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Year Two RS > Knowledge of God's Existence > Flashcards

Knowledge of God's Existence Flashcards

1
Q

natural theology

A

drawing conclusions about the nature and activity of God by using reason and observing the world

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2
Q

protestantism

A
  • rejects authority of Catholic Church

- places greater emphasis on the Bible and personal faith

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3
Q

revelation

A

when God chooses to let himself be known

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4
Q

immediate revelation

A

when someone is given direct knowledge of God

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5
Q

mediate revelation

A

when someone gains knowledge of God in a secondary non direct way

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6
Q

how did the Greeks understand knowledge of God

A
  • spoke of difficulty of gaining true/certain knowledge of world in constant motion/change
  • Plato addressed with Theory of the Forms
  • Aristotle said we can only learn anything meaningful through science, looking at physical world
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7
Q

how can we learn

A
  • born with knowledge
  • through sense experience
  • reason and logic - take deductive steps to work out what is true
  • from sources of authority like teachers where we have to have a degree of faith that what they are telling us is true
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8
Q

what do different people argue is the genuine knowledge worth pursuing

A
  • that which comes from reason/sense experience
  • religious believers however say its limited as only gives people knowledge of physical world
  • don’t help gain knowledge about spiritual or ethical truths about how we ought to live
  • but some people argue there are no such thing as supernatural or ethical truths
  • physical world all that exists
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9
Q

god for empiricists

A
  • unavailable to five sense as God is not physical
  • for those who think only real knowledge is gained through sense God can’t be known and perhaps doesn’t exist at all
  • same if people believe knowledge is gained through reason and logic as he is said to be beyond the realms of the rational and beyond capabilities of human mind
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10
Q

what did Bonaventura think

A
  • a Franciscan monk
  • human mind has three different ways of knowing
  • used analogy of an eye to represent the different ways of seeing
  • popular through Christian history
  • influenced Polkinghorne
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11
Q

what is Bonaventura’s analogy of the eye

A

eye of the flesh:

  • incorporates sense perception - empiricism of science
  • eye by which we gain knowledge about the physical world

eye of reason:
- lets us work out maths and philosophical truths through logic

eye of contemplation:
- goes beyond sense experience and reason gaining knowledge of God through faith

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12
Q

Polkinghorne

A
  • Binocular vision - looking through two dif eyes
  • science through one eye - shows him physical world, laws and processes behind it
  • spiritual truths through the other which show purposefulness and the world in the context of the creation of God
  • both eyes need to work together to give a complete picture
  • foolish of some religious people to ignore the discoveries of science and equally foolish of some scientists to close one eye and refuse to engage with possibilities of God
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13
Q

what do religious believers argue about the type of out knowledge of God

A
  • can be known not only in the way we know facts but also the way we know people
  • knowing the PM exists is different from knowing him personally
  • god can be known not just in the sense of knowing his existence but also known personally in a relationship
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14
Q

distinction in Christian thought between natural and revealed theology

A

natural theology
- gaining knowledge of God through powers of human reason and observation

revelation theology
- God choosing to reveal himself directly through RE and scripture

  • both can help understand religious truths
  • but some argue only revelation is reliable
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15
Q

robert boyle

A
  • science developed in 17th/18th century
  • created metaphor of God’s two books
  • the natural world and Bible created by the same author
  • words of Bible and scientific discoveries are complementary enhancing knowledge
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16
Q

revelation flow chart

A
  • revelation - general - natural world - scientific study
  • revelation - special - scripture - theological study
  • natural world and scripture in complete agreement
  • scientific and theological study sometimes disagree
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17
Q

discuss the revelation flow chart

A
  • everyone has access to general revelation as all have reason/can see natural world regardless of belief
  • special revelation given specifically to Christians through scripture
  • nothing incorrect in scripture - natural world and scripture both created by God thus in agreement - both him revealing himself
  • scientific and theological study disagree because of human error - we make mistakes in our interpretations of things and how we see things
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18
Q

how has natural theology played an important part in forming and supporting belief

A
  • looking at beauty of world leads to conclusion there must be a creator
  • like Paley’s design argument
  • Bible offers this view
  • Psalms - night sky evidence of God’s relationship with humanity
  • “when i consider your heaven you made them rulers over the works of your hand”
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19
Q

natural theology for Aquinas

A
  • important in demonstrating that Christian belief was reasonable
  • Aristotle and scientific common sense thinking raised some questions about Christianity
  • Aquinas keen to assert that it was reasonable to support Christianity - reason and observation employed in support not opposition
  • e.g. world in constant state of change so can work out there is a Prime Mover
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20
Q

Richard Swinburne

A
  • modern supporter of natural theology
  • our human reason and observation provide us with solid ground for probability of a God
  • good reason to think the world shows signs of order that leads us to conclude there is an intelligent being, author of the universe
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21
Q

natural theology as rising from an innate human sense of the divine (Cicero)

A
  • in all cultures and times in history people have had a sense of there been a infinite being in control of universe
  • cultures which can’t have known about each other’s existence developed similar beliefs of a God
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22
Q

natural theology as rising from an innate human sense of the divine (Bible)

A
  • Genesis - God makes people in his image - breathes life into Adam suggesting spark of divinity in each human life which could mean we are designed to seek and respond to God
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23
Q

natural theology as rising from an innate human sense of the divine (Calvin)

A
  • we have ‘sensus divinitas’ a seed of divinity
  • people thus have no excuse to fail to worship God
  • sensus divinitas not restricted to Christians
  • anyone who can reflect on natural world should be able to understand without difficulty the character and existence of God
  • not just available to educated and intelligent
  • world is a mirror or theatre for God
  • not everyone uses sensus divinitas in the same way - some turn to idoltary choosing a religion other than Christianity
  • lack of clarity about God arises from human sin which clouds our awareness
  • God prevents us from having full awarness
24
Q

epistemic distance

A
  • inability to comprehend fully the nature of God
  • god deliberately makes himself obscure to allow our free will and to choose a relationship with him
  • but for calvin it was created by humans (the fall)
  • god made it impossible to ignore him if we don’t recognise god in the world its our own fault
25
Q

image of God

A
  • led supporters of natural theology to the view we are made in such a way that we can appreciate and understand beauty and goodness in the world
  • we can recognise them as manifestations of God’s creativity and goodness
26
Q

innate sense of morality

A
  • supporters of natural theology argue we have it
  • we can tell using our reason that it comes from God
  • take our experience of conscience as evidence God exists
  • Butler, Newman, C.S Lewis
  • we all have feelings of guilt when we do wrong even if no one sees us and we feel satisfied doing the right thing
  • inner voice of conscience is evidence of existence of God and a God who makes moral demands of his people
  • wants us to follow his commandments
27
Q

alternative view to natural theology arising from innate knowledge

A
  • natural theology as arising from the order of creation and beauty that can be seen
28
Q

natural theology as arising from the order of creation (Cicero)

A

“for what can be clearer and more obvious when we have lifted our eyes to the sky and have gazed upon the heavenly bodies than that there exists some divine power of exalted intelligence by which these are ruled”

29
Q

natural theology as arising from the order of creation (Calvin)

A
  • not only in beauty of animals and plants but of the while system of planets, laws of physics and natural forces
  • universe as mirror for God
  • God is not nature itself
  • nature a means by which we can learn something

“The skilful ordering of the universe is for us a sort of mirror in which we can contemplate God who is otherwise invisible”

30
Q

what is revealed theology

A
  • name given by Christians to ideas about God which they believe God has decided to show people
  • not ideas which people could have worked out themselves
31
Q

when did the distinction between natural and revealed theology arise and what is it

A
  • middle ages
  • natural theology - shows existence of God, human soul and free will
  • even non-Christians had worked this out
  • revealed theology is special
  • doesn’t rely on people having strong intellectual gifts but available for everyone through faith
  • confirms findings of natural theology
  • uncovers further truths unavailable to reason alone such as ideas about life after death
  • truths that can’t be worked out only known because God revealed them
32
Q

what do Christians believe about fundamental distinctive teachings of their faith

A
  • they have been given to them by God as revelation
33
Q

meaning of revelation cute point for introduction

A

revelation can be translated through Greek and Latin to mean making clear something that was hidden

34
Q

give some examples of immediate revelation

A
  • that in which God makes himself directly known to people
  • prophets said to have had it - God gave them the exact words they were to speak to their listeners
  • adam and eve had it before the fall when god walked with them in the garden of eden
  • everyone who met Jesus had it which is what gave the apostles their authority after Jesus’ death
35
Q

discuss mediate revelation in depth

A
  • when people learn about God and gain knowledge about him indirectly
  • those who heard the words of the prophets
  • Bible considered to be mediate revelation of God by most Christians where the words of those who had immediate revelation are preserved, interpreted and read by others
  • for some Christians however the bible is immediate revelation where every word comes directly from God dictating to those who wrote it down
36
Q

why is natural theology not sufficient to gain full knowledge of God

A
  • humans are sinful and have finite minds
37
Q

what is faith

A
  • a type of belief held in lack of conclusive evidence or sometimes even held in opposition to evidence or reason
  • considered to bridge the gap when sense experience and reason cannot give an answer to a question and yet the person wants some kind of certainty
  • a leap of faith makes commitment to a particular way of thinking even evidential or reasonable support
  • lack of evidence compensated for by an effort of will to believe
38
Q

what did Aquinas say about faith

A
  • explored how empirical/logical knowledge (scientia) is certain because we can see evidence in front of us through our senses or reason
  • faith however doesn’t have this firm self-evident certainty and thus is a voluntary choice
  • “an act of the intellect assenting to the truth at the command of the will”
  • we can’t have faith and scientific knowledge about the same thing
  • faith where certainty not readily available
  • science about what we can test/confirm
39
Q

how does faith differ from opinion for Aquinas

A
  • opinion does not have the certainty that faith does
  • like faith, opinion is a matter of choice, where the evidence is not clear supporting either side
  • but opinion open to change
  • whereas faith has a certain and solid commitment that does not have elements of doubt
40
Q

how is faith seen for religious and non-religious people

A
  • for non religious seen as barrier to knowledge and something to be abandoned in favour of trying to get more empirical evidence
  • In Christianity its a virtue
  • faith as a leap to be taken once experience and reason have gone as far as they can
  • Catholic Church - faith and reason should work together as both gifts from God
  • impossible to have faith without knowledge first - we need to understand before we put in our faith
41
Q

what does John’s Gospel say about faith and knowledge

A
  • dif style to other gospels
  • presents Jesus as a revealer of secret knowledge
  • possible to believe and know at the same time
  • “we have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” - said Simon to Jesus
42
Q

what does Christianity emphasise as a means to have knowledge of God

A
  • faith
  • does so in context of God’s grace
  • god gives them the gift of faith due to his grace
  • sustains and strengthens it through the Holy Spirit
  • grace of God is important - people can only have full knowledge when God graciously chooses to give it
43
Q

what is God as the Holy Spirit believed to do

A
  • give the prophets of OT right words to say at right time
  • guide writers of scripture so they produce the word of God with God given authority
  • give people wisdom to understand what is revealed to them
  • give faith to believe Christian message
  • give confidence to share Christian faith even in times of danger
  • enable people to live a Christian life on a personal level
  • strengthen the Church as a community of believers
  • bring people to salvation
44
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through the beauty of the world

A
  • according to bible, existence, creativity and wisdom of God is obvious everywhere we look
  • Psalm 19 - when we look at the sky we can see the work of God
  • “the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands”
45
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through events of history

A
  • events of history seen as work of God
  • by recalling past we can gain greater understanding of what God wants and dislikes
  • in book of Jeremiah the prophet summarises how the people of Israel ignored the things God has done for them through history and so brought punishment on themselves
46
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through traditional wisdom

A
  • in Bible there is idea that God can be revealed through insights of wise people
  • those who have years of experience trying to live a moral life and gain an understanding of God revealed in their sayings and writings for anyone who is willing to listen

“trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight”

47
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through the words of the prophets

A
  • biblical prophets - messengers of God
  • people chosen to reveal God’s words
  • made it clear they weren’t giving own opinions but speaking words of God
  • Isiah - “one of the seraphim flew to men with a live coal in his hands… with it touched my mouth and said see this has touched your lips your sin atoned for”
48
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through religious experience and visions

A
  • dreams to give message/warning
  • visions or voice
  • God’s words transmitted by angels
  • in Genesis Jacob has a dream in which land is promised to his descendants
49
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through the natural laws and design of the material world

A
  • the Bible takes it for granted that the natural laws of physics which can easily be experienced demonstrate the existence and nature of God
  • Paul in Romans
  • people have no excuse for not knowing about God as it is obvious in what he made
  • “since what may be known about God is plain to them because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made”
50
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through the person of Jesus

A
  • incarnation of God
  • came to earth with purpose of revealing god finally and fully to humanity
  • man so people could understand at their own level due to finite minds
  • his words are believed to be the very words of God and his actions/sacrifice also to reveal the extent of God’s love for humanity
  • Jesus’ miracles reveal the nature of God
  • calming storm = omnipotence
  • For Christians Jesus not only role model/prophet but final revelation of God
51
Q

revelation in the Bible understood through the Bible itself

A
  • Bible reveals truths about God regardless of how its understood
  • 2 Timothy - “from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures which make you wise”
  • reveals knowledge we couldn’t have gained in other ways e.g. about creation of the world
  • reveals purpose of God in Christ
52
Q

what is wisdom literature

A
  • the Bible contains wisdom literature in the Psalms e.g.
  • collections of revealed wise insights passed on through generations about subjects of concern to humanity e.g. the right way to treat others
53
Q

what issues does treating the Bible as a source of revealed truth create

A
  • difficult to know whether the writers knew exactly what to write given to them by God in some mysterious way or whether they used their own feelings, insights and RE to record their ideas in their own ways
  • also many inconsistencies in the Bible
  • factual errors
  • cannot be treated as infallible source of revealed truth
54
Q

revelation as revealed through the life of the church

A
  • Church are people of God - continue role same role as Israelites as God’s representatives with a mission to spread message/set an example of holiness
  • Church seen as body of Christ - reveal God by working with the Holy Spirit
  • continue work of Christ
  • ‘Jesus hands’ - responsibility to work in the way Jesus taught like caring for the poor
  • revelatory function through Eucharist/worship
  • in this sacrament share bread/wine in remembrance of Jesus at last supper - reveal nature of sacrifice to those who partake in the service
55
Q

catholic v protestant

A
  • catholic - tradition and scripture reveal truth
  • protestant - Bible superior source of truth
  • Catholics - church seen as an important authority in understanding the teachings of the Bible and showing how they are to be applied in Christian life
  • Protestant - God can be directly revealed through Bible reading guided by Holy Spirit and so give more prominence to Bible than church teaching
56
Q

how does the Church have responsibility of safeguarding the word of God in the Bible

A
  • up to Church to make sure people study Bible and interpret it correctly

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