knowlege of god

Question 1

natural theology

Answer 1

knowledge of God based on observed facts and experience apart from divine revelation

Question 2

biblical reference that suggests natural theology

Answer 2

the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands- psalms

Question 3

Bonaventura

Answer 3

• eye of the flesh = sense perception, empiricism, gain knowledge about the physical world
• eye of reason = work out mathematical and philosophical truths using logic
• eye of contemplation = come to knowledge of God through faith

Question 4

Aquinas

Answer 4

reason and observation of nature are important signposts to God

Question 5

Cicero

Answer 5

sees the world, stars, planets and come to the conclusion of God

Question 6

two arguments for observation of the world

Answer 6

teleological argument (design in the world) 
cosmological argument (causation) 
-however, these two don't necessarily come to a conclusion of a God of classical theism

Question 7

explain what Calvin meant by god’s mirror

Answer 7

the creation of the world is a reflection of God. e.g. something beautiful reflects that God is beautiful. However, natural disasters could reflect that God is bad

Question 8

Calvin of natural theology.

define principle of accommodation

Answer 8

God adopts himself to human needs in order to allow humans to understand something about God. Calvin calls these “sparks of glory”

Question 9

Calvin on natural theology

sens us divinitatis

Answer 9

humans have an innate sense of God

Question 10

why does Clavin believe God is universal

Answer 10

even those least likely to believe in God (tribes that are separate from normal society) have religious beliefs.

Question 11

Calvin in natural theology

seeds of religion

Answer 11

everyone has the potential to become religious and the seeds of religion are everywhere.

Question 12

Calvin’s quote

Answer 12

‘it is only through scripture that the believer has access to knowledge of the re- deeming actions of God ‘

Question 13

3 strengths of natural theology

Answer 13

• long tradition in Christianity of humans using reason to work out knowledge of God.
• it is reasonable to believe that a God who lovingly created humans would have made some way for those humans to have contact with him
• the large numbers of people who have faith in God may suggest that there is some point of contact between humans and God

Question 14

4 weaknesses of natural theology

Answer 14

• Christian knowledge of God is that we learn about God through the person of Jesus
• how can an infinite being be understood by finite humans
• flawed because it uses normal reason to justify God’s existence. Normal reason to justify something that isn’t normal.
• type of knowledge gained is “knowing about” God rather than a personal relationship of faith, ‘knowing of’ God the believers talk about.

Question 15

for Augustine and Calvin why does natural theology not work

Answer 15

humans are innately sinful and since human nature is corrupt, any revelation would also be tainted by human sinful nature. This means our reason is corrupt to

Question 16

what does acts 17 suggest

Answer 16

that natural theology can take us so far about knowledge of God but we can’t know him personally

Question 17

summaries what Bruner says in the Barth-Brunner debate

Answer 17

• know God through nature (conscience and sensus divinitatis)- natural theology works
• Imagio dei spiritual level is unaffected by the Fall so there is still communication between God and humans.
• Natural theology is possible but limited- humans need God to reveal himself.
• True knowledge of God can only come by God’s revelation of Christ, through grave and faith.

Question 18

summarise what Barth says in the Barth-Brunner debate

Answer 18

• can’t understand God as he is infinite, humans are finite.
• No longer made in the image of God due to the fall. can’t communicate with God
• no point of contact as reason can’t be trusted
• only know anything of God if he chooses to reveal it to us
• true knowledge of God is found in the bible

Question 19

explain why Barth was too influenced by his times

Answer 19

• Nazi’s had appealed to the natural order in society to justify mass exterminations - explain why he was so suspicious of reason
• counter argument that his experiences of mass killing is why he doesn’t trust reason
• his view of faith over reason could lead to fideism

Question 20

define fideism

Answer 20

knowledge depends on faith

Question 21

problem of fideism

Answer 21

• you can use it to justify any action. E.g. terrorism
• 2 opposing views. Which one is true if both people say their action was out of faith.
• fideism is self defeating. If it claims to be true, it must have a truth test. Yet if offering justification for a belief, he/she is no longer a fideist.
• link to Bonhoeffer civil disobedience. You only know God’s will in the moment of action

Question 22

revealed theology

Answer 22

theology that has been given directly by a supernatural deity or messenger

Question 23

Calvin on revealed theology

Answer 23

revealed theology is needed as human nature is tainted so we need God to reveal himself to us

Question 24

Catholicism view on revealed theology

Answer 24

• the fall confused and distracted the desire for God

- natural theology is useful but we also need divine revelation or revealed theology

Question 25

define faith

Answer 25

Hebrews 11:1 "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see "

Question 26

Calvin on faith

Answer 26

- "firm and certain knowledge of God's benevolence towards us". Firm knowledge is only possible as revealed by Christ and sealed by the holy spirt. - willingness to believe "faith is given to anyone who is willing to accept it"

Question 27

Aquinas on faith

Answer 27

- unformed faith= faith which uses intellectual reasons to justify God's existence - formed faith = saying you are a firm believer in certain things. It is an ongoing process through life and is reinforced by prayer etc.

Question 28

Kierkegaard on faith

Answer 28

- you have to go a bit further, take a leap of faith. - he argues that in the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, Abraham was right to reject the moral rules of his day and sacrifice his son in order to obey God's rules. - God above reason. Kierkegaard has been accused of fideism.

Question 29

define grace

Answer 29

the love and mercy given to us by God as God desires us to have it not necessarily because we have done anything to earn it

Question 30

Calvin on grace

Answer 30

- it is only by god's grace that you can have faith. Grace then faith. Grace is needed first to give Christians faith to receive knowledge of God. - the holy sport helps to create faith because it repairs the damage caused by original sin - for Catholicism as well, faith isn't enough to know God. It requires God grace to complete the relationship.

Question 31

how is Jesus seen through the church

Answer 31

- church charity work and helping others reflects Jesus teaching like helping the less fortunate and 'love thy neighbour' - hymns/music/prayer/stain glass windows show us the type of person Jesus was. e.g. loving, thoughtful

Question 32

4 strengths of revealed theology

Answer 32

- available to all through the bible - emphasises the importance of God's grace, showing how much greater God is than humans. - emphasises the importance of the revelation of Jesus - emphasises the importance of faith in the believer. However, this could lead to fedism which is dangerous as it can be used to justify any action

Question 33

2 simple weaknesses of revealed theology

Answer 33

- no use to the non believer | - if God only reveals himself to some, he could be accused of bias. This would mean he isn't all loving.

Question 34

explain the weakness of revealed theology that there are revelations that are contradictory

Answer 34

- stories in the bible contradict each other. - how do we know which is correct ? - e.g. in Exodus it says 'and slay every man his brother...companion...neighbour' but later on in Exodus it says 'thou shall not kill'

Question 35

explain the problem of revealed theology that it isn't always clear how humans should interpret what is revealed to them

Answer 35

- some read the Bible as God's exact words - others see it as inspired by God and having authority - and some see it as a collection of experiences of different people's encounters with God

Question 36

explain the weakness of revealed theology that it dismisses other religions

Answer 36

- revealed theology uses the bible to learn about God. - it assumes that Christianity is always the correct revelation but what about other religions? - people who aren't Christians don't have access to God revealing himself. This seems unjust.