prep unit theo

How can a person reason to the existence of God if He cannot be seen? (He's invisible/immaterial)

How can a person reason to the existence of God if He cannot be seen? (He's invisible/immaterial)

God's power can be seen in nature/creation, which is visible and material

How we can use reason to know of God's existence

Even though we can't use our senses to experience God, we CAN use our senses to experience the things God has made.

Aristole

Ancient Greek pagan philosopher; believed God's existence could be clearly proved by reason

What Aristotle determined about God's divine nature

- Eternal

- Perfect

• Only one true God

St. Thomas Aquinas

A Dominican Friar; built on what Aristotle wrote in his "five ways" of arriving at the knowledge of the existence of God

Natural Revelation

By reason, one may listen to the message of creation and the promptings of conscience to realize God's existence

Divine Revelation

God revealing himself and his plan to save humanity; can be accessed through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium

Atheism

Worldview that states there is no God

Pantheism

Worldview that states there is an impersonal God that is identical to the universe

Theism

World view that states there is a personal God who transcends the universe and creates the universe

Deposit of Faith

Truths that are foundational to Christian faith and life; includes Sacred Scripture

Canon

Official list of divinely inspired books (in the Bible)

Who is the primary/principal author of Scripture?

God is at the origin of the Scriptures, so He is the author

Who are the secondary authors of Scripture?

Human collaborators; they were free to write the Bible according to their own ways of thinking and expression

Divine Condescension

God lowering Himself to live amongst humanity and to communicate using their language