God the Father, Mentor's Guide, MG06

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G O D T H E F A T H E R

A P P E N D I X 1 5

Theological Visions and Approaches The Urban Ministry Institute

The following outline provides a bare bones overview of some of the philosophical approaches and understandings related to God and his relationship to the universe. Individuals pose different arguments for the existence of God and the relationship between God and his universe based on their 1) understanding of Scripture, 2) under- lying assumptions about the existence of God, 3) view of the material universe and world, and 4) the human capacity to know God (if he exists), and what that knowledge involves. Many modern approaches think of God’s existence and all speech about God as the possibility of religion within the bounds of knowledge .

I. Principles of Natural Theology

A. Ontological argument - Anselm Proslogion

1. Logical necessity of God’s existence by reason alone

2. God = that than which no greater can be thought

3. To exist in reality is greater than to exist merely in thought.

4. “That than which no greater can be thought” must exist both in reality and in thought. 5. Tautology – (argument in a circle) merely to define an entity as existing does not provide grounds for inferring its existence. 6. Kant – a merchant cannot increase his wealth by adding zeroes to the figures in his accounts.

B. Cosmological argument – existence of a first cause of the cosmos

1. The things we observe in the world all have antecedent causes. Nothing is totally self-caused, and there must be a first cause.

2. God is the Prime Mover and the First Cause.