Belief and non-belief in God Objectives: To introduce the section ‘Believing in God’ and keywords To understand and explain what it means to be a theist,

Belief and non-belief in Belief and non-belief in GodGod

Objectives: To introduce the section ‘Believing in

God’ and keywords To understand and explain what it means

to be a theist, atheist or agnostic

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies Belief and non-belief in God Section 1: Believing in God

Believing in GodThis section is based on the study of one religion only. The religion we will be focusing on in this section is Christianity.In this section we will learn about: what Christians believe about God and how they

come to believe this, possibly through their upbringing, their appreciation of the world around them, or even through seeing a miracle take place or having a religious experience.

how Christians deal with problems that challenge their beliefs; and why some people do not believe in God at all.


Keywordsagnosticism

atheism

conversion

free will

miracle

moral evil

something which seems to break the law of science and makes you think only God could have done it

when your life is changed by giving yourself to God

actions done by humans which cause suffering

not being sure whether God exists

the idea that human beings are free to make their own choices

believing that God does not exist

natural evil

numinous

omni-benevolent

omnipotent

omniscient

prayer

an attempt to contact God, usually through words

the belief that God is all-powerful

things which cause suffering but have nothing to do with humans

the belief that God knows everything that has happened and everything that is going to happen

the feeling of the presence of something greater than you

the belief that God is all-good





something which seems to break a law of science and makes you think only God could have done it









Starter

People have always tried to understand the ultimate questions in life. Questions such as ‘Why are we here?’, ‘What happens when we die?’, and ‘Is there a God?’.

The speech bubbles next and on your sheet show different responses to these questions.

What is an ultimate question?


Look at the world around us – it can’t have happened by accident. It must have been designed by a greater intelligence – God

perhaps.When you die, you’re just

dead – there is no afterlife. If God exists,

then why does he allow so

many terrible things to happen?

We can’t possibly know whether there is a God or not – there are some questions we just can’t

answer.

Lots of people claim to have experienced God in their

lives. They can’t all be wrong.

There is no evidence that God exists.

Science will soon be able to answer all the ultimate questions.


Someone who believes in God is called a theist.

Someone who does not is called an atheist.

A person who isn’t sure and thinks it is impossible to know for certain if God exists or not is called an agnostic.


Activity

Read the speech bubbles again.

1. Decide for each one whether it is from a theist, an atheist or an agnostic; or whether you cannot tell.

Give each of the definitions a different colour and shade the speech bubble to match your decision.

2. In your exercise book explain which of the speech bubbles you agree with? Give your reasons.


Christian beliefs about God

A Christian believes that:

God created the worldpeople can have a relationship with Godhe answers prayers and can perform

miraclesGod is omnipotent, omniscient and

omni-benevolentbelief in God gives meaning and purpose

to life and helps people to answer difficult questions about death and suffering.


This is a famous picture by Michelangelo, showing God creating man.

3. Do you think it is realistic or not? Say why.

4. If God is all-powerful, is there anything he cannot do? List three possible things God could not do?

To help, one might be that he cannot create a God greater than himself.


Arguments an

atheist might use

Science explains how

the world came into existence The

existence of evil and

suffering in the world

counts against belief

in a loving and powerful

God

There is no evidence for the

existence of God

Events and experiences that believers say are

evidence for the existence of God are

coincidence or natural events

Atheists may have different reasons for not believing in God. Some atheists suggest that there is evidence that God does not exist, while others do not believe because, in their opinion, there is no evidence that he does exist.


Other views

Agnostics will argue that, since there is no reliable evidence either in support of God’s existence or against it, the only reasonable position to hold is literally ‘not knowing’.

An agnostic may argue that both the atheist and the theist have made a decision without sufficient evidence, and that agnosticism is the only approach we can take until there is more evidence for, or against, God’s existence.


Arguments an

atheist might use

Science explains how

the world came into existence The

existence of evil and

suffering in the world

counts against belief

in a loving and powerful

God

There is no evidence for the

existence of God

Events and experiences that believers say are

evidence for the existence of God are

coincidence or natural events

Activity

5. Copy the spider diagram on the left into your exercise book.

6. Add some more legs to it so that you can add further reasons an atheist might have for not believing in God.

7. Draw another spider diagram for ‘Arguments a theist might use for believing in God’.


Homework

Learn the key words for a test later in the unit.


Plenary

Consider the following nine questions to help you examine your own ideas about whether or not God exists.

Make a note of your answer for each question.

Think about each one carefully.

Try to think of at least one reason for your choice.


Question 1

I think that there must be a God because there is order and design in the world.

True False Unsure


Question 2

I believe that God listens to me if I pray to him.

True False Unsure


Question 3

I believe that humans cause the suffering in the world, for example war, terrorism and violence.

True False Unsure


Question 4

I find it very hard to believe there is a God when things like tsunamis and earthquakes happen.

True False Unsure


Question 5

I believe that after people die their soul lives on either in heaven or on earth.

True False Unsure


Question 6

I have experienced a higher power in my own life.

True False Unsure


Question 7

I believe that God knows everything, even before it happens.

True False Unsure


Question 8

I believe that God created the universe and everything in it.

True False Unsure


Question 9

I believe there must be a God because over 70% of the world believes he exists. How can so many people be wrong?

True False Unsure


Now add up your answers to see which of the following applies to you.

Mainly True =

Theist

This means:

You believe

that God exists

Mainly False =

Atheist

This means:

You do not believe that God exists

Mainly Unsure =

Agnostic

This means:

You are not sure whether

God exists

Handouts and worksheets

agnosticism

atheism

conversion

free will

miracle

moral evil

something which seems to break the law of science and makes you think only God could have done it






natural evil

numinous

omni-benevolent

omnipotent

omniscient

prayer







Look at the world around us – it can’t have happened by accident. It must have been designed by a greater intelligence – God

perhaps.

When you die, you’re just dead – there is no

afterlife. If God exists, then why does he allow so

many terrible things to happen?

We can’t possibly know whether there is a God or not – there are some questions we just can’t

answer.

Lots of people claim to have experienced God in

their lives. They can’t all be wrong.

There is no evidence that God exists. Science will

soon be able to answer all the

ultimate questions.

Documents

Belief and non-belief in God Objectives: To introduce the section ‘Believing in God’ and keywords To understand and explain what it means to be a theist,