Knowledge of God's existence Flashcards
Knowledge of God’s existence - Introduction
> How can limited human beings have a knowledge of an infinite God?
Reached through reason and observation or when God chooses to reveal himself to us?
Humans have finite, sinful, and imperfect minds that cannot reach a true understanding of God
Sense experience and reason aren’t the only way knowledge can be gained
Difference of natural and revealed theology
Knowledge of God’s existence - Bonaventure’s ways of seeing
> Franciscan monk, 13th century
The mind has different ways of knowing, used the analogy of an eye that has different ways of seeing
The eye of the flesh - way of seeing using the senses (empiricism), gain knowledge of the physical world
The eye of reason - way of seeing using reason, gain knowledge of mathematics and philosophical truth
The eye of contemplation- way of seeing using faith, gain knowledge of God
Knowledge of God’s existence - Discovering truth through natural theology
> Knowledge through reason and observation
Many christians believe god can be revealed by both but some reject natural theology
Paley’s design argument relied on natural theology
Psalm 8 and Romans 1 - something of God known through experience of the natural world
Aquinas used it to prove that Christian belief is reasonable
Calvin - we’re all born with a sense of the divine so knowledge of God should be easy for everyone to gain, ‘epistemic distance’ is humanity’s own fault
Knowledge of God’s existence - Sense of the divine
> Humans are born with a sense for God
Cicero - in all times and cultures people have had a sense that there is an infinite being in control of the universe
Supported by Genesis 2:7 when God breathes into Adam
Calvin - ‘there is within the human mind…an awareness of the divine’ universal to all humans
We all have an innate sense of morality which comes from our sense of the divine - C.S Lewis, Butler, Newman
Knowledge of God’s existence - The order of creation
> God can clearly be seen in the order, beauty, and purpose of creation (teleological)
Another way in which natural theology might work
We can naturally recognise that there must be a God behind creation
Aquinas, Calvin, Paley, and Tennant agree with this
Knowledge of God’s existence - Revealed knowledge of God
> Knowledge which God has chosen to show people
Distinction between the two was made in the middle ages
Said to be available through faith
Immediate revelation - Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3)
Mediate revelation- knowledge gained about God less directly
Barth - God can only be known through revealed theology, God reveals himself to us when he chooses to and we shouldn’t claim knowledge of God through our own efforts
Result of Gods grace
Knowledge of God’s existence - The grace of God
> God’s unconditional love and undeserved gifts to humanity
Shown through…words of the prophets, words of scripture, strength of the Church, bringing people to salvation, ability to live a Christian life, gift of wisdom, gift of faith
None of these things would be possible without the grace of God
Knowledge of God’s existence - Bible and knowledge of God
> Doesn’t make a distinction between natural and revealed theology
Knowledge of God can be gained through…beauty of the world, life of the Church, person of Jesus, scripture, natural laws and design of the physical universe, religious experience, words of prophets, traditional wisdom, events of history
Knowledge of God’s existence - Acts 17:16-34
> The first followers of Jesus are acting as missionaries
Describes their difficulties they encountered which they overcame with help of the holy spirit
Paul uses natural theology by demonstrating reason and logic as he tries to show similarities between the messiah and Jesus
Talks to them about looking for the one cause of the universe
Paul says reason should direct his listeners to knowledge of God
Calvin - everyone has the capacity to have knowledge of God
