Week Five Apologetics

1. TheApologist &
Philosophical
Arguments forGod
TH363 Apologetics
CCBC-Montebelluna
Instructor: Rick Harrell, M.Div., M.A.

2. TenClassical
(and some not-
so-classical)
Philosophical
Arguments for
God
 My first position philosophically is to try not to get into a
philosophical argument about the existence of God.
 However, there may be a genuine block in a person’s
pilgrimage toward truth that denies the existence of God.
 There are several very rational, hard-to-refute philosophical
statements that argue for the existence of God.There are
also, rational refutations of each based on logic (and even
more fallacious attempts to refute God’s existence.)
 None of these arguments can produce saving faith, which
comes by hearing, accepting, and believing the kerygma –
that Jesus came as a virgin, died on a cross for our sins, was
buried, rose and conquered death and sin, ascended into
heaven, and offers us right relationship with God.

3. Ontological
Argument for
God
 This Classic approach to a philosophical proof for God relies
on two assumptions:
 That “Being” is tangible
 That we can conceive of greatness means there is
ultimate greatness.
 Since we can conceive that God is, His being follows and
since we can imagine a being perfect in all ways, this being
must be God. God must be greater than the greatest we can
imagine; therefore, God exists in reality and not only in the
mind.
 Existence of ultimate greatness surmises God is.
 Anselm, Plantinga, and Geisler
 Argument against: “God in the gaps” argument. God
“being” is used to fill in where we haven’t discovered real
answers yet.

4. Cosmological
Argument for
God
 This Classic Philosophical position relies on the “First
Cause” argument.
 Everything is the result of something. Since everything
is the result of what caused it, something started the
causes. God is the uncaused Cause. For the universe to
move, there is a Prime Mover.
 Follow cause to the beginning and one finds God as the
Uncaused Cause.
 Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas
 Argument against: “Does the cause have to be God?”
and “Then who caused God?”

5. Teleological
Argument for
God
 This Classic Philosophical Argument forGod relies on
the evidence of Design.The imagery of a watch-maker
was often elicited to compare to the intricacies of the
design of the universe. Imagine somehow finding the
parts of a fine watch gathered randomly in one spot,
tossing them into the air, and having land on your desk
a perfectly crafted and tuned watch.
 Since things demonstrate the design there must be a
Designer.There is purpose to the universe from the
smallest to the biggest – stuff works.Therefore, God
gave purpose or design to it.
 Observable Design insists there is a Designer.
 Aquinas, Paley
 Argument against: Incompetent Design?

6. Modern
Teleological
Argument for
God
 This modern Philosophical Argument for God turns on
Paley’s Design argument. Here, the evidence for God is that
life can exist.
 Since life is dependent on the balance of so many laws of
nature, there must be a Designer who placed it all together
for life to occur. (And, even if it started in a “Big Bang,” a
Designer ”fine tuned” it to have life to continue through
replication. A “sister” argument is the “Suspicious
Improbabilities” argument – too much has to be explained
away with life for there not to be God.
 Sure, the intricacies of the universe from tiniest to grandest,
point to a Designer. But, for life to exist and continue
demands it.
 Behe, Meyer, Schlesinger.
 Argument against:Then why does life die?

7. Moral
Argument for
God
 This Philosophical Argument takes into account a sense
of universality to moral goodness and it’s ”dark side.”
 Since there is a universal understanding of good action
and bad action, this sense of right and wrong requires a
law giver who is ultimate good and moral. Good has to
have a standard that also reveals the bad. Lewis would
call this a “universal moral conscience.” (This also
became an argument for destinies of life after death -
heaven and hell are essential to the Good Nature of
God.)
 Kant, Lewis
 Argument against: Can morality find its being in social
order?

8. Experiential
Argument for
God
 This Philosophical Argument for God is dependent on the
principle of experiential tendencies (a posteriori knowledge).
If there is an overwhelming tendency toward
acknowledging, looking for, making up, or worshiping God
universally, this is an argument for God.
 Since everyone worships something, there is a God who has
created this urgency to know Him; as a cause, God placed in
humans the desire to experience worship.
 Universally, people long for God and experience the
supernatural something outside themselves; we are
hardwired to seek Him; therefore, God is.
 Balfour, Reid
 Argument against: Does experience prove? Is it scientific?

9. Mathematical
Argument for
God
 This convincing PhilosophicalArgument for God is founded on the
immutable principles of mathematics. In fact, one could say the
“reality” of mathematics exists on its own.
 Since Mathematics exists outside of human experience and
consciousness, and is the underpinning of all that physicists have
discovered about the universe, it is a force that demand a
Originator.
 Mathematics in its precision and “otherness” requires Divine
Origin.
 Penrose,Tegmark, Mueller.
 Arguments against: Doesn’t this make Mathematics godlike itself?

10. Human
Consciousness
Argument for
God
 This Philosophical Argument is grounded in the evidence
that, because we are conscious and can know, this
characteristic points to a creative God. Penrose, the British
math genius, says there are three driving realities:
mathematics, the physical world, and consciousness.
 Since there is no logical, scientific, or physical explanation
for consciousness, this consciousness is a supernatural
expression originating with God.
 Because we know, this consciousness is outside ourselves
and originates with the Creative God.
 Penrose, Moreland
 Argument against: Can we be conscious with our mind?

11. Evolutionary
Argument for
God
 This Philosophical position uses what has likely been
the biggest ”argument” against God – the evolutionary
theories of Darwin.
 Since there is no “missing link” evolutionary evidence
for macro-evolution, and since there is clear evidence
of micro-evolution, this evidence points to a guiding
hand or sentient cause.
 James Shapiro and geneticists
 Argument against: Can there be a non-Darwinian
approach to evolution? Could there be a natural order
of micro-evolution inherent in the life it contains?

12. Abundant
Arguments
Argument for
God
 This Philosophical Argument for God takes a tricky turn on
the Experiential Argument. Because we argue so much
about the existence of God, He must exist!
 Since there are so many arguments for this one single fact
that God exists, this abundance in itself says there is God.
For there not to be God, all of these arguments and
philosophical proofs would at one moment in time have to
be false.
 This arguments piles all the possible arguments for God into
a nano-second mélange of suppositions and says they can’t
all at the same time be wrong.Therefore, God exists.
 Argument against:There are arguments for and against a
student taking my class. If the against outweigh the for…