Natural theology

• What is natural theology?

  The attempt to discover truths about the existence of God by human reason and experience
• William Paley - the natural world presented clear evidence of a God
• Thomas Aquinas - reason and observation could support Christian belief
• Richard Swinburne - our human reason provides us with solid grounds for supporting the probability there is a God - Ockhams razor
• The sensus divinitas: John Calvin says this we have an innate sense of the divine
• In Genesis, God breathes life into Adam with his own breath. This may indicate there is some divinity within us
• Calvin says anyone who can reflect on the natural world and its beauty should be able to understand the existence and character of God
• Epistemic distance - the distance of knowledge between us and God. Calvin argues we create this distance. God has made it impossible to ignore his will unless we choose to do so
• C. S. Lewis says that the feeling of guilt is the inner voice of God who makes moral demands