Natural and Revealed Theology

Question 1

What is natural theology?

Answer 1

The use of reason and philosophy to theorise about God.

Question 2

What is natural theology’s position in the RC church?

Answer 2

Comes before revelations.

Question 3

Which arguments did Aquinas use to prove God’s existence?

Answer 3

The cosmological and design arguments.

Question 4

What is the cosmological argument?

Answer 4

The idea that the existence of the universe is strong evidence for the existence of a God.

Question 5

What is the design argument?

Answer 5

The idea that the universe is so complicated and intricate it must have been carefully created by a divine power, thus indicating God’s existence.

Question 6

Do RCs prefer natural or revealed theology?

Answer 6

Both required to understand something of God’s nature and relationship to human beings. They don’t contradict each other.

Question 7

What did Augustine think about reason?

Answer 7

Human reason is the height of creation.

Question 8

McGrath; where does creation bear marks of God?

Answer 8

1. Human reason.
2. Ordering of the world’s natural laws.
3. Beauty of the world.

Question 9

What did Calvin argue was subjective natural theology?

Answer 9

Sense of divinity within us all.

Question 10

What did Calvin argue was objective natural theology?

Answer 10

Experience of and reflection upon ordering of the natural world.

Question 11

Did Calvin believe we could rely on natural theology alone?

Answer 11

No; shortcomings of general knowledge of God due to sin, so scriptural revelation still needed.

Question 12

Is revealed theology authoritative over natural theology?

Answer 12

Reform writers would argue so, and any revelation given to the church which contradicted scripture= invalid.

Question 13

What did Karl Barth say the greatest reason for rejecting Catholicism was?

Answer 13

The importance they give to natural theology; any knowledge comes from God alone.

Question 14

For most protestants God is revealed above all in:

Answer 14

Jesus, the Bible, religious experience.

Question 15

What are McGrath’s 4 models of the ways God is revealed to humanity?

Answer 15

1. Doctrine.
2. Presence.
3. Experience.
4. History.

Question 16

Revelation includes truths that…

Answer 16

reason has not discovered.

Question 17

How might one experience revealed theology?

Answer 17

Through prayer, worship, miracles, religious experience etc.

Question 18

What did Sankara believe?

Answer 18

Non-dualist/ monist, so complete oneness between Brahman and humanity.

Question 19

What did Ramanuja believe?

Answer 19

Qualified non-dualism, believed in oneness yet diversity.

Question 20

What did Madhva believe?

Answer 20

Dualist, God is the efficient cause of the universe, but not the material cause.

Question 21

Define dualism.

Answer 21

God and the universe are entirely separate, not the material cause or contingent.

Question 22

Define qualified non-dualism.

Answer 22

Identity in duality- Ramanuja. God is both immanent and transcendent in the world.

Question 23

Define monism.

Answer 23

God and the world are wholly one, God pervades all- Sankara.

Question 24

Define panentheism.

Answer 24

God and the world are interconnected, and depend on each other.

Question 25

Define pantheism.

Answer 25

The belief that the world is a mode of God's being.

Question 26

What does 'material cause' mean?

Answer 26

God is the matter of the universe.

Question 27

What does 'efficient cause' mean?

Answer 27

God is the cause of the universe.

Question 28

What is the holistic modern scientific model?

Answer 28

The idea that everything is a part of a web of relationships.

Question 29

What is the dipolar modern scientific model?

Answer 29

The balance of opposing forces in nature, eg. entropy and order in evolutionary biology.

Question 30

What is the evolutionary modern scientific model?

Answer 30

Everything is part of a continuing process; all is material including spirit.

Question 31

What is meme theory?

Answer 31

The idea that religion is a unit of information that we pass on. We are colonised by our memes, so the idea we are in control is an illusion. This includes our entire mental world, so undermines the objectivity of the truth.

Question 32

What is one key issue with Christian teachings on creation?

Answer 32

Tension between transcendence and immanence.

Question 33

What are Migliore's 5 models of creation?

Answer 33

1. Generation. 2. Fabrication or formation. 3. Emanation. 4. Body of God. 5. Artistic expression/ play.

Question 34

What did Kung say about Christian teaching on creation?

Answer 34

Christianity rejected neo-Plantonist dualism (ie. matter= evil) . God radically committed to the world- Christology. World is not God's emanation. Model of the world as God's play.

Question 35

Explain dualism and Christianity.

Answer 35

God is efficient cause but not material cause. Traditional models- duality/ separation of God and the universe. Monarchical model- God governs the world (criticisms). Thomist- balance between immanence and transcendence. Western- fall causes separation from God. Rejected pantheism.

Question 36

Explain qualified dualism and Christianity.

Answer 36

Kung- rejected neo-Platonist dualism. God is radically committed to creation- since God is the origin, there is no evil counter force. Dialogical model- God speaks and people respond.

Question 37

Explain monism (aka pantheism) and Christianity.

Answer 37

Christianity rejected pantheism.

Question 38

What is the process model?

Answer 38

Related to monism/ pantheism. God is a creative ppt in the cosmos, uses evolutionary imagery.

Question 39

Explain panentheism and Christianity (ecological and feminist models).

Answer 39

God is one of many influences. Humanity created holistically, integration, not domination. Gaia hypothesis- the world is a living being which sustains life. McFague- world is the body of God, interconnection.

Question 40

How could the Hindu idea of avatars relate to ideas in Christianity?

Answer 40

Jesus as an incarnation of God, immanent in the earth.

Question 41

How could Hindu creation stories differ from Christian ones?

Answer 41

``` Hinduism= Brahman born from the Golden Egg/ Purusha Sukta hymn, Vedic hymn of creation. Christianity= creation stories, eg. Genesis. ```

Question 42

How do the Hindu ideas of rta and dharma contrast with Christian ideas about the universe?

Answer 42

We have free will, as opposed to rta/ dharma maintaining the universe. Also ideas of stewardship/ dominion as our duty.

Question 43

How do Hindu ideas of God pervading all contrast with Christian ideas about God?

Answer 43

Christianity- God is efficient cause but not material cause, more separation between God and humanity.