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Christianity -MS > Knowledge of God > Flashcards

Knowledge of God Flashcards

1
Q

What does apokalypsis mean?

A

It is revelation and means removing of a veil

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2
Q

What are the two types of revelation?

A

Natural theology and revealed theology

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3
Q

What is natural theology?

A

God is revealed through observation of the natural world using reason and conscience

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4
Q

What biblical verses support natural theology?

A

Psalms 19:1 - “the heavens declare the glory of God”

Acts 17:16-34 - Paul sees the altar to the unknown God

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5
Q

How is reason used in natural theology?

A
  • Bonaventura suggested that the human mind has three ways of knowing and uses the metaphor of the eye to illustrate:
    1) Eye of flesh - observation
    2) Eye of reason - philosophy and maths
    3) Eye of contemplation - faith
  • Aquinas aimed to show Christian faith as reasonable but also said revealed truths are needed
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6
Q

How is observation used in natural theology?

A
  • William Paley’s design argument and Tennant’s aesthetic principle is an example of how Natural theology has been used to suggest God’s existence
  • The Catholic church says arguments from observation using reason are converging and convincing
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7
Q

How is conscience used in natural theology?

A
  • Calvin considered conscience important as it is God-given and means “joint knowledge between God and man”
  • Cardinal Newman suggested conscience is proof of the existence of God as “this implies that there is one t whom we are responsible”
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8
Q

What is Calvin’s view of natural theology?

A
  • He said we all have sensus divinitatis which is inbuilt and innate
  • He said the seeds of religion are everywhere and everyone can know something about God through Natural Theology - there is no excuse
  • Creation is God’s mirror and reflects something about God
  • Natural theology allows God to reveal something to finite humans through the principle of accommodation
  • He calls these reflections sparks of glory
  • The world is God’s theatre of action eg) miracles
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9
Q

What are the keywords for Calvin’s views on natural theology?

A 
sensus divinitatis
seeds of religion
God's mirror and theatre
principle of accommodation
sparks of glory
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10
Q

What is revealed theology?

A

Special revelation of God through Jesus, the Bible, church tradition, grace, and faith.

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11
Q

What did Calvin say sensus divinitatis was?

A

An innate awareness of God but this is confused by original sin so is only simple knowledge of God and we need revealed theology as well.

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12
Q

What is the idea of God as a redeemer and mediator?

A

God is a redeemer as he sacrificed his son to save us and also a mediator through Jesus Christ

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13
Q

What is Robert Boyle’s analogy of revealed and natural theology?

A

God can be known through two books - the natural world and the Bible - both were written by the same author.

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14
Q

How is faith used in Revealed theology?

A
  • Aquinas thought that faith was based on rational arguments. Faith is divided into unformed (intelligent reasons are accepted but the person still doesn’t believe) and formed faith (accepting what is reasoned which takes time, effort, prayer, and worship
  • Calvin disagrees as he sees faith as certain knowledge of God as a direct object of faith which is given to people willing to accept it. It is a willingness to believe not only intellectual but emotional.
  • Kierkegaard thinks faith is trust in a relationship with God and he calls it a leap of faith
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15
Q

How is grace used in Revealed theology?

A
  • Calvina and the Catholic church argue that faith alone isn’t enough to know God. It requires God reaching down to complete the relationship
  • Aquinas says grace is given through the holy spirit
  • Calvin said the holy spirit creates a person’s faith by repairing the damage caused by original sin
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16
Q

How is Jesus used in Revealed theology?

A
  • For Calvin, Christ is the complete revelation of God and is both mirror and mediator. Calvin said knowledge of God is best “explained in the word”
  • Catholicism agrees but says the role of faith is to imagine the revelation of Christ in every generation
17
Q

How is the Bible used in Revealed theology?

A
  • In the catechism, Catholics teach that God is the author of scripture but Christianity is more than just the bible. It is the revelation of the eternal word of living God.
  • For Calvin, the bible is a record of Jesus, the word of God, and the main way humans can know God
18
Q

What are the strengths/weaknesses of Natural theology?

A

+ Available to all
+ Many people feel awe when in nature and attribute this to God
- Assumes there is a point of contact between God and man but how can finite minds understand an infinite being?
- If human nature is corrupt knowledge of God would be too
- It may let us know something about God but doesn’t allow a personal relationship - we need Revealed theology for this
- Calvin calls it “simple knowledge”

19
Q

What are the strengths/weaknesses of revealed theology?

A

+ Not tainted but corrupt human nature

  • Emphasis on faith could lead to fideism
  • Why does God only reveal himself to some?
  • Some have no access to the Gospel and so can’t use revealed theology
  • Is pluralism valid?
20
Q

What did Brunner argue about Calvin’s teaching?

A

NATURAL THEOLOGY AND REVEALED

  • Calvin meant that sparks of glory provide a point of contact with God and enable humans to have a vague knowledge of God.
  • Humans are not fully corrupted because we were created spiritually in the image of God.
  • Conscience is important so humans become aware of their sinful state and God
  • But true knowledge can only come through the revelation of Christ through grace and faith
21
Q

What did Barth argue about Calvin’s teaching?

A

ONLY REVEALED

  • Barth disagreed with Brunner saying human nature is too distorted by the fall and there can be no point of contact between God and man.
  • Barth was suspicious of reason and conscience for this reason
22
Q

How can Barth’s view be criticized?

A
  • He was too influenced by what he witnessed in Nazi Germany which was justified with reason
  • Barth’s view of faith over reason could lead to fideism which the First Vatican Council outlawed

Christianity -MS (13 decks)

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