2. Lesson 1Setting the scene Pondering some Oxbridge questions Lesson 2Battleground God Lesson 3Introducing the key pieces in the puzzle The complexities of simplicity Lesson 4The long and the short of eternity Lesson 5Discovering all there is to know about omniscience Lesson 6How strong are the arguments for omnipotence? Lesson 7Unpacking the inconsistent triad YEAR 13 Autumn Term OCR Philosophy of Religion (G581) Exploring the Nature of God

4. One of the most fundamental questions in the philosophy of religion is, ‘what do people mean when they talk about God’? Theists believe that God exists – but what exactly is it that they are saying exists, and what are they asking other people to believe in? Are they talking about an object, one amongst all of the other objects in the universe? Are they perhaps talking about ‘Existence Itself’ encompassing all of the elements of the universe? Are they talking about a concept that exists in our mental perception of the world but would cease to exist if there were no one to talk about it? What do they understand the nature of God to be?

5. A religious believer may argue that these terms regarding God’s attributes make sense because it adequately describes the believers’ experience of a personal relationship with God and this has been the tradition of the Church for 2000 years A philosopher wishes to examine the logical coherency of these attributes. In other words, does God’s omniscience clash with God’s omnibenevolence?

6. “If you have understood it is not God” St Augustine, Sermon 117.5

7. “To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me as though we were alike...For I am God and there is no-one like me” Isaiah 46: 5 - 9

8. “Religion is the disuniting of man from himself; he sets God before him as the antithesis of himself. God is not what man is – man is not what God is” Ludwig Feuerbach

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R6lqu7L4TA What does this hymn tell us about the nature of God? Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise 1.Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes, most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. 2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; thy justice like mountains high soaring above thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. 3. To all, life thou givest, to both great and small; in all life thou livest, the true life of all; we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, and wither and perish, but naught changeth thee. 4. Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light; thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; all laud we would render: O help us to see 'tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

12. Task : What do you understand God to be… Go to... www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.htm And have a go at ‘Battleground God’ Consider… How coherent are beliefs in God? Be ready to discuss this question in the light of the Battleground God game.

13. www.philosophersnet.com/games/god.htm

14. The Principle of Non-Contradiction A statement that is a complete contradiction has to be false. So ‘Mrs G is X’ and ‘Mrs G is not-X’ both said at the same time has to be false – provided that the ‘Mrs G’ that is referred to is the same person....