1. PAR 101: Invitation to Philosophical Thinking Intro to Philosophy of Religion Walter Thomas Schmid, Ph.D. Philosophy and Religion, UNCW

2. Philosophy of Religion Living around the time of Jesus, Philo of Alexandria began the tradition of ‘religious philosophy’ Philo asked: What can man know of God, by reason, apart from the revelation found in Holy Scripture? For over two millenia, religious philosophers have explored: The concept of ‘God’ Arguments for the existence of God Arguments against the existence of God Other religious issues (e.g. the possibility of miracles)

3. Theology: the logos, reasoning, about theos, ‘God’) Revealed Theology: we know by faith that God is one and that God exists, e.g. we know everything said of God in ScriptureRevealed Theology: we know by faith that God is one and that God exists, e.g. we know everything said of God in Scripture Natural Theology: we know by reason God’s attributes and if God exists, i.e. we know this without appeal to faith or scriptureNatural Theology: we know by reason God’s attributes and if God exists, i.e. we know this without appeal to faith or scripture

4. How would you explain the concept of ‘God’? God is – who?God is – who? In this sense, ‘God’ is a name which refers to a unique being or person God is – what?God is – what? In this sense, ‘God’ is a concept which is defined by its distinctive attributes (compare “President”)

5. ‘God’ vs. gods God is oneGod is one God is the all powerful CreatorGod is the all powerful Creator God is the all good Ruler of the universeGod is the all good Ruler of the universe God is infinite, transcendent, eternalGod is infinite, transcendent, eternal There are many gods No god is all powerful or Creator The gods are often not good, and conflict The gods are finite, part of the universe

6. Questions about the “divine attributes” What does it mean to say God is: What does it mean to say God is: One? All powerful? Non-corporeal and transcendent? All-good? All-wise? Puzzles and answers about the attributes Sui generis—not one of a kind Can do physically impossible things. But can God change the past? Make a stone he can’t lift? (Stone Paradox) How can God know particulars? If he is outside of time, how can he act? If God is all-good, why does he let bad things happen to innocent people? If God is infinitely wise, how can we know his ‘wisdom’ is anything like human wisdom?

7. Questions about the divine attributes God is one means?God is one means? Sui generis—not one of a kind God is non-corporeal, transcendent:God is non-corporeal, transcendent: Can God know particulars? If he exists outside of time, how can he act? God is all-powerful: He can do physically impossible things. But change the past? Make a stone he can’t lift? God is all-good: Euthyphro dilemma. Problem of evil: why then do bad things happen to good and innocent people? God is all-wise: If that means infinitely wise, how can finite human knowledge have any understanding of it?

8. Conclusion Philosophical theology deals with The meaning of the term ‘God’, along with puzzles and paradoxes relating to the divine attributes and how humans might know them Arguments for and against the existence of such a being, which rely strictly on human experience and reasoning, not faith and scriptural revelation