implies that natural theology cannot be valid.
Q: What does Aquinas insist about his natural theology in relation to faith?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Aquinas insists that his natural theology does not undermine faith but instead supports it.
Q: What is the purpose of Aquinas’ arguments for God’s existence?
However, Aquinas insists
A: To show the reasonableness of belief in God and to provide evidence for some kind of God, not to replace faith.
Q: Why did Aquinas reject the Ontological argument?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Aquinas rejected the Ontological argument because, as an a priori deductive argument, it sought to prove God’s existence, which he worried would replace faith.
Q: What is required in addition to natural law ethics to gain divine law, according to Aquinas?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Revelation is required in addition to natural law ethics to gain divine law.
Q: What type of reasoning does Aquinas use to provide evidence for a designer or necessary being?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Aquinas uses a posteriori reasoning to provide evidence for a designer or necessary being.
Q: What is needed to know the Christian God in particular exists, according to Aquinas?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Faith is needed to know that the Christian God in particular exists.
Q: How does the knowledge from natural theology compare to revealed theology?
However, Aquinas insists
A: The knowledge from natural theology is not the same as revealed theology and cannot replace or undermine it.
Q: What is the role of reason according to Aquinas in relation to faith?
However, Aquinas insists
A: The role of reason is to support faith, not to make revealed theology unnecessary.
Q: Why doesn’t the Bible contain reasoned arguments for God, according to Aquinas?
However, Aquinas insists
A: Because the goal is to maintain faith, and reasoned arguments like those Aquinas provides are only meant to show the reasonableness of belief in God.
Q: What does Aquinas’ natural theology provide in terms of evidence?
However, Aquinas insists
A: It provides evidence that a designer or necessary being exists, supporting faith but not replacing it.
