Classical theism
Encyclopedia
Classical theism refers to the a form of Theism
in distinction to modern ideas about God such as Theistic Personalism, Open Theism
and Process Theism. Classical Theism began with the works of the Greek philosophers, especially Platonists and Neoplatonists and was developed into Christian Theology by the Scholastics, primarily by Thomas Aquinas (1224-1275). It is usually contrasted to the a priori methodology of the Perfect Being Theology that used St. Anselm of Canterbury's formula ("God is something than which nothing greater can be thought").One of the fundamental points of Classical Theism is: how do we acquire knowledge of God? Knowledge of God cannot be gained by a priori methods. Therefore, the philosophical methodology of Classical Theism is a posteriori.
Classical Theism holds first of all that in order to establish the nature of God we have to prove His existence. This is done by a posteriori methodology which proceeds from the effect to the existence and nature of its cause. In his Summa Theologiae, Thomas Aquinas used the famous Five Ways (all of them metaphysical proofs) to prove God's existence. Other philosophical arguments adherents use to support Classical Theism include the argument from morality
, and the teleological argument
. Major arguments against Classical Theism include the problem of evil
and the hiddenness of God
.
The doctrine
of Classical Theism is primarily and historically based on doctrines of several classical philosophers, but primarily on Aristotelian metaphysics. Sacred texts such as the Tanakh
, the Bible
, or the Qur'an
played a part in the later medieval development of theism. Depending on their understanding of scripture as revelation
, they may disagree with contemporary scientific theories such as the steady-state and evolution
. However, Christian apologists such as Norman Geisler
, William Lane Craig
, and Hugh Ross
, an astrophysicist, argue that the Big Bang model, which is premised on a beginning of the universe
(time
, space
, matter
, and energy
), supports the first words in Genesis, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth."
Classical Theists hold this uncaused cause to be God
. Supporters use scientific and philosophical evidence to support both premises. There are critics who similarly dispute both the scientific and philosophical grounds used to support the premises.
Theism
Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.In a more specific sense, theism refers to a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God's relationship to the universe....
in distinction to modern ideas about God such as Theistic Personalism, Open Theism
Open theism
Open theism is a recent theological movement that has developed within evangelical and post-evangelical Protestant Christianity as a response to certain ideas that are related to the synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian theology...
and Process Theism. Classical Theism began with the works of the Greek philosophers, especially Platonists and Neoplatonists and was developed into Christian Theology by the Scholastics, primarily by Thomas Aquinas (1224-1275). It is usually contrasted to the a priori methodology of the Perfect Being Theology that used St. Anselm of Canterbury's formula ("God is something than which nothing greater can be thought").One of the fundamental points of Classical Theism is: how do we acquire knowledge of God? Knowledge of God cannot be gained by a priori methods. Therefore, the philosophical methodology of Classical Theism is a posteriori.
Classical Theism holds first of all that in order to establish the nature of God we have to prove His existence. This is done by a posteriori methodology which proceeds from the effect to the existence and nature of its cause. In his Summa Theologiae, Thomas Aquinas used the famous Five Ways (all of them metaphysical proofs) to prove God's existence. Other philosophical arguments adherents use to support Classical Theism include the argument from morality
Argument from morality
The argument from morality is one of many arguments for the existence of God. It comes in different forms, all aiming to support the claim that God exists with observations about morality...
, and the teleological argument
Teleological argument
A teleological or design argument is an a posteriori argument for the existence of God based on apparent design and purpose in the universe. The argument is based on an interpretation of teleology wherein purpose and intelligent design appear to exist in nature beyond the scope of any such human...
. Major arguments against Classical Theism include the problem of evil
Problem of evil
In the philosophy of religion, the problem of evil is the question of how to explain evil if there exists a deity that is omnibenevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient . Some philosophers have claimed that the existences of such a god and of evil are logically incompatible or unlikely...
and the hiddenness of God
Argument from nonbelief
The argument from nonbelief is a philosophical argument against the existence of God, specifically, the God of theism...
.
The doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
of Classical Theism is primarily and historically based on doctrines of several classical philosophers, but primarily on Aristotelian metaphysics. Sacred texts such as the Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
, the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, or the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
played a part in the later medieval development of theism. Depending on their understanding of scripture as revelation
Revelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
, they may disagree with contemporary scientific theories such as the steady-state and evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
. However, Christian apologists such as Norman Geisler
Norman Geisler
Norman L. Geisler is a Christian apologist and the co-founder of Southern Evangelical Seminary outside Charlotte, North Carolina, where he formerly taught. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Jesuit Loyola University...
, William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig is an American analytic philosopher, philosophical theologian, and Christian apologist. He is known for his work on the philosophy of time and the philosophy of religion, specifically the existence of God and the defense of Christian theism...
, and Hugh Ross
Hugh Ross (creationist)
Hugh Norman Ross is a Canadian-born astrophysicist and creationist Christian apologist.He has a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics, and later established his own ministry called Reasons To Believe, that promotes progressive and day-age forms of old Earth creationism...
, an astrophysicist, argue that the Big Bang model, which is premised on a beginning of the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
(time
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
, space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
, matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
, and energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
), supports the first words in Genesis, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth."
Classical Theists hold this uncaused cause to be God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. Supporters use scientific and philosophical evidence to support both premises. There are critics who similarly dispute both the scientific and philosophical grounds used to support the premises.