Knowledege Of Gods Existence

Question 1

What are the different types of knowing

Answer 1

1) I know 2+2=4 -> logical knowledge through definition
2) I know Paris is the capital of France -> factual know,edge based on reports or experience
3) I know Peter smith -> personal knowledge through which Peter has given me

Question 2

What is natural theology

Answer 2

Natural theology argues that god can be known through reason and observation of the natural world

Question 3

What is revealed theology

Answer 3

God can only be known when he lets himself be known, through revelation whuch can take place in scripture, prayer or a proper

Question 4

What is a fundamental problem for both natural and revealed theology

Answer 4

• unlike all other forms of knowledge,cgod is uniquely different from all other objects
• so although natural theology attractiveness lies in its reasonable and rational justification of good, it has to be taken into account god as a being lies beyond reason
• why should people believe knowledge of god is true for revealed theology, can be deemed irrational

Question 5

What does natural theology suggest about humans and god

Answer 5

• as god is the creative and the universe and humans are a part of this universe, humans posses a predisposition of wanting to know god
• it argues that the natural world acts as a point of contact between humans and god

Question 6

Who supports natural theology

Answer 6

• official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church
• however Protestants question the validity of natural theology

Question 7

What idea does the Roman Catholic Church share with Calvin

Answer 7

Both Calvin and the RCC believe that knowledge of god is innate
- Calvin calls this innate sense of the divine as the sensus divinitatis and this cns be seen through the natural inclination to carry out religious practices such as prayer

Question 8

What does it say in the catechism which supports sensus divinitatis

Answer 8

“ the desire for god is written in the human heart” - catechism

Question 9

How can the idea of knowledge of god is innate be justified

Answer 9

One argument is that every human society has some form of worship which suggests that humans are predisposed to know god
- An example can be seen through the unknown god which is support for sensus divinitatis, Paul sees a large altar dedicated to an unknown god, this desire to this unknown god is innate

Question 10

What is the universal consent argument

Answer 10

• argument proposed by Cicero and referred to by Calvin
• argues that so many people believe in a god to the point that he must exis t
• if he doesn’t exist it is reasonable to argue that beleif in god is innate

Question 11

What si the human sense of beauty and moral goodness argument

Answer 11

• the idea that due to us enjoying a hood piece of music or landscape, humans have an openness to truth and goodness which is an apprehension of gods existence
• this sense of beauty and moral goodness is the foundations of knowledge of god

Question 12

How does is beauty and goodness idea portrayed by natural law

Answer 12

Catholicism argues that natural law is an indication of innate knowledge of god.
# natural law argues that all people have an innate sense of goodness, fairness an justice, this can be seen through small children and how quickly they develop a sense of fairness

Question 13

How does conscience point to kmwokdeg of god for Calvin

Answer 13

• Calvin considered conscience to important indication of innate knwokdge of god
• he argued that conscience is a god give faculty which allows us to know right and wrong according to gods will
• literally means joint kmwokdeg e between god and ourselves

Question 14

Recognise god existence

Question 15

Recognise gods existence

Question 16

What is duplex cogito domini and what does Calvin argue

Answer 16

Calvin outlines A distinction between known,deg of god the creator and god the redeemer
- he argues that knowledge of god the creator is knowable through the natural world and the design and ordering of creation

Question 17

What is Calvin’s principle of accommodation

Answer 17

-This principle states that because human mind is finite and god is infinite, humans will never be able to know god through powers of reason.
- due to this god manifests himself through creation in ways that humans can understand
- in the same way a teacher teaching 5 yr olds would adopt her language

Question 18

What does Calvin argue about his principle fo accommodation

Answer 18

Shows us a reflection of his invisible nature, what we observe in nature is his appearance not hsi essence
X from these sparks fo glory we can from some idea of gods essential being

Question 19

What is William paleys argument

Answer 19

• From nature we can infer that there is an all powerful creator
• hwieve an probelm with this is that Darwin’s evolutionary theory is no longer accepted which means the universe is not purposeful, a unpurposeful univiverse suggests a redundant god

Question 20

What is process theology

Answer 20

Acts as a repsonse to the objection of purpose in the universe
- formed by theologians who were inspired by quantum physics

Question 21

What does process theology suggests

Answer 21

• process theology suggests that god and the world act in tandem
• god is not independent from natural processes rather he works with them to maximise their greatest potentials

Question 22

What does Ian Barbour say

Answer 22

“Both experience and history points to a god who acts by not coercing but evoking the response of his creatures”
- god that loves his creation suffers with it and desires every to reach their potential

Question 23

What

Question 24

What are process theologians view on natural and revealed theology

Answer 24

• don’t make a sharp distinction between natural and revealed as every moment in creation is a revelation of gods participation in nature

Question 25

What does revealed theology argue nature, theology undermines

Answer 25

The corruption of humanity due to the fall
- Calvin argues if Adam had remained upright, we would’ve all known god but this wasn’t the case

Question 26

What does Calvin argue about revealed theology

Answer 26

It is only knowledge of god the redeemer which cns brign us back into the perfect relationship with god
- true knowledge is salvation in Christ

Question 27

What is the Catholic view of the fall

Answer 27

• Catholic view is that the fall did not disconnect us from god but rather it weakens our wills for god
• This can be seen through religious ignorance

Question 28

What are the views of faith

Answer 28

-belief that god has revealed himself is not worked out by reason alone, it requires faith
- but even faith needs some reason otherwise it would be meaningless
- in catholic teaching faith is not independent from reason, it is one thing to demonstrate the existence of god, but it is another to believe it to be true

Question 29

What is Aquinas unfriendly faith and formed faith

Answer 29

1. Unformed faith is faith which finds intellectual reason why e.g a person may beleiev in afterlife but not accept it as true
2. Formed faith is faith which wills to accept which it believes, this faith is willing to believe that Jesus witnesses are trustworthy -> develops with discipline of prayer

Question 30

What is the view of grace

Answer 30

Faith alone is not sufficient to know god, we still require gods gracious act to complete the relationships
- Aquinas argeud faith can only be justified through grace of the holy sport