Post on 14-Feb-2018
Unit 7: 405007
1. The existence of God
2. The Characteristics of God
3. Revelation and Enlightenment
4. The problem of Evil
5. The compatibility of Religion and Science
6. The Afterlife
© Mrs Kerr 2011
CCaauussaattiioonn:: ‘‘TThhee aarrgguummeenntt tthhaatt
eevveerryytthhiinngg mmuusstt hhaavvee bbeeeenn ssttaarrtteedd ooffff
((ccaauusseedd)) bbyy ssoommeetthhiinngg eellssee..’’
SStt TThhoommaass AAqquuiinnaass
CCoossmmoollooggiiccaall AArrgguummeenntt == CCaauussaattiioonn ((tthheeyy aarree oonnee aanndd tthhee ssaammee!!))
AArrgguummeennttss ffoorr tthhee EExxiisstteennccee ooff GGoodd
11.. NNootthhiinngg
hhaappppeennss bbyy
iittsseellff,,
eevveerryytthhiinngg
nneeeeddss aa ccaauussee
22.. TThheerreeffoorree
tthhee uunniivveerrssee
mmuusstt hhaavvee aa
ccaauussee..
33.. OOnnllyy GGoodd
ccoouulldd hhaavvee
ccaauusseedd aa
uunniivveerrssee ttoo
ccoommee aabboouutt..
TThheerreeffoorree,,
tthheerree mmuusstt
bbee aa GGoodd..
•• TThhiiss aarrgguummeenntt rreelliieess oonn ssoommeetthhiinngg ccaalllleedd ‘‘ccaauussee aanndd eeffffeecctt’’..
•• EEvveerryytthhiinngg tthhaatt hhaappppeennss ((eeffffeecctt)) mmuusstt hhaavvee ssoommeetthhiinngg tthhaatt hhaass mmaaddee iitt hhaappppeenn ((ccaauussee))..
•• EE..gg.. aa rrooww ooff ddoommiinnooss ffaallll ((eeffffeecctt)),, ssoommeeoonnee ppuusshheedd tthhee ffiirrsstt oonnee ((ccaauussee))
•• OOrr aa uunniivveerrssee eexxiissttss ((eeffffeecctt)),, ssoommeeoonnee ((GGoodd)) mmuusstt hhaavvee mmaaddee iitt eexxiisstt ((ccaauussee))..
The Second Way: In life, everything we experience
is CAUSED by something else
11.. WWee sseeee tthhiinnggss
mmoovvee aanndd wwee
kknnooww tthhaatt
tthhiinnggss ccaannnnoott
mmoovvee
tthheemmsseellvveess
22.. SSoommeetthhiinngg
mmuusstt bbee mmoovveedd
bbyy ssoommeetthhiinngg
tthhaatt eexxiisstteedd
bbeeffoorree iitt
33.. TThhiiss ccaannnnoott ggoo
oonn iinnffiinniitteellyy ssoo
tthheerree mmuusstt bbee
ssoommeetthhiinngg tthhaatt wwaass
nnoott mmoovveedd bbyy
aannyytthhiinngg eellssee..
TThhiiss iiss
wwhhaatt
wwee ccaallll
GGoodd..
The First Way: - All changes or movements happen
as a result of something else
The Third Way: Everything we experience in this
life has to EXIST
11.. EEvveerryytthhiinngg
ccoommeess iinnttoo
bbeeiinngg aanndd ggooeess
oouutt ooff bbeeiinngg--
EExxiissttss oorr ddooeess
nnoott
22.. TThhiiss mmeeaannss
tthhaatt tthheerree wwaass
aa ttiimmee wwhheenn
tthheerree wwaass
nnootthhiinngg
33..
SSoommeetthhiinngg
ccaannnnoott
ccoommee ffrroomm
nnootthhiinngg
TThheerreeffoorree,,
ssoommeetthhiinngg
mmuusstt aallwwaayyss
hhaavvee eexxiisstteedd--
GGOODD..
Do you think this argument proves that God exists or at least a power capable of
creating exists?
•• TThhee pphhiilloossoopphheerr,, WWiilllliiaamm PPaalleeyy,, uusseedd tthhee iiddeeaa ooff ddeessiiggnn ttoo ttrryy aanndd pprroovvee tthhee
eexxiisstteennccee ooff GGoodd..
•• HHee llooookkeedd aatt aa wwaattcchh aanndd ssaaiidd iiff ssoommeetthhiinngg lliikkee tthhiiss rreeqquuiirreess aa ddeessiiggnneerr,, hhooww
mmuucchh mmoorree wwoouulldd tthhee uunniivveerrssee nneeeedd aa ddeessiiggnneerr
DDeessiiggnn:: ‘‘TThhee iiddeeaa tthhaatt tthhiinnggss wwiitthh aa ffuunnccttiioonn oorr ppuurrppoossee mmuusstt hhaavvee
bbeeeenn ccrreeaatteedd ffoorr tthhaatt ppuurrppoossee..’’
TTeelleeoollooggiiccaall AArrgguummeenntt == DDeessiiggnn AArrgguummeenntt
33.. TThheerreeffoorree,,
aa bbeeiinngg wwiitthh
iinntteelllliiggeennccee
aanndd tthhoouugghhtt
mmuusstt hhaavvee ddeessiiggnneedd iitt..
44.. OOnnllyy GGoodd ccoouulldd
hhaavvee iinntteelllliiggeennccee
aanndd tthhoouugghhtt
eennoouugghh ttoo ddeessiiggnn
tthhee uunniivveerrssee..
11.. TToo ddeessiiggnn
ssoommeetthhiinngg
ttaakkeess
iinntteelllliiggeennccee
aanndd tthhoouugghhtt..
55.. TThheerreeffoorree,, aass tthhee uunniivveerrssee eexxiissttss,, GGoodd mmuusstt eexxiisstt..
22.. TThhee
uunniivveerrssee
sshhoowwss
eevviiddeennccee ooff
ddeessiiggnn..
BERTRAND RUSSELL (1872-
1970):- Was concerned with the
question ‘Why is there ‘Why is there ‘Why is there ‘Why is there anything at all?’anything at all?’anything at all?’anything at all?’
Many people cannot accept this statement as it does not answer
WHY the universe exists
Many come back to
the argument that
there must be a
starting point
“I should say the universe is just there, and
that’s all”
ARGUMENTS AGAINST AQUINAS’S FIRST CAUSEARGUMENTS AGAINST AQUINAS’S FIRST CAUSEARGUMENTS AGAINST AQUINAS’S FIRST CAUSEARGUMENTS AGAINST AQUINAS’S FIRST CAUSE
DAVID HUME (1711-1776):- He suggested that
• We can not jump to the conclusion that things need to be explained in the way Aquinas tried to
do.
• Maybe things have always existed-back to infinity
• Some claim that the universe cannot be explained by itself and therefore God must exist
• However:- they are happy to say that God doesn’t need an explanation
• Just because the universe might need a cause, does this mean that the cause is infinite
Do you think the first cause argument leads to a belief in one God?
•• TThhee pprroobblleemm wwiitthh bbootthh tthheessee aarrgguummeennttss iiss tthhaatt aa ppeerrssoonn ccoouulldd ssaayy ‘‘IIIIIIIIffffffff GGGGGGGGoooooooodddddddd
ccccccccaaaaaaaauuuuuuuusssssssseeeeeeeedddddddd////////ddddddddeeeeeeeessssssssiiiiiiiiggggggggnnnnnnnneeeeeeeedddddddd tttttttthhhhhhhheeeeeeee uuuuuuuunnnnnnnniiiiiiiivvvvvvvveeeeeeeerrrrrrrrsssssssseeeeeeee,,,,,,,, tttttttthhhhhhhheeeeeeeennnnnnnn wwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhoooooooo ccccccccaaaaaaaauuuuuuuusssssssseeeeeeeedddddddd//////// ddddddddeeeeeeeessssssssiiiiiiiiggggggggnnnnnnnneeeeeeeedddddddd GGGGGGGGoooooooodddddddd??’’
•• TThhee CChhrriissttiiaann aannsswweerr iiss tthhaatt nnoo oonnee mmaaddee GGoodd,, hhee aallwwaayyss eexxiisstteedd.. HHee’’ss wwhhaatt AArriissttoottllee
((aanncciieenntt GGrreeeekk pphhiilloossoopphheerr)) rreeffeerrss ttoo aass tthhee ‘‘pprriimmee mmoovveerr’’ ((tthhee ffiirrsstt oonnee ttoo mmaakkee tthhiinnggss
hhaappppeenn bbuutt ddooeessnn’’tt nneeeedd aannyytthhiinngg ttoo mmaakkee iitt hhaappppeenn))..
‘‘EEvvoolluuttiioonn’’ aanndd ‘‘nnaattuurraall
sseelleeccttiioonn’’ ((ssuurrvviivvaall ooff tthhee
ffiitttteesstt)) wweerree tthhee rreeaassoonn
aanndd nnoott ddeessiiggnn..
Charles
Darwin
TThheerree aarree ttoooo mmaannyy ffaauullttss
iinn tthhee uunniivveerrssee ttoo ssaayy iitt iiss
aa rreessuulltt ooff aa ppeerrffeecctt GGoodd’’ss
ddeessiiggnn..
Richard
Dawkins
Arguments about the design arguments
Aquinas also had a design argument:- He said
• An arrow will not hit a target by itself
• It needs someone to shoot it in the right direction
• It also needs to be designed and made in the right shape etc
• This can not happen by chance
• Therefore the whole universe needs an intelligent designer: GOD
IS THERE ORDER IN CREATION?
• Some people claim there is order in the world around us, eg the perfect balance of gases in the air
• Some people believe everything is random
Do you think the design argument proves the existence of God?
Is it possible to proveproveproveprove that God either existsexistsexistsexists or does not existdoes not existdoes not existdoes not exist?
Term agonostic
Definition
A person who believes we cannot be sure whether or not there is a God because there is insufficient evidence for his existence.
argument from design
A proof for the existence of God based on the idea that there is so much design and purpose in the universe that it could not have happened by accident; there has
to have been a designer, God. Otherwise called the teleological argument.
atheist A person who believes that there is no God
cosmological To do with the nature of the universe. Used in particular with the cosmological argument that says there has to be a God to explain the existence of all things.
faith A commitment to something that goes beyond proof and knowledge, especially
used about God and religion.
first cause argument
A proof for the existence of God based on the idea that there had to be an uncaused cause that made everything else happen, otherwise there would be
nothing now.
fundamentalist A person who believes in the basics of a religion, particularly believing that what is contained in a sacred text is an accurate, almost factual, record that cannot be
questioned.
philosophy Literally ‘the love of wisdom’. The study of ideas and the nature of knowledge and
existence.
proof Evidence that guarantees the truth of something
reality The quality or state of being actual or true.
teleological To do with design or order, particularly the attempt to prove the existence of God by
showing that there is design and order in the universe.
theist A person who believes in God.
ultimate questions
Questions about the nature and purpose of the universe. Those matters that cannot easily be addressed but which affect the way most people respond to life, e.g. Is
there a God? What happens after death?, etc.
valid Something that supports the truth of a statement or fact.
humanist A person who says that only human beings and values are important and who
reject any idea of God.
inclusive terms Words that are not specific to a gender or a particular group.
interpretation A way of explaining the meaning of something.
language The use of words and phrases to pass on a meaning or idea.
polytheism The belief that there are many gods.
The Existence of God
TERMS DEFINITION
compassionate
One of the qualities of God; showing concern for the
sufferings of others. Literally ‘suffering with’.
eternal
Without limits in time; outside time
forms
The different ways in which people picture God.
immanent
The idea that God is very close and is involved in what goes on in the world. He is not distant or uncaring.
impersonal
The idea that God is a force or abstract idea and cannot
be described in human terms.
merciful
A quality of God that stresses God’s willingness to
forgive the wrongdoer.
personal When used about God, the idea that God cares about the individual and is involved in the individual’s life.
transcendent
The belief that God is beyond space and time, and that
there are no limitations on what he can do.
monotheism
The belief that there is only one God.
The Characteristics of God
• The idea of God is that he is
infiniteinfiniteinfiniteinfinite which means he has
no limitsno limitsno limitsno limits. • It is therefore difficult to use
any words about him that make
sense and describe him
accurately.
• Some people try to use pictures to
show their idea of what God is
like.
• However they the have to explain
their picture
• For some religions e.g. ISLAM ISLAM ISLAM ISLAM and
JUDAISMJUDAISMJUDAISMJUDAISM it is an offence to try
and capture the nature of God –
Why do you think this is?
Write a short description of what you think God is like (even if you don’t believe in God)_____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
GOD IN ONE FORM
GOD IN MANY FORMS
Judaism: -First to accept
the idea of one God. For
Jews the name of Godname of Godname of Godname of God is so holy it is never
written down in its
complicated form and
never spoken by
humans. God cannot be
shown through images
because it is limiting.
Christianity: - Also believe
there is only one God who
has entered into humanity
through Jesus. There are three persons in one Godthree persons in one Godthree persons in one Godthree persons in one God- God the Father, God the
Son and God the Holy
Spirit. This is known as
the TrinityTrinityTrinityTrinity. . . . They believe
God is involved in creation.
There is no problem in
representing Jesus in
Pictures because he
appeared in a limited form
Islam: - The ONENESSONENESSONENESSONENESS of
God is a central feature
and their statement of
faith (Shahada) is
“There is no God but All“There is no God but All“There is no God but All“There is no God but Allahahahah””””.... For Muslims it is wrong to
portray God through
images. They do however
have 99 names99 names99 names99 names of Allah
which each represent a
quality or attributequality or attributequality or attributequality or attribute of Allah
• Moses asked God for his
name and He replied “I am
who I am. This is what you
are to say to the Israelites:
‘I AM has sent me to
you.’”
• ‘I AM’ is not a name but a
definition of God
• ‘ I AM’ defines God as self-
sufficient
• ‘He is the Most
Compassionate and Merciful.
Allah is He, other than whom
there is no other god’ Qur’an
• ‘God’s alone are the
attributes of perfection’
Qur’an
Hinduism:- Say there is only
ONE God- BRAHMAN- However they say that Brahman
can be seen in many forms
Which each show a
different nature of Brahman
What does Hinduism teach about God?_________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________What do you think about this
belief in many forms of one God?_________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_______________
The TRIMURTI:- This is • Brahman – the Creator god
• Vishnu – the Sustainer god
• Shiva – the Destroyer god
Each has a female counterpart
WORDS USED ABOUT GODWORDS USED ABOUT GODWORDS USED ABOUT GODWORDS USED ABOUT GOD
Divine
Supreme
All powerful
GOD
Father
Judge Creator
Forgiving Loving- BENEVOLENT
Sustainer King All knowing- Omniscient
Unique Perfection Fighter
Many people question whether it is right to
use the word ‘He’ about God. Why do you
think this is? However is there a
better word to use e.g. ‘it’?
• There are many words that have
been used by different religions
to describe their idea of what
God is like.
• For each of the following
try to explain what each
word tells us about the
nature of God
Omnipotent Omniscient Benevolent All-compassionate
God as KING:
• Protects his people
• Rules/governs over them
• Leads them to battle
• Is to be obeyed
• Royal
• Strong and respected
JEWISH quotes: These words were said by God
• ‘When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt
I called my son…’ Hosea 11:1
• ‘It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by
the arms…’ Hosea 11:2 These words are referring to God as father
• ‘But you are our father’ Isaiah 63:16
God as FatherGod as FatherGod as FatherGod as Father: This
word has been used by
many religions to
describe the nature of
God e.g. Judaism and Christianity. This shows an intimate
relationship with God
and that He is loving.
Christian quotes: Christians follow the example of Jesus who addresses God as Father
• ‘At that time Jesus said “I praise you, Father, Lord of
heaven and earth…”’ Matthew 11:25
• ‘He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father,
if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away
unless I drink it, may your will be done.”’ Matthew 26:42
• ‘This, then, is how you should pray: ”Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be your name…”’ Matthew 6:9
WORDS ONLY USED TO DESCRIBE GOD
TRANSCENDENTTRANSCENDENTTRANSCENDENTTRANSCENDENT
IMPERSONALIMPERSONALIMPERSONALIMPERSONAL
IMMANENTIMMANENTIMMANENTIMMANENT
PERSONALPERSONALPERSONALPERSONAL
• Christianity teaches that evil entered the world as a result of Adam
and Eve giving in to temptation in the Garden of Eden – this switch
from a perfect world to one containing evil is known as The Fall.
• Christianity teaches that every human being was born with a flawed
nature after the fall – this is the idea of original sin. It’s believed that
this excludes us from Heaven unless we’re reconciled with God.
• Christians believe God created humans with free will – it’s up to us to
choose whether we sin and perform evil deeds or not.
• Christianity has also personified evil as Satan or the Devil.
• Christians might refer to someone who has performed evil deeds as
being possessed by the Devil although this isn’t modern Christian
teaching.
• In Christianity there are sins of thought as well as sins of action.
Evil and suffering can be divided into
two types:
Many people have tried to define evil and work out what it is or where it comes from.
ˡl˴˴̇̇̈̈̅̅˴˴˿˿ʳr˘̆̉̉˼˼˿˿ˍ̱ ‘‘TThhiinnggss wwhhiicchh ccaauussee ssuuffffeerriinngg bbuutt hhaavvee
nnootthhiinngg ttoo ddoo wwiitthh hhuummaannss..’’
• This kind of evil and the
suffering that comes
with it is caused by the world in which we live
and is no one’s fault. E.g. floods and hurricanes
ˠɣ̂̂̅̅˴˴˿˿ʳr˘̆̉̉˼˼˿˿ˍ̱ ‘‘AAccttiioonnss
ddoonnee bbyy hhuummaannss wwhhoo ccaauussee
ssuuffffeerriinngg ttoo ootthheerrss..’’ • Suffering is brought by cruel
actions of people. E.g. murder, war, rape and
torture. The person causing the evil is able to make a choice about what
is morally right or wrong.
TThhee eexxiisstteennccee ooff eevviill aanndd ssuuffffeerriinngg iinn tthhee wwoorrlldd iiss oonnee ooff tthhee ssttrroonnggeesstt
aarrgguummeennttss aaggaaiinnsstt tthhee eexxiisstteennccee ooff GGoodd..
IIff GGoodd mmaaddee tthhee wwoorrlldd,, wwhhyy ddooeess hhee aallllooww tthheemm ttoo eexxiisstt??
THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING AND EVIL
TThhee CChhrriissttiiaann rreessppoonnssee ttoo tthhiiss ssttaarrttss bbyy ssaayyiinngg wwee mmuusstt ffiirrsstt aacccceepptt tthhaatt tthhee wwoorrlldd iiss nnoo lloonnggeerr aass GGoodd ccrreeaatteedd oorr
iinntteennddeedd iitt ttoo bbee,, aanndd tthhaatt mmaannkkiinndd hhaass aalltteerreedd iittss nnaattuurraall ffoorrmm tthhrroouugghh ppoolllluuttiioonn,, wwaarr aanndd ddeevveellooppmmeenntt..
TThhee ‘‘PPrroobblleemm ooff EEvviill’’ aarrgguummeenntt aaggaaiinnsstt GGoodd ggooeess lliikkee tthhiiss::
• Evil and suffering may lead some people to question their belief in God or even to
reject their faith.
• This might be because they can’t believe that a God who is good would allow such things
to happen or because they feel that their prayers are not being answered.
• Other people might argue that God can’t be very powerful if he is unable to prevent
suffering.
• Some Christians would argue that most evil come about because of how we humans act.
After the ‘Fall’ we have the choice to do evil and it is our responsibility not to do so.
• Some Christians think that evil is necessary for there to be free will – without the
choice of doing wrong what freedom is there? They believe that there has to be evil in
the world for it to be possible to do good.
• Many Christians believe that all the suffering in the word will in the end come to good.
God has a plan.
55.. TThheerreeffoorree,, GGoodd ccaannnnoott eexxiisstt..
11.. IIff GGoodd iiss
bbeenneevvoolleenntt,, hhee
wwoouulldd wwaanntt ttoo
rreemmoovvee eevviill
aanndd ssuuffffeerriinngg..
44.. EEvviill aanndd
ssuuffffeerriinngg eexxiisstt..
GGoodd iiss tthhoouugghhtt ttoo bbee aallll--lloovviinngg ʻ̒˵˵˸˸́́˸˸̉̉̂̂˿˿˸˸́́̇̇ʼ̓ʿʿ aallll--kknnoowwiinngg ʻ̒̂̂̀̀́́˼˼̆̆˶˶˼˼˸˸́́̇̇ʼ̓
aanndd aallll--ppoowweerrffuull ʻ̒̂̂̀̀́́˼˼̃̃̂̂̇̇˸˸́́̇̇ʼ̓ˁˁ
22.. IIff GGoodd iiss
oommnniisscciieenntt,, hhee
wwoouulldd kknnooww
hhooww ttoo rreemmoovvee
eevviill aanndd
ssuuffffeerriinngg..
33.. IIff GGoodd iiss
oommnniippootteenntt,,
hhee wwoouulldd bbee
aabbllee ttoo
rreemmoovvee eevviill
aanndd ssuuffffeerriinngg..
Coping with Suffering • Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians often pray for a saint to
intercede with God on behalf of someone who’s suffering.
• Christians also pray to God to accept suffering as part of his plan.
• Many Christians believe that when we struggle and suffer we are closest to Jesus as he struggled on the cross.
• One argument that Christians make for accepting suffering is that that life is worthwhile if Jesus chose to come and share it with us.
• Many Christian organisations (Christian Aid) work to alleviate the suffering of others.
Term Definition
evil The opposite of good. A force or a negative power that is seen in many
Traditions as destructive and against God.
free will Having the ability to choose or determine one’s own actions.
free will defence An argument to justify both the existence of a loving God and the existence of evil. It is based on the idea that what makes humans special is their ability to choose. For this to
happen they have to live in a world in which things can, and do, go wrong
karma Action. The law of cause and effect.
moral evil The harm that results from a bad choice made by human beings misusing their free will.
natural evil The harm or damage that is done to people and creation as a result of the forces of nature
and the structure of the Earth.
reincarnation The Hindu belief that after this life the soul moves on to a new (usually
Bodily) form.
rebirth In Buddhism, the belief that after this life there is continuity into a new life form that is
affected by the karma gained so far.
soul-making The belief that suffering makes it possible for people to ‘grow’ into more
mature individuals
suffering The experience of something bad or painful.
CChhrriissttiiaannss bbeelliieevvee tthhaatt eevviill iiss nnoott aa rreessuulltt ooff GGoodd,, bbuutt ooff cchhooiicceess hhuummaanniittyy
mmaakkeess.. FFoorr GGoodd ttoo iinntteerrvveennee aanndd ssttoopp eevviill iitt wwoouulldd mmeeaann ttaakkiinngg aawwaayy oouurr ffrreeee
wwiillll aanndd iimmppoossiinngg hhiiss wwiillll..
GGoodd ddiidd nnoott mmaakkee ppeeooppllee aass rroobboottss,, tthheeyy ccaann cchhoooossee ttoo bbeelliieevvee iinn
GGoodd,, oorr nnoott;; tthheeyy ccaann cchhoooossee ttoo ddoo wwhhaatt iiss rriigghhtt,, oorr nnoott;; tthheeyy ccaann
cchhoooossee ttoo hheellpp ppeeooppllee,, oorr nnoott..
Jesus set and example for Christians today.
• Christians believe that in his willingness to suffer and die on their behalf, Jesus set an example which they themselves should be prepared to follow.
• In dying on the cross Christians believe Jesus paid for all the sin of mankind. The Bible teaches that God is merciful but he is also just so our sins will have to be paid for.
Free Will and EvilFree Will and EvilFree Will and EvilFree Will and Evil
CChhrriissttiiaannss ssaayy GGoodd ggaavvee hhuummaanniittyy ‘‘ffrreeee wwiillll’’.. TThhiiss mmeeaannss tthhee aabbiilliittyy aanndd
rriigghhtt ttoo cchhoooossee.. IIff GGoodd hhaadd nnoott ggiivveenn ffrreeee wwiillll,, tthheenn ppeeooppllee wwoouulldd hhaavvee nnoo
cchhooiiccee bbuutt ttoo bbeelliieevvee iinn hhiimm aanndd ffoollllooww hhiimm,, wwhhiicchh iiss nnoott ttrruuee ffrreeeeddoomm..
Term Definition
dream Images, ideas, emotions that occur during sleep.
enlightenment
The gaining of true knowledge, particularly in the Buddhist tradition, that frees a person from the cycle of rebirth by seeing what the truth about life
really is.
faith A commitment to something that goes beyond proof and knowledge,
especially used about God and religion.
general revelation God making himself known through ordinary, common human
experiences
near death experience
Some people, when they are close to death, claim to have had a sense of themselves leaving their bodies and seeing what exists beyond this life.
prayer Communicating with a deity through words of praise, thanksgiving or
confession, or requests for his help or guidance.
reality The quality or state of being actual or true.
resurrection Rising from the dead or returning to life (applied to souls after death).
revelation
God shows himself to believers. This is the only way anybody can really know anything about God.
special revelation
God making himself known through direct personal experience or an
unusual specific event.
valid
Something that supports the truth of a statement or fact.
vision
Seeing something, especially in a dream or trance, that shows something about the nature of God or the afterlife.
worship
Ceremony or prayers showing love and devotion to a deity, an idol or sacred object.
Revelation and Enlightenment
Revelation through mystical and religious experiences.
CChhrriissttiiaannss bbeelliieevvee GGoodd iiss iimmmmuuttaabbllee
((ddooeessnn’’tt cchhaannggee)).. AAss aa rreessuulltt tthheeyy
ffeeeell GGoodd ccaann ssttiillll wwoorrkk mmiirraacclleess..
MMaannyy ppeeooppllee ssaayy iinnccrreeddiibbllee eevveennttss
iinn tthheeiirr lliiffee aarree aa mmiirraaccllee.. IInn FFrraannccee,,
LLoouurrddeess ggeettss tthhoouussaannddss ooff vviissiittoorrss
eevveerryy yyeeaarr hhooppiinngg ffoorr aa mmiirraaccllee..
MMiirraacclleess
MMaannyy ppeeooppllee ffeeeell tthheeyy
MMaakkee ssoommee ffoorrmm ooff ccoonnnneeccttiioonn wwiitthh
GGoodd wwhheenn tthheeyy pprraayy,, wwhheetthheerr tthheeyy
ggeett wwhhaatt tthheeyy aasskk ffoorr oorr nnoott.. PPeeooppllee pprraayy
iinn aallll ssoorrttss ooff cciirrccuummssttaanncceess,, oouutt ooff
nneeeedd,, ccoommffoorrtt,, aanndd tthhaannkkffuullnneessss,, ffoorr
gguuiiddaannccee aanndd ffoorr ootthheerrss..
PPrraayyeerr
TThhiiss ffeeeelliinngg ooff bbeeiinngg oovveerrwwhheellmmeedd bbyy
tthhee sseennssee ooff tthhee pprreesseennccee ooff ssoommeetthhiinngg
ggrreeaatteerr tthhaann yyoouu iiss aa ssppiirriittuuaall eemmoottiioonn..
TThhee ffiirrsstt mmaann oonn tthhee mmoooonn,, NNeeiill
AArrmmssttrroonngg,, ffeelltt tthhiiss wwhheenn hhee ssaaww hhooww
aammaazziinngg ssppaaccee llooookkeedd lliikkee ffrroomm tthhee
mmoooonn..
NNuummiinnoouuss CCoonnvveerrssiioonn
CCoonnvveerrssiioonn iiss aallll aabboouutt
CChhaannggee.. IItt iiss tthhee cchhaannggiinngg ffrroomm
oonnee rreelliiggiioonn ttoo aannootthheerr oorr ffrroomm nnoo
rreelliiggiioonn ttoo ffoolllloowwiinngg oonnee..
CCoonnvveerrssiioonn uussuuaallllyy ffoolllloowwss ssoommee
lliiffee aalltteerriinngg eevveenntt tthhaatt ccoonnvviinncceess aann
iinnddiivviidduuaall tthhaatt tthheerree mmuusstt bbee ssoommee
ssoorrtt ooff GGoodd..
Religious Experience
• According to Christians there are lots of ways to experience God. These experiences allow you to know God.
• God can reveal himself in many ways. • Christians believe that the truth about the world and their rules for
good behaviour were revealed to them by God. These revelations were written down in the Bible.
• Most Christians believe their scriptures were divinely inspired. That is that God revealed himself to the prophets and apostles who then wrote the Bible on those experiences.
1. Prayer is an attempt to contact God directly. It usually
involves words and can be thought of as a conversation with God. A person might feel the presence of God in an answered prayer.
2. Meditation – a believer clears his or her mind of distractions and focuses on God. This could involve repetitive prayer, reading scripture or fasting. It doesn’t need to be in a place of worship. Meditation can result in vision and voices as the believer draws closer to God.
3. Some people believe miracles occur today and that these miracles show God’s power and presence.
4. Religious Ecstasy – these experiences range from singing, dancing, shaking or crying during worship to speaking in tongues, having visions or prophesying.
5. Sacramental Rituals –rituals in which Christians believe God makes his presence felt directly. According to RCs there are 6. sacraments, baptism, confirmation, reconciliation, Eucharist, ordination (becoming a priest), marriage and anointing of the sick. In the Eucharist, RCs believe in transubstantiation.
Jesus Most Christians believe that the Jewish prophets spoke for God but they believe that God revealed himself fully in the person of Jesus. Christians believe he was both fully God and fully human. Jesus’ teachings were written down during his life and passed on in the Gospels. They include the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 -7, Read this and you will find tonnes of Bible quotes to put in many of the essays) which many believe is Christ’s most important revelation. In Jesus’ death and resurrection. Christians believe Jesus showed his divine nature to man.
The Bible as a Guidebook
The Old Testament (OT)
The OT is the Jewish and Christian
scripture. Written in Hebrew and Aramaic, its 39 books include the
creation story, the books of Law,
the 10 commandments, various histories, prophecy, poetry and psalms.
The New Testament (NT)
The NT is specifically Christian.
Written in Greek in the 1st Century CE, its 27 books include the 4
Gospels, the Acts of the apostles,
13 letters by St Paul, 8 other letters and the Revelation of St John – an apocalyptic vision.
Christians accept the Bible as authoritative in forming their beliefs and guiding their actions.
Literalism: Many Christians
believe the Bible literally, Jesus really did walk on
water.
Fundamentalism: This is a form of literalism.
Fundamentalists believe that it’s wrong to question anything from the Bible and it is the word of God.
Conservative View: This view is probably the most common
among Christians. They believe that the Bible was inspired by God but not dictated. Readers must use their intelligence and
the guidance from the Holy Spirit to understand the writer’s
intelligence.
Liberal: Liberals believe it can be read symbolically.
Term Definition
argument from design
A proof for the existence of God based on the idea that there is so much design and purpose in the universe that it could not have happened by accident; there has to have been a designer, God.
Otherwise called the teleological argument
big bang The beginnings of the universe according to many scientists took place when a singularity exploded and from this explosion, all the matter that
makes up the universe came into being.
compatibility When two or more different ideas can be used together without
problems or tension, e.g. whether a scientific view of the origins of life is compatible with a religious one.
cosmological To do with the nature of the universe. Used in particular with the
cosmological argument that says there has to be a God to explain the existence of all things.
Creation The act by which God brought the universe into being.
Darwinian view Named after Charles Darwin who pioneered the idea of evolution; the idea that creatures have gradually changed and adapted to suit the
environment, “the survival of the fittest.”
evolution Scientific belief that life forms have changed over time, developing
from simple to complex creatures.
teleological To do with design or order, particularly the attempt to prove the existence of God by showing that there is design and order in the
universe
awe A feeling of great respect mixed with wonder
contradiction When two words or phrases seem to say opposite things and cannot
both be held to be true.
Religion and Science
Scientific arguments for the origins of life: Cosmological Theories – How the universe came into being. Chief amongst these is the big bang theory. Evolutionary Theories – How living things are like they are today. In 1859, Charles Darwin published ‘On the Origin of the Species.’ In this book he argued that all life on the planet originated from simple cells. Life evolved over millions of years. These theories are at odds with many religious arguments, however if you don’t take the Bible literally, scientific and religious arguments can exist in harmony with the science saying how and the religious saying why.
1. Christian thinking is base don the idea that God created everything. If the Bible is taken literally the process took 6 days and humankind didn’t evolve but is descended from Adam and Eve.
2. However it can also be viewed as a symbolic description of a more gradual evolution. This means it’s possible to believe in the Big Bang and the Bible.
3. In 1996 the RCC accepted the Big Bang theory. Environmental Issues Problems in the world include global warming, deforestation, extinction,
pollution and scarcity of natural resources.
Stewardship – God put humans in charge of the earth to care for it.
1. Christians of all denominations believe that God gave us the Earth but
expects us to care for it – stewardship.
2. There is pressure on governments and companies to sell goods and services, even at the expense of the environment. Although it can be difficult to balance taking care of the Earth with providing for
humankind, this is what Christians must try to do.
3. Christianity teaches that everything is interdependent so driving a species of animal or plant to extinction or harming the planet
eventually ends up harming us.
4. Christian organisations CAFOD, Christian Aid, are concerned with putting this responsibility into practice.
BBiigg BBaanngg SSoommee sscciieennttiisstt bbeelliieevvee tthhee uunniivveerrssee ssttaarrtteedd aass aa rreessuulltt ooff aa hhuuggee ccoonncceennttrraattiioonn ooff
eenneerrggyy ccaauussiinngg aa mmaassssiivvee eexxpplloossiioonn tthheeyy ccaallll tthhee BBiigg BBaanngg.. TThhiiss ccaann bbee sseeeenn aass
ooffffeerriinngg aa sscciieennttiiffiicc eexxppllaannaattiioonn ffoorr tthhee uunniivveerrssee wwiitthhoouutt tthhee nneeeedd ffoorr aa GGoodd..
˘̆̉̉̂̂˿˿̈̈̇̇˼˼̂̂́́ʳrʹ́ʳrˡl˴˴̇̇̈̈̅̅˴˴˿˿ʳr˦˦˸˸˿˿˸˸˶˶̇̇˼˼̂̂́́ MMaannyy ppeeooppllee bbeelliieevvee eevvoolluuttiioonn aanndd nnaattuurraall sseelleeccttiioonn aarree mmoorree llooggiiccaall
eexxppllaannaattiioonnss ffoorr tthhee eexxiisstteennccee ooff hhuummaanniittyy.. CChhaarrlleess DDaarrwwiinn bbeelliieevveedd
IInn oorrddeerr ttoo ssuurrvviivvee,, lliiffee ffoorrmmss mmuusstt aaddaapptt ((eevvoollvvee)) ttoo tthheeiirr cchhaannggiinngg
eennvviirroonnmmeenntt oorr ddiiee.. TThhee ssttrroonnggeesstt aanndd ffiitttteesstt wwiillll eevvoollvvee mmaaiinnttaaiinniinngg tthhee
eexxiisstteennccee ooff tthhaatt ppaarrttiiccuullaarr ssppeecciieess..
˘̆̉̉̂̂˿˿̈̈̇̇˼˼̂̂́́ʳrʹ́ʳrˡl˴˴̇̇̈̈̅̅˴˴˿˿ʳr˦˦˸˸˿˿˸˸˶˶̇̇˼˼̂̂́́ CChhrriissttiiaannss bbeelliieevvee hhuummaanniittyy iiss ssppeecciiaall,, mmaaddee ttoo bbee aabbllee ttoo ccoonnnneecctt ssppiirriittuuaallllyy
wwiitthh GGoodd.. AAlltthhoouugghh tthheeyy wwoouulldd nnoott nnoorrmmaallllyy bbeelliieevvee iinn eevvoolluuttiioonn ((ee..gg.. ffrroomm aann
aappee)) tthheeyy wwoouulldd aacccceepptt wwee hhaavvee ddeevveellooppeedd iinn sskkiillllss,, tthhiinnkkiinngg aanndd eevveenn ppoossttuurree..
TThheeyy ppooiinntt oouutt tthhaatt tthheerree aarree ffaarr ttoooo mmaannyy mmiissssiinngg lliinnkkss iinn tthhee cchhaaiinn
ooff eevvoolluuttiioonnaarryy tthheeoorriieess ttoo bbee aacccceeppttaabbllee..
˖˻̅˼̆̇˼˴́ʳ˥˸̆̃̂́̆˸ʳʳ
˕̞˼˼˺˺ʳr˕̞˴˴́́˺˺ TThhee ccrreeaattiioonn ssttoorryy iinn GGeenneessiiss ssttaarrttss bbyy GGoodd ssaayyiinngg
‘‘LLeett tthheerree bbee lliigghhtt’’ aanndd ssoo mmaannyy CChhrriissttiiaannss sseeee tthhiiss
aass GGoodd ccaauussiinngg tthhee BBiigg BBaanngg wwhhiicchh wwaass hhiiss wwaayy ooff ssttaarrttiinngg ccrreeaattiioonn.. TThhee
sseevveenn--ddaayy ccrreeaattiioonn iiss sseeeenn bbyy mmaannyy aass aa ppooeemm nnoott aann hhiissttoorriiccaall aaccccoouunntt
Term Definition
eternal life Everlasting life after death.
Heaven The state of eternal happiness in the presence of God that Christians believe will be granted to the faithful after this life.
near death experience
Some people, when they are close to death, claim to have had a sense of themselves leaving their bodies and seeing what exists beyond this life.
paradise The ideal place in which the faithful are rewarded for all eternity; a name used about heaven especially by Muslims.
resurrection Rising from the dead or returning to life (applied to souls after death).
Afterlife What happens to a person when the present life comes to an end.
preparation Getting ready for the next stage or phase.
Answer the following questions based on your opinions. You can discuss them with those around you first if it helps. 1. Do you believe in…..
• Ghosts?
• Heaven?
• The soul?
• Reincarnation (being born again)?
• Life after death? 2. What TV shows have you seen that are based on believing in life after death? 3. What do you think happens when we die? 4. Have you ever experienced anything ‘supernatural’? 5. Do you believe that it is possible to talk to people who have died? Why? 6. Do you have to be religious to believe in life after death?
Life after Death
7. What do you think an ‘out of body’ experience is? 8. Some people describe near death experiences and they have features in common including
• A tunnel with a light at the end
• A bright light
• A feeling of well being or extreme happiness
• Seeing other family members who have already died Do you think that these experiences prove that there is life after death? Why? 9. Why do you think people believe in life after death when scientists can’t prove it happens? 10. Do you think that the possessions of dead people can be imprinted with the essence of that person? 11. How do you feel about places where people have died and dead people’s possessions? 12. Which do you think is more powerful, fear or love? How might these emotions affect belief in life after death?
The Afterlife
B6 (a) Explain the differences between resurrection and reincarnation. (6 marks)
B6 (b) ‘There is no heaven or paradise.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about
more than one point of view. Refer to religious teachings in your answer. (6 marks)
B6 (c) Explain how belief in an afterlife affects the way that people live. (6 marks)
B6 (d) ‘Near death experiences prove that there is something beyond this life.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about
more than one point of view. Refer to religious ideas in your answer. (6 marks)
The Existence of God
B5 (a) Explain the First Cause (Cosmological) argument for the existence of God. (6 marks)
B5 (b) ‘Arguments against the existence of God do not work.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about
more than one point of view. (6 marks)
B5 (c) Explain the different beliefs of a theist, an atheist and an agnostic. (6 marks)
B5 (d) ‘Faith in God does not need proof.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about
more than one point of view. (6 marks)
The Compatibility of Science and Religion
(a)(i) Outline the Darwinian view of evolution. (3 marks)
(a)(ii) Outline a fundamentalist view of evolution. (3 marks)
(b) ‘Science and religion can never work together.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to
religious arguments in your answer. (6 marks)
(c) Explain the role of humanity as shown in at least one creation story. (6 marks)
(d) ‘There is no need for God in creation.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to
religious arguments in your answer. (6 marks)
Exam questions to practice: Exam Tips
• plan your answer before you start writing (draw a small mind map)
• Always show you have considered more than one view
• Include your own views
• Draw a conclusion to each answer
The Characteristics of God
(a) Explain why some people find it helpful to use words such as ‘Father’ and ‘King’ about God. (6 marks)
(b) ‘It is not right to use words about God that suggest sex or gender.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about
more than one point of view. Refer to religious arguments in your answer. (6 marks)
(c) Explain what it means to say that God is:
(i) all-merciful, and
(ii) all-knowing. (6 marks)
(d) ‘It is impossible to have a personal relationship with God.’
Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have thought about more than one point of view. Refer to
religious arguments in your answer.
(6 marks)
Beliefs about the soul:
Heaven:
Hell:
Near Death
Experiences
Key Words
Resurrection
Heaven
Hell
Eternity
Purgatory
Reincarnation:
God as Judge
Death and the
Afterlife
God in many form
s
The Trinity
God in the world
Words used about God
Key Words
Monotheist
Atheist
Omnipotent
Omniscient
Benevolent
Trinity
God as FATHER
The
Characteristics
of God
Christians might care for the
environment by:
Evolution
Science and
religion can agree
Dominion
Key Words
Evolution
Myth
Sacred
Steward
Big Bang
Genesis
The Big Bang
Religion and
Science
The E
xiste
nce of
God
Reve
lation
and
Enlighte
nment
Natural Evil
Natural Evil
Natural Evil
Natural Evil:
Moral Evil:
Moral Evil:
Moral Evil:
Moral Evil:
Key Words
Omnipotent
Benevolent
Moral evil
Natural evil
Devil
The Devil
Why is there evil in the world?
Christian responses to the problem of evil
Right and Wrong
The Problem of
Evil