KCU/03/Lions

Insert non-formatted text here== Topic 5: View of God matters? ==

Question: What difference does our view of God make? (Be sure to do more research into the issue. If the group cannot come to a consensus, feel free to each express your own opinions.)

Candice Jarvis's contribution: What difference does our view of God make?

   There are 8 dominant views of God found in major world religions. Monotheism 

is the belief that there is only one supreme God. Other spiritual beings may

exist, such as angels and demons, but they are not God. Polytheism claims that

there are many gods who are equal. Henotheism is the view that one supreme god

exists, but other lesser gods are present also. Pantheism teaches that God is

synonymous with nature. The two are inseparable, and therefore there is no

personal God. The universe is god and god is the universe. Deism is the belief

that an intelligent and powerful being created the universe, but no longer has

contact with it. He is distant and never interacts with what he created. Atheism

is well known as belief that there is no God. Agnosticism claims that even if a

God exists we have no way of knowing anything about him.

 The eighth view is unique to Christianity.It is a monotheistic religion, since it believes in the existence of one God- Yahweh. It shares this belief with two 

other major religions, Judaism and Islam. However, Christianity is different

than other monotheistic religions. Although Christianity teaches that God is

one, it distinguishes itself by belief in three distinct entities that constiute

one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This unique three part God is

referred to as the Trinity. Although the Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible,

it is taught indirectly.

2. Arguments for and against the trinity

3. Critics of Trinity

4. Modern Denominational Statements about Trinity

• One doctrine that all denominations of Christianity agree on

5. Other aspects of God

Even within the group that claims to be Chrisian there are 4 distinct views of God. People who

view God as authoritarian believe that God is deeply involved in the lives of those He created.

They even give him credit for decisions they make. The Authoritarian God is seen as judgmental

and angry, ready to punish the wicked. Those who believe in a Critical god also see him as

judgmental and disapproving of man's wickedness. However, they believe that he does not

interfere in man's affairs. He neither punishes nor comforts. Individuals grouped as believers

in Distant God don't see God as having feelings toward his creation at all. He set the world in

motion, then left it on its own. The last view of god, which we believe is that of the

Benevolent God.

III. Explain Benevolent God and why we believe

• Use refrences from Waking the Dead, The Sacred Romance, etc.

B. Findings of Baylor University studies of social actions and religious ties

   http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/486462.html