Aqa Gcse Religious Studies B. The Existence Of God Key Teachings

Front 1

Personal experience

Back 1

I have seen it, so it exists

Front 2

Reliable evidence

Back 2

I have not seen it, but other people have convinced me that they have, so I accept its existence.

Front 3

Using a chain of reasoning to reach a conclusion (logic)

Back 3

I have not seen it but there must be a logical reason to believe in its existence.

Front 4

St Thomas Aquinas's first cause argument

Back 4

The universe had a beginning. Things cannot cause themselves to come into existence, so the universe must have been caused by something outside the universe. This first cause was God.

Front 5

The first cause argument is supported by the creation account in Genesis 1: 1-3

Back 5

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."

Front 6

St Thomas Aquinas's design argument

Back 6

Things can only be kept in regular order by an intelligent being. The planets, sun, moon and stars rotate in a set pattern because God keeps them in their place.

Front 7

William Paley's design argument

Back 7

If we found a watch, we would know that there is evidence of design as parts have been put together for a purpose. If we look at the natural world, we can tell there is evidence of design. E.g. birds have wings for flight.

Front 8

Isaac Newton's design argument

Back 8

The fact that we have opposable thumbs is evidence of design. The fact that we have individual patterns on our thumbs is evidence that God has planned each human separately.

Front 9

The Anthropic Principle

Back 9

Modern version of the design argument. God must have designed the world so that everything was just right for human life to develop. E.g. the gravitational force at the moment the universe began was just right for the universe to come into existence.

Front 10

The basic problem of the design argument

Back 10

It depends on the belief that everything in the world is designed, and the designer is God. Even if the world is designed, we cannot prove that the designer is God.

Front 11

The theory of evolution

Back 11

Evolution accounts for apparent design in the world. Evolution has given the appearance of design.

Front 12

The miracle of stairwell B

Back 12

16 people survived when the North Tower of the World trade centre collapsed after the terrorist attack on 9/11.

Front 13

Christianity. John 2:1-8

Back 13

Jesus turns water into wine.

Front 14

Pentecostal worship

Back 14

Christian worship in which there may be a charismatic event. They believe that the gifts of the holy spirit are available to the faithful and it is through these gifts that they experience God.

Front 15

Catholic Mass

Back 15

Catholics believe that when the priest consecrates the bread and wine, it becomes the actual body and blood of Christ.

Front 16

The basic problem of miracles

Back 16

Miracles are difficult to prove, they could be no more than coincidences.

Front 17

The basic problem of religious experience

Back 17

Religious experiences are difficult to prove as genuine.

Front 18

The basic problem of morality

Back 18

It is difficult to prove that morality exists, and that morality is no more than rules or laws developed to control people.