Knoweldge of Gods Existence Flashcards
What is Natural Theology ?
The idea that we can know God without any kind of special miracle or divine intervention - Possible to know God just through ordinary human abilities and observing the world around us
Natural - Calvin - Senses Divinitatus
Sensus Divinitatus ( Sense of the Divine ) Every person has a natural inbuilt sense of God.
Deep down even atheists recognise there is a God
God has “endured all men with some idea of his Godhead” - Calvin
Means that God put this quality in humans so everyone can have a sense of Him
Calls it semen religionis - Seed of Religion
Natural - Beauty and Goodness - Augustine and Aquinas
We are attracted to beauty, for example mountains
Augustine would agree
“Question the beauty of the Earth” - Augustine - God is cause of this beauty
Link teleological - Paley
Natural - Hedley
Human Imagination provides a natural means into the mystery of God
Criticisms of Natural Theology - Barth
Barth says that natural world provides no point of contact with God because human minds are corrupted by the Fall.
What is revealed theology ?
Natural theology is not enough on its own to know God
We need to add more to this knowledge
For example the Bible
The Bible is not a natural source of truths but a supernatural source of truths
Humans are not in a position to know many of the truths about God without the Bible
Some Christian Churches believe that God has left the Bible as the supreme and only source of authority for Christians
Examples of Revealed Theology
Bible
Tradition - Grace through the Holy Spirit - Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Jesus - God became man through Jesus
Revealed Theology - Barth
Thinks that natural knowledge of God is impossible and we must rely on God to reveal himself to us
Natural Theology - Emil Bruna
God can be known through nature although he does recognise the limits of natural theology.
