The Teleological Argument (A basic introduction) Part 1

 

As you saw in the last blog I talked about the death of our beloved Leo (Our pet rabbit).  This Week we are moving on to Bavincks arguments about the existence of God.  This blog is a primer on the teleological argument and later we will follow this through with what Bavinck the Master Theologian has to say about it.  

a picture I took a while ago

 

First of all, Scripture begins by taking the existence of God for granted.  As a hard and fast Monotheist and Trinitarian believer I do not need any proofs because we have a living covenantal relationship with God.  These arguments are for people who doubt the existence of God.  Having said that the visible part of the Church (in the here and now) converses within a public domain.  Universities need proofs for everything based on argument.  We cannot escape this.  These arguments are also useful for those who are on the edge of believing or doubting about the existence of God. 

So, what is teleology?

A children’s encyclopaedia says:

“The argument from design is an argument for the existence of God or a creator. According to the argument, the appearance of design in nature is evidence for the existence of God. The argument is teleological, because it assumes a purpose. The word "teleological" comes from the Ancient Greek telos, which means "end" or "purpose".

Teleology assumes there is purpose or direction in the works and processes of nature. Immanuel Kant called this argument the physico–theological proof.” (From: ://kids.kiddle.co/Argument from_design)

This site then gives us a basic type of syllogism:

Most of the classic forms of this argument are linked to monotheism. Simply talking about a "designer", gives the following, simple formulation.

 

·        Complexity implies a designer.

·        The universe is highly complex.

·        Therefore, the universe has a designer.

What type of people argued this?

The Greeks and Romans

·        People before Socrates; Socrates; Aristotle; Plato; Cicero;

The Church

·        The Augustine; Aquinas

Islam

·        Al-Ghazal; Averroes (Ibn Rushd)

Judaism

·        Maimonides; Nachman Krochmal

Hinduism

·        The school of Nyaya

Modernish times

·        Isaac Newton;  Gottfried Leibniz; William Paley

Modern times

·        F. R. Tennant: Richard Swinburne

(I compiled the list from Wikipedia)

 

A taster from Cicero that Paley later developed:

“When you see a sundial or a water-clock, you see that it tells the time by design and not by chance. How then can you imagine that the universe as a whole is devoid of purpose and intelligence, when it embraces everything, including these artifacts themselves and their artificers?

    — Cicero, De Natura Deorum, II.34 ”

Reflection

Some nowadays would argue that science ‘has all the answers and there is no need to believe in God’.  This is not true; Science only discovers and works with what is already in the material universe.  We are more than the sum of our parts. ‘1+1= 2’ is one type of knowledge but the phrase ‘I love you’ is also within the boundaries of knowledge.  In theology and reflecting on the knowledge of God and Humanity; Truth, goodness and beauty worked in perfect harmony in the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, after the Fall this wisdom separated from God’s love smashed and fractured science, ethics and aesthetics into a billion pieces and more.  Now today for Truth we have fake news and politics in which people prefer to put liars in power.  For ethics we have nuclear missiles threatening to wipe billions of humans, animals and plants from the face of the earth. For aesthetics we have racisms that want to resurrect the false idea that one race is better than another for greed.

How this world is off kilter!

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has given the antidote for these ailments.  God being pure love became a human being, died on a cross and by His resurrection there is hope of eternal life and a realignment of God’s Creation to a state of perfection that it once had.  As Christians we are blessed because in the Scriptures since the fall of Adam God laid out his plan of salvation for the human race and creation itself to be born again. 

The purposes (telos= end or purpose) of God in nature are written out loud and clear to everyone.  All we need to do is repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him into eternal bliss and happiness.