Transcript History, Revelation and the Knowledge of God

History, Revelation and the
Knowledge of God
(monotheistic faith)
Three Interrelated Topics:
History, Revelation and Faith
• We want to answer the following questions:
– How is the Divine present in human history?
– How is the Divine revealed?
– How is the Divine known?
Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Center much on the importance of
history, revelation and faith
Judaism, Christianity and Islam
These are called “historical
religions” because of the nature in
which followers believe that the
Divine communicates with specific
individuals.
Revelation
• “Truth that is inaccessible to reason alone,
although it may be consistent with reason.
It is unfolded, disclosed, revealed by God,
e.g. , through the biblical writings that
contain the truth, illumined by the action of
the Spirit of God.”
– From Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy by
Geddes MacGregor
Revelation
• “God reveals himself in a more general way
in the writings of noble men and women
through the ages and the leaders of other
religions, but in a special way in Christ as
the ‘full and final revelation of God’” and in
others . . .
– From Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy by
Geddes MacGregor
Revelation
• General Revelation
(Richardson) allows
people in some way to
know about God.
• Special Revelation is God
disclosed in a very special
way to specific people so
that they personally
experience God .
– 1. Reason- the capacity to
think about God.
• Examples
– 2. Artistic Expression – Moses and the burning
beauty in art, scenes of
bush.
nature and music
– 3. Sense of morality
– Mohammed and the
– 4. Laws of the Universe
angel Gabriel.
– 5. Holy men and women
throughout time.
Various opinions
• Richardson claims
that general
revelation has
“redeeming power for
those who experience
God through
philosophy, art forms
and nature.”
• Other theologians i.e.
Karl Bart, Emil Brunner
“hold that special
revelation alone
serves as a vehicle for
saving grace.”
How is knowledge of God
possible?
Faith and/or Reason?
Knowledge of the Divine
• Faith may emphasize
special revelation and
– revelation
– theology
– humanity’s will
– humanity’s freedom
– trust
– God as personal
– Divine disclosure
• Reason may emphasize
general revelation and
– discursive thinking
– philosophy
– humanity’s intellect
– humanity’s knowledge
– logic
– philosophical
speculations
– human discovery
– God as abstract,
impersonal
Faith and Reason
What are the possibilities?
What is Faith?
• Faith – It is being sure
of what we hope for
and certain of what we
do not see. (NIV)
What is Reason?
• Reason -- The ability
to reflect on an idea or
object or to
demonstrate the
existence or proof of
something or to
determine its veracity
by way of experiment,
deduction or
inference.
Reason rejects Faith
• When reason rejects
faith it leads to
skepticism
– reason seeks God
either atheism or
agnosticism results
Reason embraces Faith
• When reason
embraces faith it
leads to acceptance.
– Reason is included in
the way of faith; all
truth is God’s truth.
There is a close
identity between
philosophy and the
Judeo-Christian
tradition.
Faith rejects Reason
• When faith rejects
reason, in extreme
examples, leads to
cynicism.
– Reason is out and out
rejected when it
comes to the
knowledge of God.
– Human reason is
incapable of grasping
the sovereign mind.
Faith embraces Reason
• When faith embraces
reason it leads to
improved faith.
– “Reason is only helpful
when guided by faith.”
Sources
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Slide 5 http://www.ourfaiths.org/canada/judaism/images/Judaism02.gif
Slide 5 http://www.accn.org/~hcrc/
Slide 5 http://religion-cults.com/Islam/islam.htm
Slide 10 http://www.staugustine.net/Faithandreason.html
Slide 11 http://www.lisafittipaldi.com/a_faith.htm
Slide 12 http://www2.bc.edu/~anderso/jhe.html
Slide 13 http://dark.gothic.ru/trikal/news/news.htm
Slide 14 http://www.sacredheartquincy.org/resources/acceptance.htm
Slide 15 http://www.antoniomarchetti.it/varioson.htm
Slide 18 http://www.staugustine.net/Scienceandfaith.html