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The Nature of God: An Overview

The Nature of God: An Overview. To know the main areas of this module and the key terms To understand why people choose to believe in God To reflect on whether the evidence given for belief in God is sufficient . Creed : A statement of beliefs

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The Nature of God: An Overview

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  1. The Nature of God: An Overview To know the main areas of this module and the key terms To understand why people choose to believe in God To reflect on whether the evidence given for belief in God is sufficient Creed: A statement of beliefs Holy Spirit: One person of the threefold nature of God Monotheism: belief in one God Trinity: The Christian belief that God is three separate persons within one

  2. Belief • There are three main types of people when talking about belief:

  3. What is God like? No idea!! People have said that they have had experience of God but no one knows for definite what He is like. People believe that He has certain abilities and characteristics that define Him. Immanent Omnipresent Perfect Forgiving Judge Eternal Omnipotent Merciful Omniscient Creator Omnibenevolent Not physical / spiritual Invisible Transcendent Father

  4. So, why do people believe? • There are many reasons that people give for their belief in God. Here are just 4 of them:

  5. Intelligent Design • The world that we live in cannot exist without an all-powerful (omnipotent) God who created it. William Paley and the Design (Teleological) Argument. • Imagine that you come across a watch lying in the sand, you open it and find a finely balanced arrangement of wheels and cogs. • Can anyone honestly think that this just appeared by accident? Or does it imply a watchmaker? • How does this apply to the universe?

  6. The Moral Argument • We know right and wrong because we have a conscience. • Christians believe the conscience comes from God – he lets them know what he expects from them. • Some people’s conscience might be stronger than others, but it is still there in everyone.

  7. Experience / Miracles • Many people believe they have met God, and they can’t all be wrong! • The may have witnessed a miracle, or felt close to God through reading the Bible. • They may have had a revelation while worshipping that brought about a divine inner feeling of Love and Peace. • If people experience God, then He must exist!

  8. Upbringing Some peoples belief in God stems from their upbringing. • The family has read the Bible and prayed together. • They cannot remember a time when they didn’t believe in God or go to Church. • They do not need to be convinced of God’s existence – they just ‘know’.

  9. The Trinity Triangle The Trinity is the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Each part of the Trinity is separate – Jesus Christ is not the father, nor is the Holy Ghost Jesus Christ. God is known through each different part – Father, Son and Ghost. The Trinity JC Liquid God God H2O Father Spirit Steam Ice

  10. God the Father Calling God ‘Father’ humanised him. It was a way of teaching people that God loved and cared for them – just as a good human father cares for his children. God the Son Christians believe the most complete revelation of God has come to them through Jesus. He was born as ‘God in flesh’ – the son of God and of the Virgin Mary. Here he was able to show something of the true nature of God. He died on the cross so that sins could be forgiven. He was resurrected from the dead and ascended into Heaven. The Trinity • God the Holy Ghost • After Jesus returned to Heaven, he sent his Holy Spirit to guide his followers into all truth.

  11. Task (b) Explain why Christians believe in God (7) • Complete the two exam questions: • You have 15 minutes • Give a range of different answers • Refer to a specific example to back up the point you are making • Use key terms and concepts to show understanding (c)“God does not exist, people are wrong to believe in God” (5) Do you agree? Refer to Christianity. • Give your own opinion on the question with detailed reasoning. • Give the Christian point of view with reasoning. • Give a conclusion to sum up what has been said and what your conclusion is

  12. Task: • Using pages 16 - 18 in Philosophy and Applied Ethics (the white textbook): • Explain what a miracle is • Explain how a miracle breaks scientific laws/ laws of nature • How are miracles evidence of God’s intervention in the world? • Explain the miracle in Mark 4:35-41 • Explain the miracle that took place at Lourdes in 1858

  13. Plenary Why do people believe in God? Do you think the evidence provided for their beliefs is sufficient? Why? What do Christians believe God is like?

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