THE BIBLICAL

GOD AND
HUMANITY
GROUP 6
 In this section, new body of philosophical
writings that sets forth new problems is
discussed. In the 5th century, Augustine's
writing is considered to be the most influential
in the early medieval period.This section looks at
the reasonableness of belief in God's existence.
In doing so, we shall treat the statement "God
exists" as a hypothesis, which we call the
theistic hypothesis. This means we shall ask
whether or not the existence of God provides
the best explanation of the existence of the
world, as we know it.

ST. AUGUSTINE
Religious people definitely do not treat God's existence as a
hypothesis, for God is a constant presence, rather than a
being whose existence is accepted as the best explanation
of available evidence. In neither the Jewish nor Christian
Bibles is there any argument for God's existence. For the
biblical writers, proving God's existence would be as
pointless as trying to prove the existence of the air we
breathe. The religious problem reflected in the Old
Testament narratives is not atheism but polytheism: not
the denial of God but the worship of too many gods.
Likewise, in the New Testament, the reality of God is
unquestioned due to the conviction that in Jesus of
Nazareth the eternal God became flesh and dwelt among
human beings.
In its earliest missionary endeavors, Christians directed
their preaching to Jews who accepted the reality of God.
It was only later when Christian missionaries
confronted a variety of naturalistic philosophy that they
felt the need to argue philosophically for the existence
of God. However, even then, the task was not considered
too formidable for the basic structure of the arguments.
For Augustine (354-430 CE), philosophy is amor
sapiential, the love of wisdom; its aim is to produce
happiness. However, for Augustine, wisdom is not just
an abstract logical construction; but it is substantially
existent as the Divine Logos. Hence, philosophy is the
love of God: it is then, religious. Teachings of Christianity
are based on the
For Augustine, Christianity, as presenting the full revelation of
the true God, is the only full and true philosophy. However, we
can love only that which we know. When comes this knowledge
of God? It begins with faith and is made perfect by
understanding. All knowledge leads to God, so that faith
supplements and enlightens reason that it may proceed to ever
richer and fuller understanding. Indeed, without this
enlightenment of faith, reason invariably sooner or later, goes
astray.
 As a French poetry laments:

Philosophie

J'ai tout vu. J'ai tout connu. I have everything.

J'ai tout entendu. I have seen all.

J'ai tout eu. I knew all.

J'ai tout lu I had it all. I had lost... I am a bit lost.

Et je suis... un peu perdu. I have heard all.

It should be taken as a humble acceptance of the fact that human
beings alone, without God, are bound to fail. As stated in John 15:5, I
am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. Further,
to quote Psalms 4: The thoughts are very deep! The dull man cannot
know. The stupid cannot understand this.

We must first of all prove that truth is attainable by reason. Does

not all knowledge come from sensation, and does not the sense
constantly deceive us? For St. Augustine, even if we grant that
the senses yield no certainty in themselves so that we can
always doubt their reports, one thing we cannot doubt, and that is
the fact that we doubt.
Here, then, is absolute certainty. Now, if we doubt, we
are and as doubting we must be living and rational
beings. We have then established with certainty three
grades or levels of existence: mere being, living being,
and rational being. This certainty has been established,
not by turning outward through sensation to the external
world, but by turning inward to the soul itself.
The lowest form of knowledge is that of sensation yet as
we ascend higher to knowledge of rational principles, it is
the will which directs the mind's eye to truth, first
invading to the mind itself, then upward to the eternal
Truth. In his earlier writings, Augustine speaks in Platonic
phrase of humanity as a rational soul using a mortal body.
Later, he favors "man is a rational substance constituted
of soul and body." In both cases, the soul retains
Only the pure in heart shall see God; the progress in
knowledge and wisdom is not only speculative, it is
more fundamentally practical and moral.
Augustine's theory of knowledge is at one with the
procedures of speculative mysticism. From this
mystic love and intuition of God follow all the
principles to direct humanity in all their
undertakings.
For St. Thomas Aquinas, another medieval
philosopher, of all creatures, human beings have the
unique power to change themselves and things for
the better. His philosophy is best grasped in his
treatises Summa Contra Gentiles and Summa
Theologica. Aquinas considers the human being as
moral agent. We are both spiritual and body
elements; the spiritual and material. The unity
between both elements indeed helps as to
understand our complexity as human beings. Our
spirituality separates us from animals; it
differentiates moral dimension of our fulfillment in
action. Through our spirituality, we have a
conscience. Thus, whether we choose to be "good"
or "evil" becomes our responsibility. The concept of
St. Thomas will be elucidated in the next lessons.

ST. THOMAS
AQUINAS
 Evaluate Own
Limitations and the
Possibilities for their
Transcendence
 Forgiveness
When we forgive, we are freed from our anger and
bitterness because of the actions and/or words of another.
On the other hand, the hardness of our heart is reinforced
by whole series of rational arguments.

The Beauty of Nature

These kinds of experiences can be truly moments of
grace. They touch us deeply and the human heart is
spontaneously lifted. During this experience, we need
to offer praise.
 Vulnerability
The experience that we are contingent, that we are dependent for
our existence on another is frightening. To work in the office or
study in school, without acknowledging the help of others, is to live
without meaning and direction. We need to acknowledge the help of
other people in our lives. Such moments of poverty and dependence
on others are not a sign of weakness but being true with ourselves.

Failure
Our failures force us to confront our weaknesses and
limitations. When a relationship fails, when a student fails
a subject, when our immediate desires are not met, we are
confronted with the possibility of our plans, and yet, we
are forced to surrender to a mystery or look upon a bigger
world. .
 Loneliness
Our loneliness can be rooted from our sense of vulnerability and
fear of death. This experience is so common. However, it is our
choice to live in an impossible world where we are always "happy"
or to accept a life where solitude and companionship have a part.
With our loneliness, we can realize that our dependence on other
people or gadgets is a possessiveness that we can be free from.

Love
To love is to experience richness, positivity, and transcendence.
Whether in times of ecstatic moments or struggles, the love for a friend,
between family members or a significant person, can open in us
something in the other which takes us beyond ourselves. Life is full of
risks, fears and commitment, pain and sacrificing and giving up thing/s
we want for the sake of the one we love. .
 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING!