key words Flashcards
creatio ex Nihilo
‘creation from nothing’ - the view that God created the universe by an act of will from no pre-existing materials
free will
the ability to decide choices freely without that choice being predetermined. Involves responsibility for those choices
hermeneutics
the science and art of textual interpretation
miracle
an unexpected event demonstrating the specific power of God. For Hume this always entails a breach of the natural laws of physics, but Aquinas and others emphasise the religious meaning of such events saying that there is no requirement for natural laws to be broken
myth
a presentation of deeper truth through the medium of story
moral evil
evil brought about, directly or indirectly, as as a result of human choices
non-propositional faith and revelation
often described as ‘faith in’. this is the faith of personal encounter, as when one says ‘i believe in him’. in religious terms this means that God reveals himself, with faith trust in that self-revelation.
predestination
the belief that as God is omniscient, he knows our choices from all eternity and therefore has already determined our eternal destiny. the belief is associated most commonly with Calvinism.
