1. Is free will essential? I will explore the idea that God should reward and punish Hmk: Begin preparation for the end of unit assessment. Official date will be given next lesson. Get out your summary maps.

2. A FINAL WORD ON BENEVOLENCE … Approaching an exam question on benevolence. Candidates may begin with a working definition of what omnibenevolence might mean. They may, for example, explain that the concept has its roots in two different but related ideas about God: one being that God is perfect and the other that God is believed to be morally good. These beliefs may lead religious philosophers to the understanding that God must be in possession of perfect goodness. Others may take the approach that any philosophers who have accepted that God is logically necessary, such as Anselm or Descartes, also implicitly hold that if he were not morally perfect, that is, if God were merely a great being but nevertheless of finite benevolence, then the nature of His existence would be limited and not ‘that than which nothing greater can be thought’, because it would be possible to think of a being of greater benevolence.

3. M ULTIPLE CHOICE

4. 1. Paradox B. The belief that God moves through time along with creation but has no beginning or end 2. Transcendent D. The idea that God is active and closely involved in the world 3. Immanent A. The belief that God stands outside of time and that all time is equally present to him 4. Immutable F. The idea that God cannot change 5. Timeless C. A situation where two contradictory statements appear true 6. Everlasting 7. Process Theology E. The idea that God is also in the process of becoming and change G. The idea that God knows all the possibilities of what would happen in different scenarios 8. Middle Knowledge 9. Predestination H. The belief that God chooses some to be saved I. The idea that God is separate from the physical world. He is far above all things 10. Universalism J. The belief that all people will ultimately achieve salvation

5. R EWARDS AND PUNISHMENT Think Why would the whole issue of rewards and punishment be important when talking about God?

6. R EWARDS AND PUNISHMENT Match the pieces – Report back to the teacher. You have all been given a piece of the handout broken up. As a group, can you arrange the pieces in the correct order. Once you have done that, can you report back to the teacher what it says. This is a whole group activity, and will test your ability to work as a team.

7. THE QUESTION OF REWARD AND PUNISHMENT There are two aspects to the question of divine rewards and punishments: physical rewards and punishments, and rewards and punishments in the afterlife. The primary concern with both is the issue of justice. In this sense, God’s goodness demands that people receive their appropriate reward or punishment. Jesus on a number of occasions promises his followers that they will be rewarded appropriately if they suffer on account of his name (Matthew 5:12). The New Testament states very strongly that God will judge people and hold them to account for their actions in life after death. Many theologians argue that ultimately, if a person chooses to live their life in a way that is wicked, God’s goodness demands two things: one, that the person has the real freedom to choose to be wicked, and two, that God’s justice demands that people are treated fairly; this would entail that people who are wicked are indeed punished, and people who experience lives full of suffering for which they are not to blame are appropriately compensated. As Richard Swinburne has stated: If there are any lives which nevertheless are on balance bad, God would be under an obligation to provide life after death for the individuals concerned in which they could be compensated for the bad states of this life, so that in this life and the next their lives overall would be good… Thus God treats us as individuals, each with her own vocation. (Providence and the Problem of Evil)

8. THE HEAD - TO - HEAD... 1.1 minute on what your response to the title 2.1 minute explaining why your opponent is wrong. 3.3 questions aimed to trouble your opponent. 4.A 30 second summary explaining why you’ve won. RULES: 1.If you are on one of the debating teams, you will be individually representing your side in one of a number of head to heads! 2.Carefully prepare your points and questions as a group, but remember, when the debate begins, you’re on your own! 3.The judges decision is final. http://www.teachit.co.uk/custom_content/timer/timer.html http://www.teachit.co.uk/custom_content/timer/timer.html 4. ‘If God knows what we are going to do, he has no right to reward the good and punish the wicked.’

9. G UIDELINES FOR JUDGES Tally up number of points made – Keep it hidden whilst the debate go on. The result will be given at the end. Award 3 bonus points at the end for how well prepared they were. Award another 3 bonus points for keeping etiquette (e.g. Not interrupting, keeping within their time limit etc.) If you haven’t understood what they said then don’t award the point! At the end, you will also be asked to share one thing you heard which was really good in the debate. Be thinking about what this might be whilst the debates are happening.

10. P LENARY