The Nature of God

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• Unit 1
• The Nature of God

Revision
OCR GCSE RS (Philosophy and Ethics)
Philosophy and Ethics Unit 1 The Nature
of God Revision
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In this Unit you need to revise
What Christians believe about the Nature of
God, and His characteristics including Gods
qualities and how God can be understood in three
ways
What reasons Christians give for believing in
God and why non-believers do not believe in God
including the Cosmological and Teleological
Arguments as well as other reasons FOR and
AGAINST belief in God
What authority the Bible has in Christianity
e.g. why is the Bible a source of moral
authority, and how do Christians use it as a
guidebook in their daily lives
What Christians believe about God acting in the
world, and making His presence felt e.g.
through miracles and answering prayers, and the
ministry of Jesus
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Halewood CollegeDepartment of Religious Education
Christian Beliefs about God
Christians are MONOTHEISTS.
This means that they ONLY believe in ONE God. A
theist is someone who believes in God. A
polytheist is someone who believes in more than
one God.
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Christians believe God is
Eternal
This means God is everlasting. He will last
forever, because He has no beginning and no
ending. God is the ALPHA and the OMEGA. God has
always been and always will be.
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Halewood CollegeDepartment of Religious Education
Christians believe God isOmnipotent
This means God is all-powerful. He is the
almighty one, and has the power to do anything.
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Christians believe God isOmniscient
This means God is all-knowing and all-seeing. God
sees and knows everything. God is also
omnipresent. God is everywhere.
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Christians believe God isBenevolent
This means God is GOOD and LOVING. Christians
think that God is perfect, and that He can do NO
wrong.
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Christians believe God isthe Creator
This means God CREATED the universe and
everything in it. God is responsible for
SUSTAINING life on earth.
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Christians believe God isa Judge
This means God will JUDGE everyone when they die,
according to how they have lived. People who
have loved and obeyed God will be rewarded in
Heaven people who have disobeyed God and not
loved Him will be punished in Hell.
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Christians believe God isunderstood in three
ways This is known as the Trinity
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God the Father God Beyond us
Christians believe that God is like a spiritual
Father. God created the world and keeps it
going, and he cares about people and how they
live their lives, just like a real Father would.
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God the Son God Beside Us
Christians believe that Jesus was Gods Son who
died to save us all from our sins. Jesus rose
from the dead (the resurrection) and is the
Saviour of the world.
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God the Holy Spirit God Around Us
Christians believe that the Holy Spirit lives
inside those who have faith in Jesus. The Holy
Spirit gives comfort, courage and help. God the
Holy Spirit is often shown as a dove, a symbol of
peace.
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Reasons Christians give FOR Believing in God
Christians believe in God for a number of
reasons. For your exam, it is important that you
know and understand 5 main reasons why Christians
may say they believe in God
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1. The Cosmological Argument
This is a CREATION Story argument
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The Cosmological Argument says that the universe
must have been made by God because it couldnt
have made itself SO because the world exists,
God MUST exist!
This Creation Story argument is supported by the
First Cause Theory put forward by Aquinas.
Aquinas argued that everything has a cause, or a
reason for being, and that if you traced
everything back to its beginnings you would end
up at the First Cause of absolutely
everything. Aquinas claimed that this First
Cause of everything must be God. Who else could
it be?
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2. The Teleological Argument
This is a DESIGN Story argument
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The Teleological Argument says that the universe
shows evidence of being designed according to a
plan SO because the world exhibits elements of
design, God MUST exist because only God could
design the world!
This Design Story argument is supported by the
Story of Paleys Watch
and the Story of Newtons Thumb.
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Paley used an analogy about a watch to explain
why he believed in god. He compared the watch to
the world and argued that if you examined a watch
and considered its design you would discover
that it is very complicated piece of machinery.
Paley argued that in the same way, the world
could be described as a machine, and if the world
is a machine, it must have a designer just like
the watch. Paley concluded that the designer of
the world was God. So God exists and is real.
Isaac Newton was a famous scientist who used the
human thumb to argue that God must be real.
Newton suggested that because each individual has
a unique thumb print design, each individual must
have been designed by someone. Newton argued that
the designer of the whole universe was God.
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3. Morality
This is a an argument about our CONSCIENCE.
Christians argue that God exists because we all
have a sense of morality, and know what is right
and wrong, and know what is moral and immoral.
Christians believe that it is God who gives us
this sense of right and wrong, SO God MUST exist!
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4. Personal Experience
This is an argument about peoples experience of
a divine being. Some Christians argue that god
exists because they feel they have met with God
in a special way, perhaps as an answer to prayer,
or a healing, or a strong feeling that God is
with them. Some Christians believe that they
have experienced God through witnessing a vision,
or by experiencing a miracle.
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5. Family Life
This is an argument about peoples childhood. Some
Christians argue that God exists because their
parents or grandparents believe this is true
they are brought up in a Christian family and
Christianity has always been a part of their
lives because they live in a religious
environment, so they have adopted their familys
beliefs as their own.
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Reasons non-believers give for NOT Believing in
God
1. The universe could have begun by chance, in a
Big Bang.
2. Some things in the world are badly designed.
3. Not everyone understands right and wrong in
the same way.
4. People might be mistaken if they think they
have experienced God.
5. Being brought up in a Christian family doesnt
show that Christianity is right.
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The Authority of the Bible
The Bible is the Christian Holy Book. Christians
believe that the Bible is the word of God. It is
sacred and holy. Because it is special for
Christians they treat it with respect and it is
an important part of their lives.
Christians use the Bible at home, in study
groups, at Church, and during special occasions
such as weddings, christenings and funerals.
The Bible is a source of moral authority for
Christians because they turn to it for advice,
support and comfort. It is their faith guidebook.
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God IN the World
Christians believe that God acts in the
world They believe that God
came into the world as Jesus
performs miracles
answers prayers