Knowledge of God

What is natural theology

Knowledge of God can be gained through the human mind. You can sense God through innate reasoning or through the natural world (this is typically a Catholic view). William Paley and the watch 

Christianity worked well with science and observation e.g by looking at the world and the cause and effect cycle = uncaused causer 

Sea temperatures have been consistent for the last million years 

What is an anamist God?

God within everyting e.g trees, breeze

What is revealed theology

Knowledge of God that is shown through God himself, e.g religious experiences

Strengths with Natural theology

The world is so intricate so God must be real

Universal - applies to all cultures and religions, humans have thought about this since the start of time

Observation - we can see the evidence around us

Goldilocks theory

Supported by other knowledge (the Bible)

Fits with the way humans gain a huge wealth of our knowledge - we observe and draw conclusions

Weaknesses with natural theology

Evolution

When were we created in God’s image because at some point we were not humans. Do animals have it as well?

We don’t know if there is a God. - Hume’s naturalistic fallacy.

Gives impersonal factual information - cannot be the basis for religious belief or faith in God.

Order and purpose can be explained by other factors

If the Fall is accurate then our Natural Theology is surely corrupted.

Brunner v Barth debate

Radio debate discussing if our human nature will turn us to failure