Revelation

Question 0

What are the types of revelation? give examples

Answer 0

General revelation- revelation that is accessible to all people. For example: nature, scripture, religious leaders ( the pope, and the arch bishop of Canterbury) through other people, worship
Special revelation- direct experience, dreams visions, faith headings, talking I tongues, , hearing God’s call

Question 1

What is revelation?

Answer 1

God revealing himself to his believers whether it be through nature, preyed, experience etc. this is the only way anybody can really know anything about God.

Question 2

Give an account of special revelation from the bible.

Answer 2

Saul was blinded by a bright light on the road to Damascus and heard the voice of God, so stopped persecuting Christians and changed his name to St. Paul and travelled around spreading the Christian message.

Question 3

What might be a result of a revelation?

Answer 3

For many, experiencing revelation is a life changing experience it may result in a person converting to a religion either from having been an atheist or having belonged to a different religion.
Some people may change the way they worship, behave, dress, eat and drink to become closer to god. Many people withdraw from everyday life to help the poor or join a religious community or become a nun or a monk.

Question 4

What does omnipotent mean?

Answer 4

All powerful

Question 5

What does omniscient mean?

Answer 5

All knowing

Question 6

What does omnipresent mean?

Answer 6

Eternal and existing in all space and time

Question 7

What does benevolent mean?

Answer 7

Kind and loving

Question 8

What is the holy trinity?

Answer 8

This is god
The father (the eternal, almighty, creator)
The son (Jesus, who lived on earth as a human)
The Holy Spirit (the power of god at work in the world)

Question 9

How do Christians believe god revealed himself to them?

Answer 9

Through the bible, and the life and work of Jesus. For many the words of the bible are inspired by god rather than revealed by god directly.

Question 10

What do Muslims believe about the words of the Qur’an?

Answer 10

That they are Allah’s actual words revealed directly to muhammad.

Question 11

Name a few of the 99 names for Allah

Answer 11

All merciful, pure, just, first, last, everlasting, creator, sustainer, all knowing

Question 12

What is the significance of the 99 names for Allah?

Answer 12

In Islam 100 is perfect.the reason there are 99 names for Allah is to symbolically demonstrate that we cannot know God fully.

Question 13

What does immanent mean?

Answer 13

God is active and involved in the world.

Question 14

What does transcendent mean?

Answer 14

God is outside or beyond the world,universe or so sand time

Question 15

What does personal mean?

Answer 15

That God has human qualities (a father, king, judge)

Question 16

What does impersonal mean?

Answer 16

God is beyond human understanding, (abstract concepts like eternal,on impotent, self-existent, a spirit or force)

Question 17

What is a counter argument for atheists saying that revelation is mistaken?

Answer 17

The number of people having experienced similar things with God, shows that there is some reliability. Also the number of people who have claimed religious experience is huge, so they can’t all be lying.

Question 18

What conclusions do atheists make about revelations?

Answer 18

That they are mistaken for

illusions, wish fulfilment, psychological phenomenon.

Question 19

Give an example of revelation in a religion.

Answer 19

In Buddhism siddharta Gotham spent months without fasting finding answers to questions about his life. Many sexual temptations and frightening images of angry beasts sent by Mara (a ‘devil’ figure)went through his mind whilst meditating. When morning came he had defeated Mara and siddharta reached his goal of enlightenment siddharta became known as buddha ‘the enlightened one’