knowledge of god Flashcards
immediate revelation
where some given direct knowledge of God
mediate revelation
where someone gains knowledge of God in a secondary non direct way
How can God be known according to christanity?
God cannot be known of all, if people believe knowledge can be gained through reason and logic this too could mean God cannot be known at all.
Christians DO NOT accept that empirical knowledge and logical reasoning are the only methods of gaining knowledge.
empiricism
a way of knowing, that depends on the 5 senses.
what did Bonaventura believe?
he believed human minds gave 3 different ways of knowing.
eye of flesh
is the way of knowing that incorperates sense perception. The ‘eye’ is the means by which we gain knowledge about the physical world.
eye of reason
is the way of knowing that lets us work our mathematical and philosophical truths through the use of logic.
eye of contemplation
which is the way of knowing which allows us to come to a knowledge of god by going beyond the scope of both sense experience and reason.
which other person believed in this metaphor too?
john Polkinghorne used this metaphor as he sees scienc through ‘one eye’ showing him the physical world and laws behind it.
ways we gain knowledge
about the physical world, mathematical and philosophical thinks and knowledge of god through faith.
Polkinghorne (on natural theology)
Suggsted about binocular vision is helpful to understand relationships between faith and logic. the two lenses are used together to give a clearer picture.
aquinas (on natural theology)
we should use our logic or reason to work out the God exists
richard swingburn (on natural theology)
argues we can conclude that god exists as tgere are so many signs of order in the universe.
what is natural theology?
the idea that when we look to creation God is revealed to us and this is proof of existence.
john calvin (on natural theology)
claimed we are innate sense of God. Calvin argued the world is a ‘mirror’ or a ‘theatre’ of god who increases human capacity for awareness of his presence
epistemic distance
distance between people and god, believed to be made by people not god due to sins.
conscience in natural theology
we have an inner voice of conscience is evidence of the existence of God
creation as natural theology
god can clearly be seen in the order and beauty of creation
acts 17:16-34
st paul uses natural theology to convince on true god exists. Materials such as gold are made by one god. yet how can you worship an idol made out of something given to us by a higher power?- lacks sense
revelation of god through the person of jesus
god is revealed through jesus through the word- ‘word made flesh’
revelation through faith and gods grace
faith comes with knowledge eg -feeding 5000. God as the holy spirit gives wisdom and faith and confidence to share the word.
revelation through the bible itself
it reveals knowledge about the creation of the world and disobedience of humanity
revelation through words of prophets
wisdom literature reveals god through wise people eg- isaiah writing about the coming of the messiah in the NT . They speak n the very own words of the lord.
