knowledge of God's existence Flashcards
(13 cards)
what are examples of natural theology?(knowledge gained through reason and observation)
- conscience
- order in nature
what are examples of revealed theology?( through revelations God gave directly to humans)?
- Jesus
- The bible
- Prophecy
- Religious experience
what is scholarly support for natural theology being the best way to gain knowledge of God?
- calvin (sensus divinitas):
- through our conscience, appreciation of aesthetics and intellectual capacity - cicero (universal consent argument)
what is scholarly refute for natural theology being the best way to gain knowledge of God’s existence?
- calvin
- “if adam had remained upright, we would have remained in a primal and simple knowledge of God” - Barth
- the fall has completely corrupted all natural human knowledge of God
- anything that we learn about God through natural theology is as a result is as a result of God allowing us to do so
what is scholarly overcoming for natural theology still being a good source of knowledge for God’s existence? (for calvin and barth)
- Brunner:
- sensus divinitas gives a point of contact to God which allows us to begin the conversation about God - Brunner:
- the fall means humans are fallen but at a spiritual level we are still the pinnacle of creation and able to have a relationship with God
what is scriptural support for natural theology being the best way to gain knowledge of God’s existence?
- romans 2:
- “ the law of God is written in their hearts”
what is scholarly support for revealed theology(revelation) being the only way to gain knowledge of God’s existence?
- calvin:
- “if Adam had remained upright, we would have remained in a primal simple knowledge of God”
- true knowledge of God can only be revealed through christ as he is the mirror and mediator of God - martin luther:
- Christ alone is the mirror through which we see God and know his will
what is scholarly refute against revealed theology being the only way of gaining knowledge of God’s existence?
- brunner:
- sensus divinitas gives us a point of contact to God which allows us to begin the conversation about God - dawkins (fallacy of appeal to authority):
- belief in revealed theology such as the bible is based on faith, which is a delusion
what is scholarly overcoming for revealed theology still only help us gain knowledge of the existence of God? (for brunner and dawkins)
- barth:
- the fall has completely corrupted all natural human knowledge of God
- anything we learn about God through natural theology is a result of God allowing us to do so and thus is still ultimately a form of revelation - hedley:
- “faith is to religion what imagination is to philosophy”
- the same way though experiments help us to understand philosophy, is the same way faith helps us to understand God.
what is scriptural support for knowledge of God’s existence only being found through revealed theology?
- john 1:
- “no one has ever seen God, but the one and only son, who he is himself God”
what is scholarly support for faith being a sufficient reason for belief in God’s
- Aquinas:
- double truth theory - calvin:
- faith leads to firm and certain knowledge of God’s existence
- faith is also sealed by the holy spirit
what is scholarly refute for faith for being a sufficient reason to believe in God’s existence?
- dawkins:
- we should only accept truth that have been evidence based
- faith is a delusion - hume:
- “ a wise man proportions his belief to the evidence” - fallacy of the affirmation of the consequent
what is scholarly overcoming that proves that faith is still a sufficient reason to believe God exists?
- Hedley:
- “faith is to religion what imagination is to philosophy” - scripture serves as a means of “evidence” and mediate revelation as its “God breathed”
