Existence of God

Key points for REvision :

Topic 1 The Existence of God

Candidates need only refer to one religious tradition in this section. 

Candidates will be expected to know the following terms: theist, atheist, agnostic.

Candidates may be asked questions on the following arguments for God’s existence:• First Cause argument (cosmological argument);• Design argument (teleological argument);• argument from miracles;• argument from religious experience;• argument from morality;• arguments against belief in the existence of God.Candidates will be expected to be able to outline arguments in any of the preceding areas:• they will also be expected to be able to outline basic problems with the arguments;• how plausible/strong are the arguments?;• what faults lie within them?

Topic 2 Revelation

This topic looks at the idea of God’s self revelation to humanity. It explores the reasonableness of the evidence of revelation, and why revelation is questioned as a real experience.

• general revelation. Candidates will be expected to understand God’s revelation through scripture, nature and conscience;• special revelation. Candidates will be expected to understand God’s revelation through a direct meeting, vision or dream, including examples from scripture, worship and prayer;• the power of any type of revelation, and its impact on those receiving the revelation;• what is learnt of God – qualities of God such as supremacy, immanence, transcendence, personal nature, impersonal nature, omnipotence, omniscience and benevolence;• the comparative strengths and weaknesses of general versus special revelation;• the issue of reality or illusion in terms of any revelation;• alternative explanations for claims of revelation;• the question of whether accepting the reality of revelation leads to problems for the believer, such as why believers have different ideas about God