The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails by Randal Rauser

Author:Randal Rauser
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Tags: Religion, Christian Theology, Apologetics
ISBN: 9780830863495
Publisher: IVP Books
Published: 2012-07-31T00:00:00+00:00

Sheridan, I'm certainly not claiming that the statement `personal cause of the universe' is a religiously satisfactory definition of God. But even if that description doesn't say all a Christian wants to say about God, it certainly says something important. Christians believe that God is the creator of all things and thus that the question `Why is there something rather than nothing?' has a personal answer: God."

"But can you come up with a reason for believing in Yahweh that's more substantial than the lame claim that it happens to be a `live option' for you?"

"Before getting to Yahweh, let's see if we can add more specificity to the general concept of God. The medieval theologian Anselm defined God as `that being than which none greater can be conceived.' In other words, God is the greatest conceivable or most perfect being. It is not possible to conceive a greater being."

"That's still a pretty abstract philosophical description for a Christian, isn't it?"

"Perhaps. You could also argue that it's actually pretty trivial. I mean, if God exists, he simply must be the most perfect being. But as long as we're positing God, it's legitimate to define God as the most perfect being there could be."

"Fine, but then where do you go with that definition?"

"Well, saying that provides a helpful way to eliminate those descriptions that fail to meet the demands of the definition. Take the Mormon concept of God as an example. Mormons believe that the God of the Bible was once a man who evolved over time and became divine. In fact, they believe that Yahweh is just one of infinitely many creatures who have evolved to have divine powers over time and that this same destiny awaits us as well if we work hard enough at it."

"Seriously? I thought Mormons were Christians."

"Kudos to the Latter-day Saints marketing arm, then. From the historical Christian point of view, if we start with the definition of `greatest possible being' or `that being than which none greater can be conceived,' then we find that the Mormon concept of God is excluded out of the gate. The difference between me and that deity is like the difference between a junior athlete and an Olympian: that is, one of degree rather than kind. But surely if God is the most perfect being, then he differs from us in kind, not merely degree. So if I accept Anselm's definition, then I won't treat the Mormon concept as a `live option."'

"Don't get me wrong, Randal. I think Mormonism is whacked, too. But your analysis still strikes me as pretty self-serving."

"How so?"

"You exclude the Mormon concept because it's beneath your definition. No surprise there. But then you find it sensible to say that God would submit to torture and death at the hands of human beings. Why don't you ask a Muslim what they think of the idea that God became a baby with dirty diapers and grew up to be tortured to death!"

"That's a fair point," I admit. "It's true that we all differ to some degree in our notion of perfection.

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