Knowledge of God's existence Flashcards
Natural theology
Deducing what God is like through his creation
Revealed theology
Aspects of God that he reveals to us. e.g through the bible.
Richard Dawkins
- Believes knowledge of God Presents a difficulty for us because the knowledge we might be claiming is not like any other forms of knowledge.
- Religious claims cannot be proven and therefore are not valid
- ’ Faith is the great copout’
Abstract Knowledge
Priori knowledge. Categories of knowledge created by the human mind. Does not require experience
Personal knowledge
Knowledge of someone you share a personal relationship with
Functional Knowledge
Knowledge based on experience. Skill based knowledge
Metaphysical knowledge
Beyond science. No way to prove or disprove. ‘Big questions’, e.g what is the meaning of life.
Sensus divitas
- Calvin
- All humans are made in God’s image (imageo dei) They have an innate capacity and desire to know God, including;
- Human openness to beauty and goodness
- Human intellectual ability to reflect on an recognise God’s existence
- Innate sense of the divine
Three examples of Sensus Divitas
- The capacity of conscience
- The capacity to appreciate God’s creation as beautiful
- The capacity to reason, and the ability to reflect on our surroundings to recognise God’s existence
Supporting evidence for innate knowledge
- Cicero and Calvin ague that so many people believe in God that there must exist a God
- Paul tries to convince Athenians they are worshipping the true God even if they do not know it.
- Religious rituals and mediations are so universal that ‘one can call man a religious being.
Evidence against innate knowledge
- Imagination needs to accompany reason in arguments of philosophy
- It is arrogant to imagine that human reason could lead to knowledge of God. Barth)
- Theological belief is more than wish fulfilment
Teleological arguments (design arguments)
- Reflect on the purpose of creation
- The orderliness of the universe seems to show a higher purpose behind it.
- Paley’s watch argument
- God has left clues about himself in creation
Duplex Cognito Domini
- Calvin argued that what can be known of God can be seen in the apparent design and purpose of nature
- Duplex Cognito Domino: two-fold knowledge of God as creator and redeemer
Strengths of Natural Knowledge through creation
- Works in way we are used to - it is normal for humans to use their brains to reason
- There is a long tradition of people using their reason to show God exists
- It is reasonable to suggest that the sheer number of people in faith means there must be a point of contact to God
- A god who made humans lovingly would have given us a way to contact him
- Awe and wonder takes is beyond physical feeling - this may point to an un-earthly God.
Weaknesses of natural knowledge through creation
- The gap is too great between humans and God to accept the Sensus divitas.
- Natural theology may be of no use if it does not allow us to personally know God
- Order and purpose in nature can perhaps be explained by other factors
- Just because we can feel awe, doesn’t mean God made us have that feeling.
- Augustine believed our reason is far too flawed due to original sin for us to be able to know God
