Everything in Order

 

Alphabetical order, that is.

Theological Term of the Week

In this series of theological terms, we have names of some traditional arguments used to justify belief in the existence of God. There is disagreement about the validity and usefulness of these proofs. 

 

Moral Argument

An argument for the existence of God drawn from the existence of human morality, either as objective moral obligation (moral law), or subjective moral standards (conscience).

• From C. S. Lewis, making a moral argument in Mere Christianity:

  If there was a controlling power outside the universe, it could not show itself to us as one of the facts inside the universe—no more than the architect of a house could actually be a wall or staircase of fireplace in that house. The only way in which we could expect it to show itself would be inside ourselves as an influence or a command trying to get us to behave in a certain way. And that is just what we do find inside ourselves. Surely this ought to arouse our suspicions? In the only case where you can expect to get an answer, that answer turns out to be Yes….
  
  Do not think I am going faster than I really am. I am not yet within a hundred miles of the God of Christian theology. All I have got to is a Something which is directing the universe, and which appears in me as a law urging me to do right and making me feel responsible and uncomfortable when I do wrong.
  

Learn more:

1. Greg Koukl: Evil as Evidence for God
2. Peter Kreeft: Twenty Arguments for the Existence of God
   

Related terms: 

• cosmological argument
• ontological argument
• teleological argument
• trancendental argument for the existence of God

Filed under Apologetics

This series of theological terms was suggested by Kim of Hiraeth. 

Have you come across a theological term that you don’t understand and you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Theological Term of the Week

 

For two more weeks, the theological terms will be the names of some traditional arguments used to justify belief in the existence of God. As you might imagine, there is disagreement about the validity and usefulness of these proofs.

 

Ontological Argument

An argument for the existence of God that, unlike the teleological and cosmological arguments, does not start with evidence from the natural world, but rather, begins with a definition of God and tries to deduce from that definition the existence of God.

 

• From Anselm of Canterbury, who first developed the ontological argument, in Prosologium (and nabbed by me from here):

  God is that, than which nothing greater can be conceived.… And [God] assuredly exists so truly, that it cannot be conceived not to exist. For, it is possible to conceive of a being which cannot be conceived not to exist; and this is greater than one which can be conceived not to exist. Hence, if that, than which nothing greater can be conceived, can be conceived not to exist, it is not that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. But this is an irreconcilable contradiction. There is, then, so truly a being than which nothing greater can be conceived to exist, that it cannot even be conceived not to exist; and this being thou art, O Lord, our God.    

Learn more

1. The Ontological Argument from The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
   
2. The 4 Primary Arguments for God’s Existence from TheologicalStudies.org.
   

This series of theological terms was suggested by Kim of Hiraeth. The graphic at the beginning of the post was also done by Kim. See more of her work at Bookworm Bookmarks.

 

Have you come across a theological term that you don’t understand and you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.