E. B. Self

Ways of Thinking About God: the Bible, Philosophy, and Science E. B. Self

As we become more deeply involved in thinking about God, it would be good to remember that the thinking is about God but is done by humans. We should be careful. We should not have too high an opinion of our own thinking. We might recall the statement of Isaiah 55.8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." With the reminder that human thinking about God has important limitations, we should still try to think about God as carefully as possible. 1. How can we summarize the beliefs about God in the Bible? 2. How should we understand the Bible's many references to God and violence? 3. Can we derive a clear and comprehensive view of God and human destiny from the Bible? 4. Can we prove the existence of God by reason apart from the Bible? 5. What views have philosophers had about the basic nature of God? 6. How can we reconcile belief in God's goodness and unlimited power with the evil in the world? 7. Is God an appropriate subject for scientists to study? 8. Should scientific views of time, life, and space lead us to adjust some of our beliefs about God? 9. Are our views of God appropriate for the modern world? 10. Do you believe that you should do some more thinking about God?