THEOLOGY- APOLOGETICS

Theology- Apologetics



Theology- Apologetics

Introduction

There are always arguments and proves for the existence of God. Scholars, philosophers and even scientist proved the existence of God in their own ways. There are various arguments to prove this fact. Each and every individual has believes on God, but to prove existence depends on different arguments. All these different arguments proved the fact that there are evidences everywhere and god does exist. This is not the argument of different school of thoughts, but different religions who believe on God have their own sets of beliefs (Frost & Hirsch, 2001, p. 1-35). Whatever the proof of God they provide it is always based on some evidences, historical, moral, or scientific. After the period of enlightenment, there are different arguments for the existence of God on the basis of logical justifications. There were different logical justifications involved in the philosophical arguments for the existence of God. All these different arguments and claims are to provide the “defense” for the argument of existence of God. In theology, 'Apologetics' is the field which deals with the deals with different arguments in defense of religion (Fazzio,2011, p.126). To prove existence of God, there are different arguments and evidences, and these defend the arguments and questions for the existence of God. Two major arguments to defend existence of God are teleological and moral arguments.

Discussion

Teleological and Moral Arguments for the Existence of God

Teleological and Moral Arguments

These two arguments for the proof of existence of God provide scientific and rational justifications. There are various people who contributed in these arguments such as St. Thomas Aquinas, William Paley, Kant, Charles Darwin, John Stuart Mill and Bertrand Russell. These arguments faced opposition from Antony Flew and many atheists for example, J. L. Mackie and W. R. Sorley. Bertrand Russell attempted a disproof of the teleological argument. Charles Darwin also provided arguments based on teleological concepts in his origin of species and theory of survival for the fittest. Mill also proposed the concept of religious utilitarianism which was based on Paley's views, but with different perspectives.

Teleological Argument

Teleological argument is a logical and philosophical justification for the existence of God. The word 'Telos' defines the 'goal' or 'purpose' for the nature and existence of things and universe (Beckwith,2004, p.58-94). This seeks the proof for the existence of God from the nature and its purpose. This argument provides evidence of God as a designer and creator of this nature. There are a number of scholars and philosophers who provide evidences for the existence of God or evidence of the creator by his creations. There are various scientific reasoning and proofs of this fact, with different logical justifications, for the existence of God in the nature.

This argument was put forward by St. Thomas Aquinas which was one of the ways he described for evidence of the existence of God. One of the most notable efforts to prove the existence of God is by William Paley. He also considered ...