Knowledge of God's existence

Innate knowledge of God

Calvin

All humans have an innate 'sensus divinitatus', which is the natural ability to understand that God is behind the things we experience in the world

Experience this divinitatus in three ways

Conscience - feel guilty as we know that God is telling us that what we are doing is wrong

Appreciation of aesthetics - humans are the only creations that take pleasure in aesthetics

Intellectual capacity - we have reason and see the intricate details of the world

Analogy / quote

'If Adam had remained upright' we would have 'primal and simple knowledge of God'

In our postlapsarian state, we have the ability to gain some knowledge of God through our sensus divinitatus

Weakness

Augustine argues that due to the fall, there are many distractions from the existence of God

For example, through the state of the natural world, where there are cosmic consequences of the fall

Through the state of concupiscence, where our cupiditas outweighs our caritas, so we don't have a natural inclincation towards good

This results in 'religious ignorance or indifference'

Weakness as Calvin assumes that due to our sensus divinitatus, we will automatically believe in God's existence, but it is difficult to do so due to these distractions

Overcoming

Cicero uses the universal consent argument to overcome this issue, showing how we must have an innate sense of the divine

Many people throughout time and in different cultures have believed in God (for example Plato's demiurge or Aristotle's prime mover)

The simplest explanation for this is that we have a natural ability to believe in God, based on our experience of nature

So humans are born with the ability to believe in God, based on their experiences of nature

Brunner

We have reason, which sets us apart from other beings, like animals

Our reason allows us to understand how the goodness of the natural order leads to the existence of God (Aquinas' 5th way)

So natural theology about God is possible

Analogy / quote

'For what can be clearer and more obvious when we open our eyes to the sky and have gazed upon the heavenly bodies than that there exists some divine power'

Shows that understanding of God's existence is possible through the use of our reason with natural order

Weakness

Barth argues that despite humans having reason, we still have limited knowledge of God due to the fall

'The finite has no capacity for the infinite'

Thus, humans do not have a natural ability to gain knowledge of God in our postlapsarian state, but rather is only possible through God's grace

Overcoming

Kant argues that it is not reason that leads to the knowledge of God, as this is finite, but it is rather through moral thought

Humans are meant to do moral actions through the use of freedom

When doing moral things, it is understandable that you will be rewarded for this, so if not in this life, we must be rewarded in the afterlife

This can only be possible with the existence of God

So moral through leads us to understand the existence of God

Revealed knowledge through faith

Calvin

Calvin argues that faith leads to 'firm and certain knowledge' of God

Faith in God is a gift from God, via the Holy Spirit

If faith comes from God, then it must be a reliable source of knowledge

So faith in God is a reliable source of knowledge of God

Analogy / quote

'True faith is that which the Spirit of God seals on our hearts'

Referring to the Holy Spirit giving people faith in God

Faith is described as 'confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see'

Weakness

Hume argues that Calvin faces the fallacy of affirmation of the consequent

He assumes that faith comes from God, when it could come from something else

'A wise man proportions his beliefs to evidence', so it is irrational to believe in something that has no evidence

There is no evidence that faith comes from God

Overcoming

There is scriptural evidence that faith comes from God

'I will send a helper to guide you'

Shows that the Holy Spirit will give people faith in God

As scripture is 'God-breathed', it should be trusted

So we can trust knowledge of God that comes from faith

Aquinas

Argues that natural theology does not give us full knowledge of God (tells us that he exists, but doesn't explain the trinity, or incarnation)

Despite the epistemic distance, God wants us to gain knowledge of him

So he would give us a way to do this other than natural theology

The only other way is faith

So God gave us faith as a reliable way to allow us to gain knowledge of him

Analogy / quote

'One to which the enquiry of reason can reach, the other which surpasses the whole ability of human nature'

Agrees with the double truth theory, which shows how philosophy and religion can work alongside each other, despite appearing different prima facie

Shows how religion and philosophy can work alongside each other to understand the existence of God

Weakness

Dawkins argues that faith in God is a delusion, and should not be believed due to a lack of evidence

He argues that faith in God is similar to faith in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy


These are both irrational things to have faith in

So faith in God is also irrational and caused by wish fulfilment

Overcoming

Martin Smith argues that it is rational to believe in some things, despite there being a lack of evidence

Believe if it is unprovable

Or helps us understand our place in the world, for example the external world around us

Belief in God allows us to understand our place in the world, so thus it is rational to believe in God, despite no evidence for him

Revealed knowledge through the person of Jesus

Calvin

The sensus divinitatus cannot tell us all we need to know about God, as it only tells us that God exists

Despite the epistemic distance, God wants us to have full knowledge of him

So he would give us another way to do this

The only other way is through the Bible, particularly the record of Jesus

So the Bible and its record of Jesus is a reliable method for finding out about God

Analogy / quote

'Jesus is both the mirror and mediator for God'

Shows that Jesus reflects God, so we can learn about God through bridging the gap between humans and God

Weakness

Brunner argues that is not only through Jesus that we can gain knowledge of God, but also through our reason

Our reasons sets us apart from other beings, like animals

We use this reason to go from the goodness of natural order to the existence of God

So, we have a natural ability to gain knowledge of God

Overcoming

Barth argues that despite having reason, we are at an epistemic distance from God, so we have limited knowledge and understanding of him

'The finite has no capacity for the infinite

So in our postlapsarian state, we cannot gain full knowledge of God through just reason, but we also need God's grace

Martin Luther

The fall means that we are at an epistemic distance from God, but this is solved with the hypostatic union

Humans can know other humans

Jesus was human

So humans can know Jesus

Jesus was also God

So humans can also know God, as we know Jesus

Analogy / quote

'No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known'

Shows that Jesus allows us to understand God through him

Weakness

Dawkins does not reject the existence of Jesus, but argues that he was not God

He argues that Jesus is only a moral teacher

For example, he only encouraged people to live a moral life, and influenced people through his words and teachings

Thus, we cannot use Jesus to understand God

Overcoming

Jesus is not just a moral teacher, but he is also divine

Jesus had knowledge of God that surpasses any normal human

Barth argued that God is 'true God and true man'

Thus, he is able to have knowledge of God, so we can gain knowledge of God through him

Revealed knowledge through the Church

Baptism

The Church is seen as the 'body of Christ'

This means that we are all brought together through baptism of the Holy Spirit to continue God's work in a collective manner

So the Church's work is a reliable source of knowledge of God's work as it is guided by the Holy Spirit

Analogy / quote

'For we were all baptised by one spirit so as to form one body'

People are all connected through baptism of the Holy Spirit

Weakness

Hume argues that this argument faces the fallacy of affirmation of the consequent

It assumes that this faith comes from the Holy Spirit rather than anything else

'A wise man proportions his belief to evidence'

As there is no evidence that it comes from the Holy spirit, then we shouldn't believe it

Overcoming

The scriptural evidence that supports the argument is more than enough to believe that the faith comes from the Holy Spirit - 'I will send a helper to guide you', through baptism

Scripture is God breathed, so it should be trusted to be a reliable source of knowledge

So the Church acts as reliable source of God's work

Apostolic succession

God reveals himself through the Church via what he makes it do (via the Holy Spirit)

The disciples are given special authority by God to spread Christ's message

The Church, and the Pope, is a continuation of that special authority

So the Church has special authority to spread Christ's message

Analogy / quote

Pentecoste

The Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and allowed them to speak in tongues

They saw tongues of fire and were able to speak

Shows that God can reveal himself via the Holy Spirit

Weakness

Dawkins argues that belief in God is irrational and it has no evidence

Faith in God is like having faith in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy

Both of these are irrational

So faith in God is also irrational

Overcoming

Martin Smith argues that it is rational to believe in some things that there is no evidence for

When it is unprovable

Or is belief in it allows us to understand our place in the world around us, for example the external world

Faith in God helps us understand our place in the world

So faith in God is rational