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THE QUESTION :IF GOD REVEALS, THEN HOW AND WHERE?
INTRODUCTION
Philosophers who say that God shows his nature and
intentions to humans (as opposed to humans “finding”
God through reason), then discuss how God reveals.
If God reveals, then God takes the initiative. There
are 2 concepts of Revelation.
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A proposition is a statement, a set of words. These
are often put down in dogmas, creeds or “statements
of belief.” This then gives us God’s revelation in
words (holy books, words of leaders etc.)
For “Religions of the book”, God has
spoken/revealed in the actual words: the “words of
God.” This has big implications for holy books and
leaders. This generates an “I-It” relationship. Faith is
accepting the words as being from God and
therefore true: “divinely authenticated truths.”
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This view accepts that there can be some truths
that we can know by reason (for example that
God exists) but others that can only be known
through God’s revelation (for example, the
Trinity.) Propositional is more associated with
Fides (belief that.)
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1. Find 4 examples of a “statement of belief.” You
must include one Religion other than
Christianity
2. Write out the following Biblical references and
explain what they are saying about the “words
of God”:•
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2 Timothy 3 verses 15&16.
Ephesians 3 verses 3-5.
Hebrews 4 verse 12.
Matthew 13 verse 5.
Isaiah 40 verse 8.
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In a part a, for Level 7 you will need to include
“where appropriate, diversity of views and/or
scholarly opinion.”
In a part b you need for a Level 7 “different views,
including where appropriate, those of scholars.”
In question 1 you could include people such as
Luther, Calvin and Barth under “Propositional.”
Below is an account of the work of Karl Barth that
you could use to exemplify the Propositional view.
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Barth said that Natural Theology (man’s attempt to
discover God) is a misunderstanding of the focus of
Revelation. God is the focus, as the revealer, not man
as the receiver.
God’s revelation is in God’s Word, Jesus Christ
found in the Bible and in the Church’s preaching.
Humans should just accept the revelation by having
faith.
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Human nature cannot find God as human nature has
been corrupted by “The Fall.”
God chose to be revealed through Jesus so this is the
only way of knowing God.
Divine revelation is what is true. It is not open to trial
by reason. If reason seems to go against divine
revelation, then reason is wrong.
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a) Find out more about Barth’s views on Jesus as the Word
of God. Write out 10 points to present to your class.
b) If human nature is corrupted by “The Fall” what does this
mean for humans today? List 5 “issues” that may arise
from this.
c) Do you think that human nature is corrupt/tainted? With
examples, explain why you agree or disagree.
d) What do you think Barth’s view of Religions other than
Christianity would be? Explain why.
e) Think of a time when your “reasoning” may have been
“right” and when it may have been “wrong.” Be prepared
to tell the class about it.
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As the name suggests, revelation is not found in the
actual words of holy books or leaders. Revelation is
in the event that the words are describing. The
words therefore are of secondary importance. They
are human efforts to understand the events, to grasp
the meaning behind them. They are not the
revelation.
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Karl Rahner:”the apostles had a global experience...
lying behind propositions.”
Schleiermacher: when we feel dependant on God, this
experience contains the revelation.
G. Moran: revelation is a “personal communion of
knowledge, an interrelationship of God and the
individual within a believing community.”
J. Macquarrie: “revelation is not primarily given in the
form of statements.”
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From the views of these scholars, explain in your
own words how you know that they have a nonpropositional view of revelation.
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1. Martin Buber: “I and
Thou.”
He said revelation
should be an I-Thou
meeting, a meeting with
another person. Contrast
this with I-It, where the
meeting is with an object
and not a person.
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2. Ludwig Wittgenstein:
“Seeing as/
experiencing as.”
This can be shown by
picture puzzles where
some see them as X and
others see them as Y.
One event is
experienced in many
ways.
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3. Blaise Pascal: “Hidden
God.” This God shows
enough of Himself for
those who wish to see,
but will “hide” from those
who do not wish to see.
4. R.M. Hare: “bliks.”
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a) Find out what the term “blik” means.
b) Summarise his story of the lunatic and the
University dons.
c) What does Hare mean when he says Religion is
“a blik?”
d) How does this link with seeing as/experiencing
as?
e) How does this help us to understand the Nonpropositional view?
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THE PERSON OF JESUS.
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There are many events involving him.
Different people experienced him in their everyday lives.
Humans wrote about him.
What is written depends on their experience of him.
So, the words are not the direct words of God.
The words could be various and very different,
depending on the person’s experience of him.
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Suggest a title that the following may give to Jesus
based on their experience of him. The first has been
done for you:a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
The Romans = a troublemaker.
The disciples =
A person he is believed to have healed =
A person who never saw him do anything special =
A person who heard him preach =
Mary =
Joseph =
Me =
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Prepare for a class presentation where you explain the main
points of the 2 types of Revelation. Start with a diagram of
areas to cover:-
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PROPOSITIONAL
REVELATION: MAIN
POINTS
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