Theme C Arguments

Question 1

Verbally inspired Bible:

Answer 1

Bible is literally word for word from God
Bible is therefore inerrant (cannot be wrong)
Example of special revelation

Question 2

Divinely inspired Bible:

Answer 2

Bible writers may have been inspired by God or faith but they wrote the words themselves
Bible reflects the opinions + attitudes of the time
Bible therefore is not totally inerrant
Example of general revelation

Question 3

General revelation through conscience:

Answer 3

• Immanuel Kant argued that God revealed himself through their conscience
• The internal struggle between what we know is right and wrong is the voice of God
• the sense of morality could be another example of general revelation

Question 4

Quote about general revelation in nature

Answer 4

‘The heavens declare the glory of God,’ (Psalm 19)

Question 5

Example of special revelation

Answer 5

The annunciation (Mary being told she’s pregnant with Jesus): ‘You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus’ (Luke 1)

Question 6

William James’ conclusion on the effects of people who have experienced God:

Answer 6

Change - a significant positive change in life
Elation - experiences feeling of positivity and deep inner contentment
Purpose - feeling of a new sense of purpose in their life

Question 7

Cosmological argument:

Answer 7

Everything in the universe has a cause, the universe exists so must have a cause, the cause of the universe is not in the universe so must be outside, the first cause (cause of the universe) must be powerful and eternal, the first cause is God

Question 8

STRENGTHS of the teleological argument

Answer 8

> it’s coherent with the Bible and is supported with Bible passages, ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth’ (Genesis 1:1)
science still doesn’t understand recurring patterns that are seen in nature. This shows there must be an intelligent creator
science shows that if the strength of Big Bang was different by a very small amount then life on earth would have never developed. The Big Bang was unlikely to happen exactly the way it’s said to meaning it’s more likely to have intelligence behind it (God)

Question 9

WEAKNESS of teleological argument

Answer 9

> Nature doesn’t appear to be well designed at all (earthquakes, tsunamis) so world wasn’t designed by a loving God
Complex machinery is usually designed by more than one person therefore Paley is wrong to argue that comparing the world to a watch proves the Christian idea of God as it’s more likely to prove more than one God (Hume)
evolution - things have developed over time so there is a natural explanation (Not God)