Understanding Theism: Definition and Key Attributes
Theism is the belief in the existence of a god or gods, a creator who intervenes in all human doings. According to theism, the three main attributes of God are omniscience, omnipotence, and omnibenevolence (Gruenler, 2020). God is assumed to be omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnibenevolent (perfectly good) (Gruenler, 2020). These three attributes mean that the creator knows everything, possesses the power to perform anything and everything, and is compassionate to humanity despite human flaws.
Types of Theism
It is essential to note that there are various types of theism. Whereas some believe in the existence of one God, others incorporate the idea of God into many elements of life. Some religions believe there is a god for every natural occurrence, such as sunlight and moonlight, while others believe in one God. Nonetheless, theism is characterized by belief in a higher power or powers that created and governed the universe.
The Three Main Attributes of God and the Problem of Evil
The three attributes of God lead to the problem of the logic of evil. God is said to be omnipotent and omnibenevolent, yet evil still exists. The problem arises from the contradiction between God’s omnibenevolence, which implies that He is perfect and wants to eliminate evil, and His omnipotence, which means He has the power to do so (Poore, 2018). This raises the question of why God does not eliminate evil, yet He is all good and all-powerful.
Similarly, God’s omniscience creates a conflict between divine foreknowledge and free will. If God is all-knowing, then he has divine foreknowledge, which means He knows everything that will happen in the future, including every action humans will take. Divine foreknowledge implies that the future is already predetermined and that humans cannot do anything to change it. However, this notion contradicts the idea of free will, which is the belief that humans can make their own choices independent of external factors and influences (Poore, 2018). This contradiction raises questions about God’s omniscience and whether divine foreknowledge and free will coexist.
Evaluating Theistic Arguments: An Overview
Cosmological Argument
Existing theistic arguments include cosmological, teleological, and moral views. The cosmological argument for the existence of God explains that everything has a cause for its existence. Since everything in the universe has a reason for existence, the universe must also have a cause. Proponents of this theory argue that this cause is God, who is believed to be who was responsible for bringing the universe into being (Hołda & Wojtysiak 2021).
Teleological Argument
Second, the teleological argument supporting God’s existence is that nature must have a designer (God) who put everything in its current state. It argues that the universe displays complexity, purpose, and order, which cannot exist without an intelligent designer or creator (Poore, 2018). The teleological argument is also known as the argument from design because it points to the universe’s design as evidence of God’s existence. Lastly, the moral argument posits that moral values imply God’s existence as the source of these ethical ideals. This theory proposes that universal and objective moral ideals are acquired from God.
The Relationship Between Physicalism and Determinism
Physicalism maintains that the world only exists in a physical sense. This notion overrules the metaphysical, foregrounding other unseen life aspects that can only be experienced (Elpidorou, 2018). For example, physicalism can argue that all human problems are occasioned by physical issues, even if the mental element is involved. Physicalism is consistent with the Big Bang theory, which is a theory that maintains that the universe began as a single point but later stretched and expanded to form what it now is. Both arguments point to the physical state of things.
However, the Big Bang theory stresses the existence of determinism. In determinism, humans lack free will as all actions are destined to happen as they do, no matter the human effort to change their course. Humans cannot make informed decisions, and thus they should not be held accountable for their wrongdoing. Determinism is relevant to the big bang theory as the latter suggests that all actions are inevitable and are consequences of the stretching that helped form the world. In this case, the Big Bang theory supports the tenets of determinism.
References
Elpidorou, A. (2018). Introduction: The character of physicalism. Topoi, 37(3), 435-455. Web.
Gruenler, R. G. (2020). The inexhaustible God: Biblical faith and the challenge of process theism. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Hołda, M., & Wojtysiak, J. (2021). Does science need God? A theistic argument from science. Religions, 12(3), 195. Web.
Poore, J. (2020). The Existence of God Through Science and Philosophy (Doctoral dissertation, Regent University).