Kog

Question 1

Strengths nt

Answer 1

• certain logic to idea that a creator will be revealed through their creation and order and beauty of universe requires explanation
• widely accessible to everyone, universal, not claiming only Christian’s can know god
• can do by yourself don’t have to wait for g and a miracle that may never happen

Question 2

Weakness of nt

Answer 2

• only works if believe are good grounds for saying world is created by god therefore atheists can’t agree (only works if start with religious perspective)
• developments in science explain natural world
• nature is subjective and so any knowledge of god gained will be vague and open to interpretation so might not get same conclusions
• not as detailed and insightful as teachings of j

Question 3

Weakness of rt

Answer 3

• depends hugely on faith - Dawkins reject notion of faith as “great excuse to evade the need for evidence” only works for people already open to the idea of god
• Jesus revelation recorded in Bible - mediate rev — issues of interpretation and misunderstanding therefore similar to natural revelation and not strong source (translations)

Question 4

What is natural theology + quote

Answer 4

Attempts to discover truths about the nature of g by using human reason + experience + observing the world
“Your greatness is seen in all the world”

Question 5

How are the teleological args an example of natural theology

Answer 5

Use order, design, complexity to argue that world is proof g is real

Question 6

Which scholar supported natural theology

Answer 6

John Calvin

Question 7

What did Calvin describe nature as

Answer 7

A clear ‘point of contact’ (vehicle) between humans and divine as can’t properly contemplate god

Question 8

Positive about natural theology

Answer 8

Is accessible to all not just educated

Question 9

What are the 2 metaphors Calvin used for natural theology

Answer 9

1. The natural world ‘is a mirror in which we can contemplate god’ - can see gods existence reflected in natural world
2. ‘Is a theatre for the display of the divine attributes’ - can determine qualities of god through it e.g powerful and intelligent

Question 10

According to Calvin what prevents people from seeing the obvious presence of g in nature

Answer 10

Wilful ignorance + sin causing an epistemic distance - sin and emotions distort human reason

Question 11

What is Calvin’s principle of accommodation

Answer 11

Believes g wants us to know us but due to epistemic dist and him being too great we can’t fully comprehend him, so g shows himself through nature in a non intimidating way where his presence is obvious but not overwhelming

Question 12

Quote for Calvin’s principle of accommodation

Answer 12

“Because our weakness cannot reach his great height, any description which we receive of him must be lowered to our capacity” - Calvin

Question 13

What is Calvin’s sensus divinitas + 2 supporting scholars

Answer 13

Believed g implanted within all of us an instinctive awareness of gods presence which allows us to see god in nature or develop inner morality
1. Genesis says humans are made in image of god
2. Cicero - universal consent arg — people from all cultures and time periods etc have held belief in god therefore is natural/instinct

Question 14

What is conscience + how does it link to natural theology

Answer 14

• Ability to recognise what’s right and wrong and use in decisions (aq beliefs comes from god)
• use god given reason to draw conclusions about god

Question 15

What is revealed theology + 2 examples from the Bible

Answer 15

• knowledge about god which has been directly given to humans by god himself
  1. Sermon on the mount - j explaining how to reach heav — “happy are those who are merciful to others; god will be merciful to them”
  2. Conversion of Saul - saw vision of g and was converted — “suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him”

Question 16

What is immediate revelation

Answer 16

God makes himself directly known to a person - e.g Moses and burning bush (firsthand experience)

Question 17

What is mediate revelation

Answer 17

Revelation comes through accounts of others (indirect) - e.g Moses passing on 10 commandments

Question 18

What does it mean if Bible is verbally inspired

Answer 18

Directly from god, told directly what to write “now I have put my words in your mouth” - inerrant

Question 19

What does it mean if the Bible is divinely inspired

Answer 19

Inspired by god, not totally inerrant, reflects time period

Question 20

How is Jesus the ultimate example of revealed theology/final revelation

Answer 20

• God reveals himself fully to humanity through Jesus - as is incarnation of g so reveals g’s plans and wishes to humanity
• word of god - “the word became flesh and lived among us” “the father and I are one”

Question 21

Calvin’s view on revealed theology

Answer 21

Believed is necessary to supplement knowledge with more specific info

Question 22

How did Calvin describe Jesus

Answer 22

The ‘mirror and mediator of the divine’
1. The mirror - reflects qualities and characteristics of g which are hidden from us (seen in biblical stories)
2. Mediator - mediator between humans and god, way in which sinful humans are reconciled back to g and into knowledge of him

Question 23

Barths opinion of natural theology

Answer 23

Critical of natural theology, verging on arrogance to claim can come to know god through own efforts (mind is too finite)

Question 24

What did Barth believe about Jesus in terms of revealed theology + quote

Answer 24

J is point of contact - point at which gods world meets our world, moment in history where two worlds intersect, j is final revelation
“We who stand in this concrete world know nothing, and are incapable of knowing anything, of the other world” - Barth

Question 25

What is gods grace and how does it link to faith

Answer 25

= unconditional giving to humanity Gives us ability to have faith and therefore knowledge of god

Question 26

Strengths of rt

Answer 26

- less ambiguous, offers more precise knowledge of g, less vague and open to interpretation as directly form g (Barth) - human soul is so corrupted by fall is only way can gain knowledge sin prevents (Barth) - rely on assumptions