The Existence of God

Thomas Aquinas Date Aquinas lived Order Aquinas belonged to Educational background Scholasticism

Arguments for the Existence of God The Five Ways –Thomas Aquinas Argument from Motion Argument from Efficient Causes 3. Argument from Possibility and Necessity 4. Argument from Gradation of Being 5. Argument from Design St. Thomas Aquinas’s “Proofs”: 1. The Unmoved Mover - Whatever is in motion, has to be moved by something else 2. First Cause - Nothing causes itself 3. Everything Comes from Something - Nothing can’t create something 4. Supreme Model - Perfect model of goodness, truth, beauty is the perfect being we call God 5. Grand Designer - He made it all http://www.mnstate.edu/gracyk/courses/web%20publishing/aquinasFiveWays_ArgumentAnalysis.htm

Discussion Questions Which proof of God’s existence leaves you with the most questions? Which proof of God’s existence answers more of your questions? 3. Why do you believe or not believe in God?

The Problem of Evil “Serious reasons” the problem of evil is uniquely important Proof of atheism Universal Practical Forms of the problem of evil Any Amount Unjust distribution Three levels of the problem of evil Gut level Intellectual level Tangible level The dilemma of evil Original sin Vicarious atonement Four logical formulations of the problem of evil Aquinas Augustine C.S. Lewis Logical contradiction Five possible solutions to the problem of evil Atheism Pantheism Modern naturalism Idealism Biblical theism

The Problem of Evil Evil Free Will Omnipotence Goodness Happiness Two misconceptions What evil is and isn’t Moral & Physical Evil Free Will Determinism Divine Determinism Omnipotence Goodness Kindness Happiness Shallow Eudaimonia

The Nature of God Aquinas' Nine Attributes of God God is unique God is infinite and omnipotent God is eternal God is immense God contains all things God is immutable God is utterly simple – a pure spirit God is personal God is holy Aquinas' Nine Attributes of God Is 45:18 Ps 135:5-6 Is 40:28 1 Kings 8:27 Wisdom 8:1 Ps 102:25-28 Exodus 20:4 Jer 31:3 Is 55:8 God is unique (Is 45:18) “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” God is infinite and omnipotent (Ps 135:5-6) “…Our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases he does…” God is eternal (Is 40:28) “…Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,…” God is immense (1 Kings 8:27) “Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you…” God contains all things (Wisdom 8:1) “She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well” God is immutable ( Ps 102:25-28) “…they will perish, but you endure…they pass away, but you are the same…” God is utterly simple – a pure spirit (Exodus 20:4) “You shall not make for yourself an idol…” God is personal (Jer 31:3) “The Lord appeared to him…I have loved you with an everlasting love…” God is holy (Is 55:8) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord”

Understanding God... How is God Revealed? God is Transcendent Divine Revelation God is Transcendent God is Immanent Divine Revelation refers to this free gift of God’s self communication by which he makes known the mystery of his divine plan Revelation means “unveiling” Scriptures stresses both God’s transcendence and immanence Transcendence - God’s total otherness and being infinitely beyond and independent of creation Immanence - God’s intimate union with and total presence to his creation Mystery – is a truth of the faith that is knowable, but inexhaustible is knowable because God revealed it to us is a reality beyond our full comprehension God is Mystery

Understanding God... CCC 198-221 God Reveals Himself God’s Name What is revealed by God’s Name? A God Merciful and Gracious God Alone IS God is Truth and Love Belief in One God Implications Divine Revelation refers to this free gift of God’s self communication by which he makes known the mystery of his divine plan Revelation means “unveiling” Scriptures stresses both God’s transcendence and immanence Transcendence - God’s total otherness and being infinitely beyond and independent of creation Immanence - God’s intimate union with and total presence to his creation

Understanding God... Trinity CCC 232-260 The Central Mystery of Christian Life The Revelation of God as Trinity The Father Revealed by the Son The Father and Son Revealed by the Spirit The Holy Trinity in the Teaching of the Faith Dogma of the Trinity

Trinitarian Symbols The Shield of the Trinity The Shamrock Tree Sun Divine Revelation refers to this free gift of God’s self communication by which he makes known the mystery of his divine plan Revelation means “unveiling” Scriptures stresses both God’s transcendence and immanence Transcendence - God’s total otherness and being infinitely beyond and independent of creation Immanence - God’s intimate union with and total presence to his creation

Beliefs About God Atheism Agnosticism Theism Albert Camus Karl Marx Friedrich Nietzsche Sigmund Freud Agnosticism Theism John Henry Newman Experiences Contemporary Theologians Karl Rahner Rosemary Radford Ruether Paul Tillich