Religious studies

• Rational


  (in classical economic theory) economic agents are able to consider the outcome of their choices and recognise the net benefits of each one
• Consumers act rationally by


  Maximising their utility
• Producers act rationally by


  Selling goods/services in a way that maximises their profits
• Workers act rationally by


  Balancing welfare at work with consideration of both pay and benefits
• Governments act rationally by

  Placing the interests of the people they serve first in order to maximise their welfare
• Rationality in classical economic theory is a flawed assumption as people usually don't act rationally
• Marginal utility


  The additional utility (satisfaction) gained from the consumption of an additional product
• If you add up marginal utility for each unit you get total utility
• Which female philosopher should you refer to when discussing whether or not God is male??

  Sally McFague
• Sally McFague believes the Earth represents what??

  God's body
• How does Sally McFague believe we should interpret the trinity??

  God as king and father should be taken metaphorically
• Why does Sally McFague believe we should interpret the trinity metaphorically??

  We end up worshipping the metaphor "Father" and "King" rather than God
• What does Sally McFaugue change the trinity to??


  • Mother

  • Lover

  • Friend
• The mother aspect of McFague's trinity corresponds to which traditional aspect of the trinity??

  Father
• The lover aspect of McFague's trinity corresponds to which traditional aspect of the trinity??

  Son
• The friend aspect of McFague's trinity corresponds to which traditional aspect of the trinity??

  Spirit
• The mother aspect of McFague's trinity is linked to which doctrine??

  Doctrine of Creation
• The liver aspect of McFague's trinity is linked to which doctrine??

  Doctrine of Salvation
• The friend aspect of McFague's trinity is linked to which doctrine??

  Doctrine of Eschatology
• The mother aspect of McFague's trinity resembles what??

  How parents have unconditional love in the same way God loves the world
• The liver aspect of McFague's trinity resembles what??

  Healing and Eros, the way in which God's love works in the world
• The friend aspect of McFague's trinity resembles what??

  Companionship and philia, the way in which humans should interact with the world
• Why is it an issue that McFague portrays God as maternal??

  • by portraying god as maternal, it signifies how humanity has a complete reliance upon God

  • god should be viewed as feminine not female

  • highlights his tender and nurturing aspects
• Why is it an issue that McFauge portrays God as a loving, comforting mother??

  • not all mothers are loving and self sacrificing

  • these characteristics are a social construct that society wants us to believe women are biologically programmed to have
• How might McFague's trinity be seen as unbiblical??


  • Jesus says God was father but if he was wrong how can he be trusted??

  • Father and Mother are not interchangeable terms - Mary was clearly Jesus' mother
• What is the "Can God suffer?" issue??

  • presence of evil challenges God's existence

  • how can an all loving God allow his creation to suffer??

  • maybe God suffers too??
• What is the traditional Christian view on whether Gos can suffer??


  God is immutable (unable to change) and impassible (unable to suffer)
• If Jesus can suffer, what impact does this have on God??


  Despite Jesus being able to experience emotion and pain it doesn't effect God's impassibility - It was always God's plan to overcome suffering with resurrection
• Who is Jürgen Moltnann??


  German theologian who argued that God suffers with humanity
• Moltmann believe Christian's must experience what in order to be resurrected??


  Suffering
• What example does Moltmann use to illustrate how God suffers with us??

  A Jewish boy who was hanged in Aushwitz
• What did Jesus say on the cross??

  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
• What does Moltmann believe God was feeling when Jesus said "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" ??


  God felt the same abandonment
• What is Docetism??


  The idea that it was only Jesus human nature that suffered but his divine nature was unaffected
• How does Moltmann respond to the idea that his theology is subject to Docetism??


  Believes both of Jesus's natures suffered
• What does Moltmann believe the cross represents??

  The start of a divine process whereby the death of the son and the grief of the father led to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
• Who is Sallie McFague?


  - An American Theologian who writes from an ecofeminist perspective

  - Book: Metaphorical Theology: 'Models of God in Religious Language' (1982)
• What does she state about God as a metaphor?

  - States that all language about God is metaphorical

  - Names and titles are ways we think about God and say very little about his true nature.

  - Metaphors turn into idols and we end up worshipping the metaphor rather than God.

  - All metaphors miss the mark as they are outdated she wants to provide new metaphors to understand God in a meaningful way.
• What metaphors does she develop?


  - 'God as mother' - not saying God is a mother but the image of 'mother' highlights certain characteristics of God (his love for the world)

  - Developed a metaphor for the world as God's body.

  - Developed a metaphor for God's relationship with the world. Correspond with the three Christian doctories: mother, lover and friend.
• God as Mother?


  - Corresponding with the traditional title 'Father'

  - The doctrine of creation

  - the ethical element of justice

  - agape love (selfless love) - the type of love God has for the world.