Unit 4 Philosophy of Religion 'Experiencing God'

Question 1

What is meant by the term “Special Revelation”? (1)

Answer 1

this is when God is experienced in a supernatural way eg. miracle, vision

Question 2

What is meant by general revelation? (1)

Answer 2

Refers to the experience of God in ways that anyone who wants to access can eg. reading a sacred text, prayer, learning from a religious leader

Question 3

What is meant by the term worship? (1)

Answer 3

A religious act of adoration when the believer FREELY EXPRESSES abd ACKNOWLEDGES the worth of God.

Question 4

Name a sacred text from any religious tradition. (1)

Answer 4

Bible, Qur’an, Vedas

Question 5

Name a leader from any religious tradition (1)

Answer 5

Pope (christian), Imam (Islam), Guru ( Hinduism), Minister (Christian), Martin Luther King (Christian), Muhammad (Islam)

Question 6

Name a scholar who has written about reliious experience (1)

Answer 6

Richard Swinburne - William James, Schleiermacher, Rudolf Otto

Question 7

Give an example of worship from any religious tradition (1)

Answer 7

There are many different types of worship:
- traditional (prayer, praise),
- Charismatic (speaking in tongues, healing),
- sacramental (Mass, communion, baptism)
- Ritualistic (chants and offerings).

Question 8

Name two founders of a world religion (2)

Answer 8

Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Gautama the Buddha, Muhammad.

Question 9

What is meant by the term sacred? (1)

Answer 9

Meaning holy or sanctified.

Question 10

Other than worship, name three ways in which religious believers might learn about God (3)

Answer 10

They can learn about God through:

Reading from a sacred text: reading the Bible or Qur’an – guide book for life

Learning from the life and witness of a religious leader

Looking at and appreciating the natural world – natural revelation – God is generous and creative

Question 11

Describe how God can be experienced through prayer (5)

Answer 11

• Prayer is the central means to communicate with God.
• Prayer enables humanity to encounter a transcendent God.
• Passages from sacred texts may be used as a stimulus to pray and know God better.
• Specific examples of prayers may be cited for example Jesus’ teaching on prayer/the Lord’s Prayer.

Question 12

Describe a miraculous event from one religious tradition you have studied (5)

Answer 12

(The calming of the storm) – The Bible

Jesus was with his disciples in a boat on Lake Galilee

Suddenly a storm blew up and the disciples were frightened

Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat

The disciples came to him for help because they thought they were going to die

Jesus told them off for having little faith then he told the storm to be still – one of the disciples said: “Even the wind and the waves obey him.”

Question 13

Describe the origins of one sacred text (5)

Answer 13

The Qur’an:

• The term Qur’an means recitation.
• The Qur’an contains the words of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad.
• It contains special revelation and should be always written in Arabic.
• These words were subsequently written down by followers of Muhammad.
• Muhammad was told he would be the messenger of Allah.
• The Qur’an is divided into Sura.
• It is Iman (faith) unchanging and unchangeable, it applies to all people forever.

The Bible :

• The Bible is special revelation through it God communicates with humanity.
• The Bible consists of multiple books written by numerous authors over an extended period of time.
• The Bible is composed of two sections the Old and the New Testament (covenants).

Question 14

Describe the work of one religious leader/teacher you have studied (5)

Answer 14

Martin Luther King (Christian religious leader) – a US Baptist minister who was involved in civil rights

He aimed to get equal rights for US black citizens – employment, education, healthcare, voting, etc.

He highlighted the issue of inequality by taking part in and organising many non-violent protests: marches, sit-in’s, petitions, etc.

He raised the expectations of black US citizens by suggesting that they should be treated fairly and they should have the same rights as white US citizens

He believed that God made all people equal regardless of their colour since it says in the Bible: “God made man in his image”

He also believed that all people should be treated in love: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

Unfortunately not everyone agreed with him and he was assassinated before he reached the age of 40.

Question 15

Describe how God is revealed/how a person might come to know God through the life of one religious leader you have studied (5)
(make 3 well supported points – support with example)

Answer 15

Using the example of Martin Luther King:

God has made all people equally loved by him and expects us treat each other with equal concern and respect – “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”, “made in God’s image”. Martin Luther King demonstrated this when he stood up for those who were not been treated fairly in the US – the black American citizens who did not enjoy equal rights to vote, equal pay, equal education, etc.

Jesus often associated with the poor and needy in his day – Martin Luther King was identifying with the most needy in his society and wanted to show them that they had not been forgotten and they did have a voice which should be listened to

Martin Luther King also demonstrated Jesus’ teachings when he refused to use violence to defend himself or to draw attention to his cause. He said: “I am very glad that Jesus did not ask us to like our enemies for I am finding them very difficult to like; he asked us to love our enemies for love is stronger than like.” Jesus said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Martin Luther King also demonstrated Christ like willingness to make sacrifices – Jesus sacrificed his life to get forgiveness for the world’s sin – Martin Luther King knew that he was grave danger of being assassinated but he carried on and he died for his cause.

Martin Luther King’s words are very famous – particularly his “I have a dream” speech were he encourages all people to accept each other and work together – Jesus too encouraged people to recognise each other as a creation of God and to love as God loves: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Answers may include:

• Religious believers may follow the teachings of a religious leader, e.g.

the teachings of the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad.

• People may claim to have an experience of a religious leader that

convinces them of the truth of religion.

• A religious leader can pass on his/her experience of getting to know

God to others.

• Religious leaders are examples to others of how to experience God.

Question 16

Explain how a religious believer might experience God through worship. (5)

Answer 16

A religious believer might experience God through worship in the following ways:

They may use prayers found in the Bible which were first given by Jesus e.g. the Lord’s Prayer – using this prayer will enable them to get closer to God because Jesus recommended it as a format for prayer for this disciples to follow. Muslims also use the words of the Qur’an in prayer – they believe that these words are the words of Allah and so they will be closer to God is they use these words

A religious believer might use spiritual songs or chants – these words of adoration and thanksgiving will remind them of how great and God is and give them joy when they think of God’s goodness to them

A sacred text might also be used in worship – the text is regarded as the word of God so reading this will tell them more about God and enrich their faith – the sacred text might also be explained further in a sermon and this will teach them more about God and how they should life their life in his service.

Another potential way to answer this question would be to use the example of Hinduism and how worship appeals to the 5 senses (see booklet)

Question 17

Explain the benefits of religious experiences. (5)

Answer 17

Answers may include:

• Religious experiences are a form of Divine revelation, they reveal important spiritual truths.
• Religious experiences encourage the individual to have a relationship with the Divine.
• Such experiences may lead the individual to a radical change of lifestyle as a result of this experience.
• Religious experiences reveal God’s nature and character as a personal God.
• Sacred texts record key religious experiences that the believer should study and learn from.
• For atheism all such experiences are erroneous and delusional.

Question 18

What is the purpose of a sacred text? (5)

Answer 18

Answers may include:

• They are a form of special revelation revealing the nature and character of God.
• They record the history of divine interaction within the universe and with humanity.
• They record divine commands and ethical codes/rules.
• They record the origins and destiny of all life on earth.
• Reference to relevant textual evidence should be included.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 19

Explain why unanswered prayer might challenge the believer. (5)

Answer 19

Answers may include:

• If God does not intervene believers may feel abandoned by God and doubt his presence.
• If God answers some prayers but not all it may make God seem unjust, unloving and arbitrary in whom He chooses to aid.
• A God who never intervenes to aid humanity may be unworthy of worship.
• Sacred texts promote the idea of Divine intervention failure to do so may lead believers to doubt the truths of these texts.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 20

Explain how a religious believer might experience God through one type of worship. (5)

Answer 20

A religious believer might experience God through sacramental worship in the following ways:

Christians eat the bread and wine during the communion/Mass because they wish to follow Jesus’ command – Jesus told his disciples to do this until his return to the earth at the end of time

Christians believe that eating the bread and the wine is a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for them to get forgiveness for sin

Christians either believe the bread and wine are symbols or that they have mysteriously been transformed into the actual blood and body of Jesus. (transubstantiation).

Eating the bread and wine spiritually nourishes them for their live in the service of Jesus

All Christians across the world take part in this sacrament – this is a reminder that they are part of a global Church of Christ – fellowship

This question could also be conveniently answered if you refer to ritual worship and use Hinduism – exploring worship through the 5 senses.

Question 21

Do you think revelation can lead to religious faith? Give reasons for your answer. (5)

Answer 21

Agree:

• Special revelation is essential for believers as it informs and forms their faith.
• Having supporting evidence of God’s existence can strengthen a believer’s faith.
• Without revelation how can humanity know God?

On the other hand:

• Faith is ultimately an individual choice, revelation can merely support it.
• Many believers experience doubt despite Divine revelation.
• Atheists may share experiences with theists but still reject religious faith and belief.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 22

Explain how a religious believer can know God through a sacred text. (5)

Answer 22

A religious believer might know God through a sacred text because:

The sacred text is believed to be God’s word – God is speaking to them directly through the text

Christians believe that the Gospels in the New Testament tell them all about Jesus who they regard as God’s son and their example for life

They believe the text is a guide on how God wishes them to live e.g. it contains commandments: “Do not steal”

The sacred text contains examples of people who have followed God – they can learn from these experiences

They can learn about God’s character – 99 Beautiful names or “the Lord is my Shepherd”.

The sacred text contains prayers and songs which they can use in their worship of God e.g. the Bible contains the Lord’s Prayer and the book of Psalms is an entire book of songs which can be used in worship.

Question 23

“The Religious Experience argument fails because not everyone has religious experiences.” Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. (5)

Answer 23

Answers may include:

• Perceptual experiences are enjoyed by everyone, and religious experiences should be the same.
• God would want to be experienced by everyone, if not then there is no God.
• Religious experiences are claimed by uncritical and naive people.
• Religious experiences may be dismissed as delusion or illusions.

On the other hand:

• You need to be open to God to experience him.
• Many people have had an experience they would label as religious.
• Religious experiences are often very personal.
• Some may refer to experiences/phenomena to argue the case for God’s existence.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 24

“The example of religious leaders is more important than any written words.” (10)

Answer 24

Answers may include:

• Jesus is seen as an ideal role model for Christians.
• Many religions have holy leaders to guide their followers and to act as moral examples.
• It is important to see theory being put into practice.
• Not all peoples can access sacred texts but many can witness exemplary leadership.
• Specific religious leaders studied may be referenced.

On the other hand:

• Many sacred texts are seen as the direct Word of God and as such are of primary importance.
• Humanity can never fully match up to deities and their example.
• Religious leaders may provide poor moral example/guidance.
• Human leaders are often flawed creatures, God is not.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 25

“Humanity no longer needs to turn to God when in crisis.” (10)

Answer 25

Agree:

• Atheism would support this claim, many no longer accept belief in a deity.
• Falling church attendance means fewer people access any form of public prayer.
• Humanity turns to science, technology and medical advances rather than God to resolve problems.
• Not all faiths accept the concept of a personal interventionist God.
• People should not simply acknowledge God in times of crisis but to praise and thank him regularly.
• Reliance on a God-figure results in human immaturity and passivity.

On the other hand:

• Many find comfort in God in times of crisis.
• Specific examples of prayer may be explored.
• An omnibenevolent God will help His creation.
• God provides hope in an eschatological future.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 26

“It is increasingly difficult to experience God in the modern world.” (5)

Answer 26

Agree:

• We are in an increasingly secular and atheistic society.
• Religious experiences such as visions and miracles are being increasingly challenged today.
• Atheism will not want to acknowledge any experiences of the Divine.
• Humanity turns to scientific explanations for what in the past was

attributed to God.

On the other hand:

• God continues to actively reveal himself to humanity.
• There is an increasing interest in meditation (mindfulness) and spiritual experiences.
• Theism still exists and continues to have a powerful impact today.

Accept valid alternatives

Question 27

“Personal religious experience is the only real proof that God exists.” (10)

Answer 27

gree:

Seeing is believing – a person can only be convinced when they experience something for themselves – the claims of others may be questioned or inaccurate

A personal experience tends to be life changing and in that way convincing proof for the individual

Disagree:

A person does not have to experience God directly/supernaturally in order to be convinced of his existence – there are other proofs: - looking at the natural world – it is so intricate and beautiful that it could not have occurred by chance or random accident (natural revelation) – existence of sacred text

The classical theistic proofs for God – Cosmological and Teleological arguments are also useful in arguing for God’s existence

Seeing is not necessarily believing – a person needs to have faith and that sometimes means not having scientific proof but being convinced of God nonetheless because of a deep personal faith.

Question 28

“Religious faith makes no sense in the modern world.” (10)

Answer 28

Agree:

We live in a secular world where religion is seen as irrelevant and a waste of time

The rise of science and the quest for scientific proof means that belief in an invisible being seems to make no sense

Human technology and modern medicine means that we think we no longer need the help of a Divine being – we are our own God – we can solve our own problems with better knowledge and science

Disagree:

Even though we may have advanced in some respects we still have not solved the age old problems of: greed, poverty, selfishness, war, etc. This means that people still appeal to God who can change their lives for the better

There are still more people in the world today who are theists than those who are atheists – in fact in some parts of the world, faith is growing rather than decreasing

Faith makes a huge difference in people’s lives and for them a life without faith is totally purposeless – therefore they would argue the complete opposite of this statement.

Question 29

“Miracles are simply co-incidences, there is always another explanation.” (10)

Answer 29

Agree:

Miracles by definition are acts which break the laws of nature – science shows that this cannot happen – we just need to understand the laws of science better – miracles must be mistakenly named or coincidences

People who want to believe in miracles will name an unusual event as a miracle when really it is simply something they cannot explain – they are looking at it with “god glasses” and it has coloured their vision on the reality of the event

Disagree:

There have been too many miracles reported for them all to be coincidences

The miracles mentioned in the Bible had such a major impact on those involved that they could not have been merely a coincidence e.g. healing the paralysed man, the resurrection of Jesus

We do not fully know the laws of science, new understandings are being developed all the time – it is possible that miracles are real since we cannot absolutely disprove the existence of God

Question 30

“Private and personal worship is more meaningful than public worship.” (10)

Answer 30

Agree:

A person who has personal and individual experience of God has a life changing experience – they connect with God in a way which meets their individual needs

A person can share with God in a very personal way in prayer – bringing their worries and concerns which they would feel uncomfortable about sharing in the company of others

Faith is an individual matter – God meets with individuals (all sacred texts evidence this as how God connects with people) – therefore it would seem that personal worship is vital in order to get closer to God

Disagree:

Worship with others (corporate) is also very important since the person can feel encouraged by sharing their faith in the company of others who believe the same things

Praying and singing or sharing in a sacrament with others is a reminder that the church is not simply about individuals – it is about fellowship and supporting each other in faith.

God can meet with people in worship no matter if it is personal or corporate as long as the worship is coming from sincere and thankful hearts – the worshippers need to be fully engaged in what they are doing.