Existential Apologetics

Question 1

existential arguments
- ________ that are ________ to our ________ and ________
- not ________ used in ________ but they are some of the most ________ ________ there are precisely because they are ________ ________
- you will spend ________ of your ________ “________” with these ________

Answer 1

• arguments, directed, needs, emotions
• commonly, arguments, powerful arguments, not arguments
• most, life, “living,” arguments

Question 2

our needs
- two types: ________-________ and ________-________ (what we need for ________ and what we need to ________/________ ________ ________)
- ________-directed
- ________ ________ (does the ________ ________ ________?)
- ________ ________ the ________
- ________
- ________
- a ________ ________
- to be ________
- ________
- to be ________
- ________-directed
- to ________
- ________
- ________ in ________
- being ________
- ________ and ________

Answer 2

• self-directed, others-directed (ourselves, feel/do towards others)
• self
• cosmic security (world make sense)
• hope beyond, grave
• goodness
• heaven
• larger life
• loved
• meaning
• forgiven
• others
• love
• awe
• delighting, goodness
• present
• justice, fairness

Question 3

the existential argument
- we need ________ ________
- we need to ________ that we will ________ ________ the ________ in a ________ that is ________ from the ________ of this ________, a ________ that is ________ of ________ and ________
- we need a ________ ________ ________, one in which we ________ and are ________
- we need ________, and we need to ________ that we are ________ for going ________
- we also need to ________ ________, to ________ in ________, and to be ________ with those we ________
- ________ in ________ ________ these ________
- therefore, we are ________ in ________ ________ in ________

Answer 3

• cosmic security
• know, live beyond, grave, state, free, defects, life, state, full, goodness, justice
• more expansive life, love, loved
• meaning, know, forgiven, astray
• experience awe, delight, goodness, present, love
• faith, God satisfies, needs
• justified, having faith, God

Question 4

C.S. Lewis’ use of the existential argument
- ________ are not ________ with ________ unless ________ of those ________ ________
- if i can ________ in myself a ________ which no ________ in the ________ can ________, the most ________ ________ is that i was ________ for ________ ________

Answer 4

• creatures, born, desires, satisfaction, desires exist
• find, desire, experience, world, satisfy, probable explanation, made, another world

Question 5

The “infinite abyss” argument from ________ ________
- our ________/________ ________ that there was once a ________ ________
- this ________ can only be ________ by an ________ and ________ ________, ________
- this is why ________ ________ to ________ this ________ with ________ ________ is ________ in ________
- the ________ ________ that can ________ an ________ ________ is an ________ ________

Answer 5

• Blaise Pascal
• craving/helplessness suggests, true happiness
• abyss, filled, infinite, immutable object, God
• people’s efforts, fill, hole, surrounding objects, always, vain
• only thing, fill, infinite abyss, infinite God

Question 6

• Pascal’s Infinite Abyss syllogism
  1. ________ have an ________ and ________ ________ for ________ ________
  2. only ________ can ________ this ________
  3. the ________ can be ________
  4. therefore, ________ ________

Answer 6

1. humans, indefinite, intense craving, true happiness
2. God, satisfy, craving
3. craving, satisfied
4. God exists

Question 7

God and the problem of evil
- ________ ________: if we ________ that the ________ ________ of the ________ is ________-________ ________ ________ through ________ ________ of ________, we have ________ from the ________ ________ and can’t ________ it because that’s a ________-________ ________ that ________ ________ ________ ________

Answer 7

• randy alcorn: accept, highest value, universe, short-term human happiness, immediate fulfillment, desires, departed, christian world, defend, man-centered worldview, renders subsequent discussion pointless

Question 8

The problem of evil
- ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________?
- ________ ________ ________ of ________, ________ are ________, ________ ________ and ________ from ________ and other ________, ________ ________ take the ________ of ________

Answer 8

• why doesn’t God stop bad things from happening?
• small children die, starvation, women, raped, millions struggle, die, cancer, diseases, natural disasters, lives, many

Question 9

Does evil disprove God?
- premise #1: ________ is all-________, all-________, and all-________
- premise #2: ________ ________
- premise #3: we should ________ ________ will ________ to ________ ________
- conclusion: therefore, ________ ________ ________ ________

Answer 9

• God, knowing, present, powerful
• evil exists
• assume God, want, stop, evil
• there is no God

Question 10

Answer #1 to the problem of evil: religious skepticism
- ________ ________ was the ________ of this ________
- he suggested there were “________” and “________” ________
- ________ ________ would be that ________ is ________ and ________ wants us to ________
- therefore, he said we could ________ ________ ________ ________ is a ________

Answer 10

• J.L. Mackie, champion, position,
• “orthodox”, “unorthodox” solutions
• unorthodox solutions, God, evil, therefore, suffer
• never really believe there, God

Question 11

Answer #2: The Free-Will Response
- we are ________ ________ who do ________; we are ________, not ________
- mackie’s ________ to the free will argument:
1. this ________ ________ the ________ of ________ ________
2. ________ ________ have ________ us ________ ________ with the ________ to do the ________ ________? (not a ________ of ________, a ________ of ________)

Answer 11

• free creatures, evil; responsible, God
• response
  1. doesn’t solve, problem, natural disasters
  2. couldn’t God, given, freedom along, ability, right thing (lack, freedom, lack desire)

Question 12

Answer #3: Ancient Theodicy
- ________: a ________ of ________
- ________ ________ one of the ________ ________ ever ________ for the ________ of ________
- our ________ on ________ is ________ next to the ________ of ________
- ________ actually ________ us and ________ us as we ________ to ________ ________
- however, this ________ ________ for ________-________ of ________ because their ________ aren’t being ________ for ________
- why does there have to be ________ ________ ________? couldn’t ________ have made our ________ in a ________ ________ as an ________-________ ________?

Answer 12

• theodicy: justification, God
• augustine, provided, greatest theodicies, created, problem, evil
• happiness, earth, temporary, joy, heaven
• suffering, prepares, purifies, prepare, meet God
• doesn’t work, non-believers, Christ, souls, prepared, heaven
• this much suffering? God, souls, different way, all-powerful God

Question 13

Answer #4: Open Theism
- ________ ________ is a ________ about the ________ of ________ and the ________; it suggests that the ________ is not ________ ________ and thus ________ ________ by ________
- instead, ________ ________ ________ ________ and ________ with ________ ________ ________
- this isn’t a ________ of ________ ________ but a ________ of the ________
- ________ ________ ________ that has ________ and is ________, but the ________ is ________ and not fully ________ to ________ because it is not yet ________
- ________ have ________ ________ to make ________ and our ________ are not ________, they ________ in the ________ of ________ and our ________ with ________
- ________ is not ________ but ________ ________ in the ________, ________ to our ________ and ________ ________ ________ ________ within the ________ of the ________
- however, if ________ is still all-________ and ________ all ________, then ________ ________ still not ________ ________?
- there are also ________ ________ about its ________ with ________ ________

Answer 13

• open theism, view, nature, God, future; future, fully determined, not known, God
• God knows all possibilities, works, human free will
• limitation, God’s power, rethinking, future
• God knows everything, happened, happening, future, open, known, God, determined
• humans, genuine freedom, choices, decisions, predestined, matter, course, history, relationship, God
• God, distant, actively working, world, responding, actions, working towards good outcomes, openness, future
• God, powerful, knows, possibilities, could God, end evil
• serious questions, compatibility, spiritual witness

Question 14

Answer #5: God can’t
- ________ ________ ________ offers an approach that ________ the ________ that ________ is ________ ________ (a ________ ________) which is ________ from ________ views that try to ________ or ________ ________ ________
- ________ 2:5-11, the ________ of ________ is ________-________ so ________ (the ________ of ________) is inherently ________
- ________ argues that ________ doesn’t ________ or ________ ________ and instead ________ ________ of ________ inherently ________ his ________ to ________ ________
- ________ ________ all ________ ________ but not what will ________ ________; God is ________ ________ (________) not ________-________ (________)
- 5 main points from the book:
1. ________ can’t ________ ________: ________ ________ of ________ means he must ________ ________ to ________, which unfortunately can ________ to ________ ________
2. ________ ________ our ________: God is ________, ________ in our ________ and working to ________
3. ________ ________ to ________: ________ is ________ ________ to ________, ________, and ________ ________ towards ________, even if he can’t ________ ________ all ________
4. ________ ________ us to ________: ________ ________ ________ us to ________ against ________ and ________ in the ________
5. ________ ________: in the end, ________ may ________; ________ ________ ensures he will always ________ ________ and that ________ he does is ________

Answer 14

• Thomas jay oord, accepts, premise, God, severely limited (kenotic God), different, traditional, justify, explain away evil
• Philippians, nature, God, self-emptying, God, embodiment, love, limited
• Oord, God, cause, allow evil, God’s nature, love, limits, ability, prevent evil
• God knows, things possible, actually happen; maximally powerful (ami-impotent) all-powerful (omnipotent)
  1. God, prevent evil: God’s nature, love, give freedom, creation, lead, evil choices
  2. God feels, pain: empathetic, sharing, suffering, heal
  3. God works, heal: God, always working, heal, mend, persuade creation good, unilaterally prevent, evil
  4. God empowers, act: God’s love empowers, fight, evil, suffering, world
  5. God’s victory: love, win; God’s nature, work love, everything, loving

Question 15

Answer #6: John Peckham’s Theodicy of Love and Cosmic Conflict
- premise #1: ________ must be ________ ________ and ________ ________; a ________ ________ ________ between ________ and ________ is possible only if ________ consistently ________ ________ the ________ to ________ otherwise than ________ ________, which entails ________ and ________ ________. therefore, a ________ ________ ________ ________ the ________ that ________ might ________ ________ ________ ________ and therefore bring about ________
- premise #2: ________ ________ ________ (what he ________ to happen) is sometimes ________ because ________ ________ their ________ ________. however, ________ remains ________, ________, and ________. his ________ ________ (his ________ ________) will come about because of ________ ________ ________ without ________ our ________
- premise #3: there ________ to be ________ that ________ could have ________ without ________ ________ ________ ________. however there are ________ ________ such as ________ and ________ that ________ takes into ________. A ________ ________ ________ where the ________ and his ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ of ________
- premise #4: ________ and ________ could never ________ and ________ ________ by ________ ________; therefore, they ________ ________ on an ________ ________, revolving around the ________ ________ ________ that ________ is not fully ________, ________, and ________. such a ________ could not be ________ by ________ ________, but requires ________ ________
- premise #5: within this ________, ________ and his ________ are ________ ________ ________ ________ over the ________, ________ according to ________ ________ and thus ________ ________ of ________ which ________ (________) the ________ of ________ ________ to ________ or ________ the ________ that ________ ________ within the ________ ________
- God still ________ ________ ________ to ________ all ________ and ________ that no ________ ________, yet there are some ________ ________ can’t ________ ________ because of his ________ to the ________of ________ and the ________ ________ of ________
- ________ does all he ________ ________ to ________/________ ________ but won’t ________ the ________ ________ of ________ or ________ ________ ________ that’s ________ for ________
- premise #6: at the ________, ________ ________ the ultimate ________ at the ________ of ________ ________ ________ and ________ ________, showing the ________ of ________ and ________ ________ ________ ________ over the ________ ________; God will ________ to ________ the ________ ________ once and for all to ________ all ________ against his ________
- ________ is at the ________ of this ________, it’s why ________ ________ ________
- this is the ________ ________ ________ ________, much more ________ ________ than ________

Answer 15

• love, freely given, freely received; genuine love relationship, God, creatures, freedom, will, God desires, epistemic, consequential actions. genuine love relationship requires, possibility, creatures, reject God’s ideal will, evil
• God’s ideal will, (wants), unfulfilled, creatures exercise, consequential freedom, God, sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient. overarching purpose (remedial will), God’s complex foreknowledge, compromising, freedom
• seems, evils, God, stopped, undermining human free will. celestial beings, angels, demons, Peckham, account. cosmic conflict exists, devil, minions oppose God’s moral government, love
• satan, demons, oppose, defeat God, sheet power; challenge God, epistemic level, devil’s slanderous accusations, God, good, just, loving, conflict, solved, sheer power, cosmic demonstration
• conflict, satan, minions, temporarily granted significant jurisdiction, earth, limited, jointly negotiated, conventional rules, engagement, limit (morally), exercise, God’s power, eliminate, prevent, evils, temporarily fall, enemy’s jurisdiction
• maintains sheer power, prevent, evils, desires, evil occurs, evils God, morally prevent, commitment, flourishing, love, conventional rules, engagement
• God, morally can, prevent/eliminate evil, undermine, conventional rules, engagement, creatures’ free will, necessary, love
• cross, Jesus underwent, suffering, hands, human free will, cosmic forces, love, God, vindicating, God’s good rule, earth forever; return, end, cosmic conflict, silence, objections, rule
• love, center, theodicy, God allows evil
• best free will argument, biblically accurate, others

Question 16

Answer #7: God the ex-lex rex
- ________ ________ ________ argues there is no ________ of ________ because ________ can’t be ________ by any ________ ________
- premise #1: ________ ________ all ________ but ________ ________ ________ to ________ both ________ and ________ ________
- premise #2: ________ made the ________ ________ so he is not ________ by the ________ ________ and can’t ________ ________ ________ ________
- premise #3: therefore, we ________ ________ ________ with ________ since he is ________ the ________; he is the ________ without ________ (ex = ________; lex = ________; rex = ________)
- problem: does this not ________ ________ ________?

Answer 16

• william h clark, problem, evil, God, held, human standards
• God predestined, things, uses secondary agents, accomplish, good, evil deeds
• God, moral law, bound, same standard, be judged by it
• can’t charge God, evil, above, law; king, law (without, law, king)
• make God arbitrary

Question 17

Answer #8: what problem of evil?
- ________ ________ argues that we should ________ one of the ________ of the original ________ of ________ ________ that would ________ everything
- premise #1: ________ is all-________, all-________, all-________, and all-________
- premise #2: ________ ________
- premise #3: we should ________ ________ will want to ________ ________
- this premise should be ________ because we have already ________ many ________ why ________ would ________ ________ (________ ________, ________ ________, ________ his ________, ________ ________)
- this solves the ________ ________ but not ________ ________
- so the ________ “therefore, ________ ________ ________” is based on a ________ ________
- new premise #3: we should ________ ________ will want to ________ ________ ________ he had a ________ ________ ________ for ________ ________

Answer 17

• alvin plantinga, challenge, premises, problem, evil syllogism, change
• God, powerful, knowing, present, good
• evil exists
• assume God, stop evil
• challenged, proposed, reasons, God, allow evil (free will, change us, show, glory, personal relationships)
• problem philosophically, necessarily emotionally
• conclusion, God doesn’t exist, flawed argument
• assume God, stop evil unless, morally sufficient reason, allowing evil

Question 18

answer #9: molinism and the best of all possible worlds
- determinism: the ________ that ________ ________ ________ and ________ (in one ________ or ________) all ________ that ________; ________ is ________ to ________ ________
- simple foreknowledge: a ________ that ________ ________ the ________ to ________ our ________ ________ ________ so ________ isn’t ________ for the ________ ________ ________ ________ to ________; bad news is that this ________ ________ of his ________ and ________ (________)
- molinism: ________ by ________ ________ ________ as a ________ to ________ ________ vs ________
- ________ grounds God’s ________ in his ________ and his ________
- ________ pointed out that since ________ is ________, he can ________ many ________ ________ ________ those with ________ who he ________ ________ ________
- ________ has the ________ to ________ ________ with ________ ________ ________ and the ________ to ________ ________ any ________
- if ________ can ________ any ________, he would ________ ________ all that would ________ in ________ of these ________ ________ that are within ________ ________ to ________ if he ________ to ________ them since he is ________; this is still ________ if ________ never ________ ________ these ________ (he would still ________ what would happen in the ________ within his ________ to ________)
- this ________ ________ of ________ ________ includes ________ ________
- ________ ________ is ________ God’s ________ ________ and ________ ________
1. natural knowledge: ________ ________; ________ God ________ that he could ________ (the ________ ________ within his ________ to ________)
2. middle knowledge: the ________ ________ ________ ________ that would ________ if he were to ________ a ________ ________ even if he ________ ________
3. free knowledge: ________ ________; ________ that will ________ in the ________ he has ________ to ________
- important to note that ________ ________ of what ________ ________ is ________ before ________ ________ to ________ the ________; his ________ is ________ (not ________) after his ________ ________ (this ________ God’s ________)
- molinism’s solution to the sovereignty/free will debate: if ________ can ________ ________ ________ who he ________ ________ and he knows how they would ________ if he were to ________ ________, then if ________ ________ to ________ them ________ how they would ________ then ________ can ________ a ________ where ________ will ________ as he ________ they ________
- so ________ is not ________ these ________ ________; they have a ________ ________ to ________ ________ with no ________ ________
- how molinism solves the problem of evil: a ________ of ________ ________ who never ________ to ________ is ________ ________ but not ________ ________ ________ is actually ________
- God might have ________ that no ________ ________ would actually ________ and ________ that a ________ with ________ ________ and ________ ________ would never come into ________
- he saw that ________ ________ of ________ ________ he could ever ________ would ________ to ________; while this ________ is ________, God ________ is was ________
- maybe it was ________ to ________ a ________ ________ what ________ ________ where: his ________ and ________ could be on ________ at the ________, ________ have ________ ________ ________ with ________ and ________, and ________ ________ other than ________ ________
- given ________ ________ and ________, this is the ________ of all ________ ________

Answer 18

• view, God exhaustively causes, determines, way, another, things, happen; calvinism, reducible, divine determinism
• view, gives humans, freedom, choose, individual eternal destinies, God, responsible, evil deeds humans choose, commit; relieves God, providence, sovereignty (arminianism)
• created, louis de molina, solution, free will, predestination
• molinism, sovereignty, omnipotence, omniscience
• molina, God, omnipotent, create, possible worlds including, creatures, doesn’t always determine
• God, power, create beings, libertarian free will, power, not create, world
• God, create, world, perfectly know, happen, each, potential worlds, God’s power, create, chose, create, omniscient; true, God, physically created (know, worlds, power, create)
• full view, God’s omniscience, middle knowledge
• middle knowledge, between, natural knowledge, free knowledge
  1. biggest category; everything, knows, create (potential situations, power, make)
  2. fact God knows everything, happen, create, certain world, never does
  3. smallest category; all, happen, world, chosen, create
• God’s knowledge, would happen, logically, God’s decree, create, world; foreknowledge, LOGICALLY (chronologically), creative decree (maintains, aseity)
• God create free creatures, doesn’t determine, act, make them, God chooses, create, knowing, act, God, create, world, creatures, act, knew, would
• God, determining, free creatures; genuine ability, choose otherwise, strings attached
• world, free creatures, choose, sin, logically possible, everything logically conceivable, possible
• saw, such world, materialize, knew, world, free will, moral perfection, being
• every world, free creatures, create, choose, sin; world, conceivable, knew, unachievable
• impossible, create, world given, God desires: love, glory, display, cross, humans, real loving relationships, God, others, cosmic beings, God exist
• God’s goals, desires, best, possible worlds

Question 19

answer #10: eclectic approach
- drawn from ________, ________, ________, ________, ________, and ________
- five proposals to solve the problem of evil:
1. this is the ________ of all ________ ________ based on the ________ ________ has ________. this includes ________ with ________ and God’s ________ and ________ ________ ________ on the ________ (________ and ________/________)
2. ________ ________ all ________ to ________ his ________ and ________ and is ________ you in the ________ (________ and ________). ________ ________ what is ________ into ________ ________
3. ________ has already ________ with the ________ to the ________ of ________ at the ________ and uses ________ to ________ ________ ________ ________. the ________ is a ________ ________, we ________ the ________ of ________ because ________ has already ________ the ________ ________. the ________ ________ ________ to ________ and ________ with ________ now (________ ________)
4. ________ the ________ for the ________ of ________ (________)
5. there are ________ ________ ________ that have ________ ________ to ________ ________ ________ that ________ has ________ with to ________ ________ his ________ ________ (________)

Answer 19

• plantinga, augustine, piper, wright, peckham, geisler
  1. best, possible worlds, parameters God, designed. humans, responsibility, love, glory fully displayed, cross (peckham, geisler/molinism)
  2. God uses, evil, advance, plan, glory, transforming, process (piper, augustine). God redeeming, bad, something good
  3. God, dealt, solution, problem, evil, cross, believers, temporarily check evil now. cross, future verdict, anticipate, day, judgment, God, given, final verdict. gospel pushes believers, action, dealing, evil (N.T. wright)
  4. reject, syllogism, problem, evil (plantinga)
  5. real cosmic forces, compatibilist freedom, challenge God’s authority, God, covenanted, epistemically prove, good rule (peckham)

Question 20

final solution to the problem of evil
- major premise #1: ________ is ________ and so all his ________ ________ ________ of his ________ ________ (________/________)
- minor premise: ________ ________ his ________ for ________ in the ________ and that ________ into his ________ for ________; thus ________ ________us out of ________ for ________ and for ________
- major premise #2: ________, ________ to ________ the ________ of his ________, ________ to ________ ________ with ________ ________ ________ ________ which means ________ ________ ________ (________/________/________)
- major premise #3: ________ the ________ ________ of what ________ ________ to do like ________ the ________ ________ of his ________, ________, and ________, it was not ________ for any ________ ________ to ________ ________ than this ________ ________ (________/________)
- minor premise: ________ can do ________ ________ ________ ________. it is not ________ ________ for ________ to ________ the ________ of ________ ________ in a ________ ________ than the ________ of ________. therefore, it ________ be ________
- major premise #4: ________ ________ to ________ this ________ out of ________ ________ ________; in this ________ there ________:
• ________ ________ that ________ ________ ________ ________. ________ has ________ ________ ________ ________ or “________” to those ________. they still must ________ ________ ________ and ________ ________ ________ of ________ ________. however, in order to ________ the ________ ________ of his ________, ________ ________ these ________ to have ________ ________ to an ________. ________ ________ can be ________ to these ________ ________
• ________ who are ________ and are in the ________ of ________
- major premise #5: ________ ________ the ________ ________ of his ________, ________, ________, ________, ________, and ________ at the ________, giving ________ a ________ of his ________ ________. on the ________ ________ of ________, ________ will show the ________ ________ of his ________ by ________ the ________ ________, ________ the ________ of ________, and ________ all ________ ________ of his ________ ________. ________ does this to ________ ________ his ________ ________to ________ (________/________)

Answer 20

1. God, love, decisions flow out, loving nature (geisler/peckham)
   - God displays, love, himself, trinity, overflows, love, us; God created, love, himself, us
2. God, desiring show, fullness, love, desired, create creatures, consequential compatibilist free will, our actions matter (augustine, piper, geisler)
3. given, logical parameters, God desired, show, full extent, love, glory, attributes, possible, other world, exist other, current world (geisler/peckham)
   - God, all things logically possible. logically possible, God, display, fullness, his love, way other, cross, Christ. cannot, done
4. God chose, actualize, world, all possible worlds; world, exists
   • cosmic beings, challenge God’s good rule. God, sovereignty delegated temporary jurisdiction, control, beings. seek his approval, nothing happens outside, God’s permission. prove, epistemic goodness, rule, God permits, creatures, their way, extent. natural disasters, attributed, evil brings
   • humans, fallen, kingdom, darkness
5. God displays, full extent, mercy, compassion, judgment, justice, wrath, cross, christians, vindication, good rule. final day, judgment, God, full vindication, rule, getting, world right, destroying, forces, evil, settling,