Paper 3: Unit 1 Revision (NEW)

1. Revelations
Visions
Prayer
Miracles
Religious
experience
Design
argument
Cosmological
argument
Existence of evil
Catholic Philosophy
Unit 1
Arguments for the
existence of God

2. Revelation
Revelation is God revealing or showing something of himself
1. JESUS
Jesus is the complete and
final revelation of God.
• Jesus is a sacrifice for
God
• Jesus is to save humans
• Incarnation
2. BIBLE
Most important source
• Inspired Word of God
• Stories about God, Jesus
etc
‘He reflects the Glory
of God’
God is the author
(CCC)
• Something that was previously
hidden
• God has made himself known to
humans
• He is communicating and
teaching
• Proof of his existence
• God first revealed himself in the
OT (Moses and burning bush)
• John’s Gospel – Sending Jesus
was a sacrifice for God, sent out
of love, lead humans to faith

3. VISIONS
A vision is a visual appearance, usually of Jesus, Mary or a Saint
1. Biblical
Moses appears to Jesus
2. Non – biblical
Joan of Arc saw St
Catherine. Instructed to
force the English from her
French homeland. She
helped them do this
‘This is my beloved Son’
• Church only recognises visions
that do not contradict Church
teaching
Proof of God NOT Proof of God
• Powerful, personal
experiences
• Give faith
• Biblical examples
• Private revelations
• No long lasting proof
• No physical proof
• Hallucinations,
misunderstandings
• Made up
• Doesn’t mean its God
• Dreams

4. Miracles
something that can not be explained by science so it must be God
1. Biblical
Jesus heals the
Leper
Moses parting
the Red Sea
2. Non – biblical
Lourdes – Around 70
healing miracles have
happened there
‘Mark 1 –
Healing the
Leper’
• Examples recorded throughout history
• Involve a religious experience of some kind
• May lead to faith
• Show God to be omnipotent, God’s love
• Way of God communicating
Proof of God NOT Proof of God
• No scientific explanation so
it must be God
• Feel been in direct contact
with God
• Natural laws broken – only
God can do this
• No long lasting proof
• Medical knowledge has
developed (Biblical
miracles etc)
• Made up
• Doesn’t mean its God

5. Religious experience
A feeling of the presence of God
1. Numinous
A feeling of something
greater – looking at the
stars
• Confirmation of God’s role in the world
• A feeling of something greater
• Transcendent
• Can build strength
Proof of God NOT Proof of God
• Faith does not require
proof
• Feel been in direct contact
with God
• Natural laws can be broken
– only God can do this
• No long lasting proof
• Lack of evidence
• Made up
• Doesn’t mean its God
(Freud – wish fulfilment)

6. Design argument
There appears to be deign in the world, this needs a designer and
this is God
1. Human body
2. Seasons
Genesis 1 – Creation
account
• Thomas Aquinas – Five Ways
• William Paley – Watch
• Based on own experience of design
• Shows God to be omnipotent and
omniscient
• Links to science Proof of God NOT Proof of God
• Evidence of design
• Science can support the
concept
• Science needs a starting
point - God
• Impossible to use an
analogy (Hulme)
• Existence of evil
• No order, just appears to
be order (Dawkins)
• Science has a better
explanation

7. Cosmological
Universal law of cause and effect, God is the first cause
1. Evolution
2. Big Bang
Genesis 1 – Creation
account
• Thomas Aquinas – Five Ways
• Based on own experience of cause and
effect
• Shows God to be omnipotent and
omniscient
• Links to science
• Logical
Proof of God NOT Proof of God
• Evidence of cause and
effect
• Science can support the
concept
• Science needs a starting
point - God
• Impossible to have a total
explanation (Russell)
• Universe doesn’t need a
cause (Russell)
• First cause doesn’t need to
be God

8. Evil and suffering
Existence of evil and suffering suggests there can not be a God that
is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent
1. Murder (Moral evil)
2. Natural disasters
(Natural evil)

9. Evil and suffering
Existence of evil and suffering suggests there can not be a God that
is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent
Parable of the Good
Samaritan Luke 10
Catholic Responses Practical responses
Free Will – people
choose to do evil
Test for heaven
Way to learn, develop
and grow
Made in God’s image so
should try to be like him
All creation is good
Pray
Reach out
Speak out
Support charities