Knowledge of God AO2 and Essay Plans

Question 1

God can be known because the world is so well designed

Answer 1

• Many argue that God can be seen in the order and the beauty of creation. Aquinas and Paley Teleological argument.
• Intelligent design theories argue that the universe is so finely tuned so it suggests a supreme intelligence behind it. Anthropic Principle.
• Cicero (Pre- Christian Writer)- for what can be clearer and more obvious, when we have lifted our eyes to the sky… that there exists some divine power.
• John Calvin- argues that the natural beauty of the universe is a sort of mirror of God.
• Brunner argues that since we are made in the imagio dei we can see God in nature and therefore know about God..

Question 2

God can be known because the world is so well designed

no

Answer 2

• The fall has corrupted the world so badly that the perfect knowledge of God cannot be known through reason (response to Brunner)
• Barth argues true knowledge of God is not known through nature but rather revelation.
• How can finite humans comprehend the infinite greatness of God through design and reason- it seems absurd.
• Dawkins argues that the world was not well designed but it is the product of meaningless chance.
• Hume even if the world was designed there is no evidential proof it was designed by a Christian God.
• Plato- our senses deceive us we cannot trust them.

Question 3

The Bible is the only way of knowing God

Answer 3

• It is the word of God, and therefore perfect revelation; asa bart and other protestant theologians argue that the Bible is all that is needed to help us inform our own knowledge of God
• Furthermore, the Bible contains eye witness account of the person of Jesus- for all Jesus is the perfect revelation of God, and therefore all we need is believe in the revelation of JC in scripture to truly know God.
• Unlike humanity, the Bible is not written by corruptible human reason but by faith and God. (inspired through the Holy spirit) therefore true knowledge is gained.
• Knowledge revealed in the Bible is unique and can never be gained in any other way.

Question 4

The Bible is not the only way of knowing God

Answer 4

• Obvious questions on how to read the Bible, and parts which seem to contradict or question God’s nature - the 10 plagues and an omnibenevolent God.
• Personal religious experiences- conversions, numinous experiences, answered prayers etc.
• Schliermacher- believed that the biblical texts came about as writers reflected on their religious experiences. For supporters of this view, faith is ‘belief in’. It is not a matter of facts and information, it is more of an attitude of trust and relationship.
• Brunner argues that since we are made in the imago dei we can see God in nature and therefore know about God.

Question 5

Faith is sufficient reason for a belief in God’s existence

NO

Answer 5

• Dawkins- faith is an insufficient reason for believing in anything and is actually harmful. Encourages laziness in our thinking, filling the gaps of our knowledge with the idea that ‘God did it’. Likens it to believing in the tooth fairy.
• Hume- we should not allow faith or superstition to cloud our judgement, but we should instead look at the evidence to support them.
• Aquinas-faith needs to be informed by reason.
• Faith can be used to justify inextricable acts- 9/11, suicide bombings, etc.
• A.J Ayer- cannot verify that God exists.
• Flew falsification

Question 6

Faith is sufficient reason for a belief in God’s existence

YES

Answer 6

• Platinga- it is faith that informs our knowledge/belief in God.
• Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that faith is beyond reason.
• Our own fallen nature has damaged this knowledge so greatly that we need faith to understand God- aided by grace.(AUGUSTINE)
• John Calvin- we already have an innate faith in the sensus divinatis.
• Catechism ‘The desire for God is written in the human heart’.

Question 7

Natural knowledge of God is the same as revealed knowledge of God
YES

Answer 7

• For Aquinas, all knowledge of God is a reflection if eternal law, God’s ultimate law for humanity.
• Their processes and there specifics may be different but the content must be the same for God to be delivering us a consistent message.

Question 8

Natural knowledge of God is the same as revealed knowledge of God
NO

Answer 8

• Natural knowledge is a purer and more primal state which God has intended for us.
• Revealed knowledge is what God has to resort to after our inability to use natural knowledge along.
• Revealed knowledge is much more specific than natural knowledge.
• Karl Barth Human reason is corrupted by the fall.
• Barth felt that knowledge go God can only be found through the person of Jesus Christ.
• For Barth the revelation of Christ ‘far surpasses’ natural theology/revelation.