Existence Of God Flashcards
West vs East
West - Holy Spirit comes from Jesus and the Father (John 1:3)
East - Holy Spirit comes only from the Father (John 15:26)
Creating the world
Some disagree that God formed the world ex nihilo, and that he used pre-existent matter
Others believe he did because he’s all powerful. If he didn’t that would mean he isn’t unique in being eternal, as the matter would have existed prior to creation
Humans
Breathes life into Adam, provides the Garden of Eden
Promised land for the Israelites
10 Commandments; meant to help humans live a good life
God and Time
Most Christians see God as being timeless, therefore he knows the past present and future (atemporal) so his plans are bound to happen since he can see all time
Others believe that if God were beyond time and unchanging, he would not be able to relate to us. Therefore God has to be able to be active within time otherwise he wouldn’t be able to respond to our prayers
Others believe that God is in time, without beginning or end but with humans each and every moment
God and human communication
Catholics: can communicate via a priest to God
Protestants: don’t need a mediator as Jesus enabled all people who truly believe in God to pray directly to him
Challenges to God’s goodness
Old Testament shows anger, jealousy, and lack of justice. He enabled his people to destroy other nations in order to take land for themselves
New Testament shows his ultimate sacrifice in giving up his one and only son
Evil
Result of human sin - Adam and Eve original sin
Lesson - because of sin we are aware of the goodness of God.
Doesn’t explain suffering that cannot be learned from, e.g the suffering of a baby. Doesn’t always result in people becoming more like God (e.g terminal illness may cause anger)
Test - test of faith for believers, punishment for the wicked. Believe that God would never test them beyond what they can bear
Bible as the word of God
Fundamentalists - take the bible literally
Conservative - bible writers were inspired by God, but being human the bible may have mistakes in it, the language also has to be translated which may cause some inaccuracy
Liberal - stories are mythical/symbolic
Types of Miracle
Healing
Miracles over nature
Raising the dead
Exorcisms
Miracles
For: Over 6,500 people have claimed to be miraculously healed by Lourdes
Against: God has revealed himself through Jesus and then through the Bible, so further revelation is unnecessary
Mystical experience
An overwhelming awareness of the presence of God, leading to feelings of awe and wonder
Ecstatic experience
An altered state of mind where people become less wade or the world around them and feel intense emotional and spiritual feelings about God
Pentecostalism
A movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasises having a direct, personal experience with God
Glossolalia
Speaking in tongues via the Holy Spirit
Never a language that doesn’t exist in human language, it’s a language given by the Holy Spirit through which the Holy Spirit can worship God
Transubstantion
The belief that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus
