God of Philosophy - God of the Bible?

[wk11]

In some recent discussions with an atheist/agnostic friend, he’s come to the conclusion that the God of philosophy, that is of classical theism (Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas) likely exists. Omniscient, omnipotent, the uncaused cause, etc. He’s less convinced that this God can be identified with the Christian God, or any other religious deity. I’d like to become more familiar with the arguments both for and against the “God of the philosophers” and God of the Bible being one and the same. Additionally, if there are any solid books that treat the subject, I’d like to know.

 

[Polycarp1]

Maybe look at some of Peter Kreeft’s writings.

 

[Vico]

In some recent discussions with an atheist/agnostic friend, he’s come to the conclusion that the God of philosophy, that is of classical theism (Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas) likely exists. Omniscient, omnipotent, the uncaused cause, etc. He’s less convinced that this God can be identified with the Christian God, or any other religious deity. I’d like to become more familiar with the arguments both for and against the “God of the philosophers” and God of the Bible being one and the same. Additionally, if there are any solid books that treat the subject, I’d like to know.

There are 42 dogmas of faith on The Unity and Trinity of God (given in Ludwig Ott’s Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma). But there are many more than that when considering God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier.

 

[Hatikvah]

Good, your friend has come to a reasonable place. Be glad for that. Perhaps, if this God created the universe, or started the creation of it, why? To have communion (not literally, like the Eucharist!) with men, to show them love, to give Himself glory, many reasons.

Gradually bring your friend along. Get him thinking about why, the most important question (that, luckily, the Divine has revealed to us!) May God bless his journey.

 

[fisherman_carl]

You could try the arguments for the Resurrection. Tell him to read the Gospels. Christianity is built on historical facts. If Jesus really did rise from the dead then everything he said is true.

Philosophical arguments can lead us to a certain understanding of God and his existence. Divine Revelation is needed to take us any farther. This is what we find in the Catholic Bible and Sacred Tradition.

Minimal facts argument for the Resurrection.

youtu.be/ay_Db4RwZ_M

 

[thephilosopher6]

Your friend is contrasting between Philosophy and Theology. Theology is revealed through revelation and thus it requires faith. Philosophy is discovered by the human mind and thus it requires reason. God’s existence is indeed rational. The idea of a first cause is in fact so reasonable that even the common man has an idea of it. However, other things besides God could be argued for the first cause of the universe. Philosophy does demonstrate that the existence of God is rational, and a very good case can be made for it, but it cannot prove God. That is where Theology comes in. Revelation has revealed to us that God exist. The resurrection of Christ has revealed to us the existence of God. Without revelation, the most logical belief system to chose would be agnostic deism.

 

[Charlemagne_III]

In some recent discussions with an atheist/agnostic friend, he’s come to the conclusion that the God of philosophy, that is of classical theism (Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas) likely exists. Omniscient, omnipotent, the uncaused cause, etc. He’s less convinced that this God can be identified with the Christian God, or any other religious deity. I’d like to become more familiar with the arguments both for and against the “God of the philosophers” and God of the Bible being one and the same. Additionally, if there are any solid books that treat the subject, I’d like to know.

The God of the philosophers is One. The God of Christianity is One.

The God of philosophy is arrived at by pure reason and intuition.

The God of Christians is arrived at by Revelation, which can be confirmed by reason.

The revealed God is not inconsistent with the reasonably deduced God.

Usually the people who believe in God but not the Christian God are refusing to believe for reasons other than the One bring reasoned or the other One being revealed.

Saint Augustine’s journey from philosophy to Christ is a classic instance of the need to open one’s heart to the mystical as well as to the purely rational approach to God…