God and Rev LAP 3

What is religion?

A set of beliefs and practices followed by those committed to some higher reality.

How is faith related to religion?

Religion shapes and strengthens our faith. They are different but two sides of the same coin.

What does it mean to say that humans have reason?

The power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic.

How are faith and reason related? 

Reason is used to explore and understand faith.

Are faith and reason opposed to each other?

No

What did God create us with to understand faith?

reason, our intellect, and a moral compass

Are faith and religion the same?

No

Explain the 3 components of faith. What is one way you can strengthen your faith?

1. A gift given to us by God to use. God gives us faith in them to help us in our daily lives.

2. Trust and belief in God. With the belief in God strong we have the ability to show our faith and lean on it in difficult times.

3. Our relationship with God. As our relationship with God grows, we trust in and believe in God more. As our trust in God grows, our relationship gets deeper.

What is evil?

The absence of good.

Distinguish the different types of evil: (moral, natural)

Moral evil is the misuse of free will, caused by humans. Natural evil occurs in the world not of human making.

What is a theodicy?

An explanation for the existence of evil.

What is apologetics?

A rational defense for God.

Can you scientifically prove the existence of God? 

No

Most suffering in the world is caused by evil. True or False

True

What are 3 characteristics of for “Natural Evil”?

1. Some suffering is caused by natural evil.

2. Natural evil is never punishment from or doing of God.

3. Natural evil is part of the laws of nature

Short Answer: What is the “problem of evil”?

God is thought to be omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient. If God is omnibenevolent, then God would want to remove evil. If God was omniscient, God would know how to remove evil. If God was omnipotent, then God could remove evil. Therefore, both God and evil cannot coexist. Evil and suffering do exist. Therefore, God cannot exist.

What is revelation?

God making God’s self known to us out of love.

What is theology?

Faith seeking understanding.

What are the arguments for God?

1. Free Will Defense

2. First Mover

3. Scripture

4. Other Believers

5. Personal Experience

What are the arguments against God?

1. Multiple Religions

2. Natural Selection

3. Proof

4. Evil

What are 3 types of God’s revelation?

1. Scripture

2. Tradition

3. Personal Experience

What is the “Free Will” argument for God?

Love does not enslave.

What extent can we know God?

We can’t ever fully know God because God is a mystery, but we can get to know God better through our relationship with God.

Is everyone’s faith the same?

No

What is the “First Mover” argument for God?

Everything has a cause.

Short Answer: List 3 ways you have looked for the existence of God at IWA

Answers may vary