Knowledge of God’s existence

What is this topic based on?

What sort of knowledge Christian belief should be based on

What are the main arguments that Christian beliefs should be based on?

1. Faith
2. Reason

What is natural theology ?

The theory that knowledge of God can be gained by the power of the human mind.

What are the two main forms of natural theology ?

1. Natural theology through reasoning about the natural world→ Gods revelation is present in his creation and human reason has the ability to discover it
2. Natural theology through sensing God

What is revealed theology ?

The theory that knowledge of God can be gained from Gods revelation to us

What does Aquinas believe Humans can gain through reason?

Lesser knowledge→ accepted that human reason could never know or understand Gods infinite divine nature.

What type of knowledge of God can humans gain through lesser knowledge ?

1. God’s existence: teleological + cosmological
2. Gods moral law: natural law
3. Gods nature by analogy: analogy of attribution an proportion

Can reason provide absolute proof that God existed according to Aquinas ?

No- This would make revelation useless.

How can natural theology support faith according to Aquinas ?

Meditating on Gods works in creation lea us to reflect on God’s wisdom,power and love in our souls.

Who was Karl Barth influenced by?

Augustine who claimed after the fall, our ability to reason became corrupted by original sin.

Why is it dangerous to rely on human reason to know anything of God?

Our reason was corrupted by the fall.

What does Barth say on the effects of our “finite” mind?

“The finite has no capacity for the infinite”

Our finite minds cannot grasp Gods infinite being→ whatever humans discover through reason is not divine→ to think it’s is is idolatry.

What can idolatry lead to?

Worship of the nations and movements like the Nazis.

What is the difference between Aquinas and Barth?

Aquinas- Reason can understand natural law God created within our nature and that some necessary being or uncaused cause exists.

Barth- Reason has no capacity - zero ability to know anything whatsoever of God.

What are the three “goods” human nature contained pre fall according to Aquinas ?

1. Properties of human soul eg. Rationality
2. An inclination towards the good as a result of being rational
3. Original justice/righteousness; perfect rational control over the soul

What did the original soul completely destroy ?

Original justice→ we lost perfect rational control over our desires

What is Concupiscence ?

Sexual desire

What does Aquinas say about Concupiscence ?

It can sometimes be natural to humans in cases where our passions are governed by reason.

What does Aquinas conclude ?

Original sin has not destroyed our orientation towards the good nor is our reason always corrupted.

What can the original sin do?

Did ish our inclination towards the good by creating a habit of acting against it.

Why is aquinas’ view balanced?

realistic view that our nature contains both good and bad and it is up to us to choose rightly.

How does Barth undermine Aquinas’ compromise?

Whatever a weak/misled conscience discovers is too unreliable- the bad in our nature means we cannot rely on the good.

Even if there was natural law, we would be unable to discover it reliably.

What has Humanities belief of thinking it has the ability to know anything about god led to?

* The same arrogance that led Adam and Eve to disobey God

What has humanity believing it has the power to figure out right/wrong led to?

Movements such as the Nazis.

Why is revelation necessary according to Barth?

If natural theology was valid then humans would be able to know Gods existence through their own effort→ revelation unnecessary→ clearly its not due to Jesus.

Why does aquinas say that natural theology is still essential ?

The knowledge we gain from natural theology is not the same as we gain from revealed theology and therefore it cannot replace or undermine it.

What is the goal of reason for Aquinas?

Supporting faith

What does John Calvin believe on the divine ?

All humans have an innate sense of the divine.

What does Calvin believe about atheism ?

There is no rational way to be atheist because of the innate sense of divine which God puts in the hearts of all people.

Why does the extent of atheism disprove Calvin’s theory?

In the 21st century there is now a huge increase in atheism, if we did all have this sense of divine, then atheism would be much less common. Whilst atheism wasn’t popularly supported during the time of Calvin which explains his approach, this is no longer the case.

What does Alvin plantinga argue ?

Sin has a noetic quality meaning it changes someone’s ability to have knowledge and insight which would bloc the sense of God.

How could you respond to Plantinga’s argument?

For a noetic quality of sin to have to be present to justify why atheists don’t feel the sense of God, is undermined by the fact that many atheists are good people.

What does Romans 1:20 say on natural theology?

“Since the creation of the world Gods invisible qualities- his external power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Gods qualities can be understood from what has has made

What is sensus divinitatis?

The natural capacity of humans beings ability to perceive God.

What does Barth say on Romans 1:20?

* Accepts passage shows that creation does indeed allow knowledge of God but argues that humans are too sinful to manage that.
* Barth claims that Paul is showing that natural theology leads to idolatry due to the overlooking fo “qualitative distinction”
* God is experienced in natural things.

Who could Romans 1:20 be simply referring too?

Adam and Eve before they were corrupted by original sin.

What can Natural theology reveal according to Calvin?

* Reveal the truth of Gods existence but not the full revelation of God.

Why is revealed theology required according to Calvin?

Jesus was God revealing himself and the bible is a record of that revelation.

how can natural theology be defended ?

Through denying the existence of the Original sin.

How can we prove that the original sin does exist?

Observing society- even children want to sin.

What does Pelagius say about the doctrine of the original sin?

* Denies the Augustinian doctrine of the original sin as Augustines observations reflect his society, not human nature

Why does Pelagius argue against the original sin causing irresistible temptation to sin?

Human behaviour has improved

What is Pelagius’ argument of “educated in evil”

The way we are raised is us why our human nature appears to be corrupted.

What does Emil Brunner say about the effects of the fall?

The fall destroyed the relationship between Adam an Eve with God but not Imago Dei which separates us from animals and gives us language, reason and moral responsibility.

What is preserving grace?

God continues to be active in maintaining creation, shielding it from the effects of sin.

What does brunner think relying on natural theology alone will lead too?

Resort in a distorted knowledge of God due to our sinful state we need the special revelation of Christ to achieve full knowledge.

Why does Barth claim that brunner Contradicts himself ?

Brunner admits every aspect of humanity is corrupted by sin so it held follow that reason is also corrupted and therefore cannot produce knowledge of God and cannot be relied upon