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Natural theology

For the 19th-century book by William Paley, see Natural Theology or Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity.

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Natural theology, once also termed physico-theology,[1] is a type of theology that seeks to provide arguments for theological topics (such as the existence of a deity) based on reason and the discoveries of science, the project of arguing for the existence of God on the basis of observed natural facts, and through natural phenomena viewed as divine, or complexities of nature seen as evidence of a divine plan (see predestination) or Will of God, which includes nature itself.[2]

This distinguishes it from revealed theology, which is based on scripture and/or religious experiences,[3] also from transcendental theology, which is based on a priori reasoning.[citation needed] It is thus a type of philosophy, with the aim of explaining the nature of the celestial motors, or gods, or of one supreme god, that are responsible for heavenly motion. Aristotle's tractate on metaphysics claims to demonstrate the necessary existence of an unmoved prime mover.

For monotheistic religions, this principally involves arguments about the attributes or non-attributes of a deity, and especially the deity's existence, using arguments that do not involve recourse to revelation.[4][5]

The ideals of natural theology can be traced back to the Old Testament and Greek philosophy.[6][7] Early sources evident of these ideals come from Jeremiah and the Wisdom of Solomon (c. 50 BC)[6][8] and Plato's dialogue Timaeus (c. 360 BC).[9]

Marcus Terentius Varro (116–27 BCE) established a distinction between political theology (the social functions of religion), natural theology and mythical theology. His terminology became part of the Stoic tradition and then Christianity through Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas.[10]

  1. ^ "Physicotheology | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  2. ^ Chignell, Andrew; Pereboom, Derk (2020), "Natural Theology and Natural Religion", in Zalta, Edward N. (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2020 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 9 October 2020
  3. ^ McGrath, Alister (2022). "Natural Theology". St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology.
  4. ^ Wahlberg, Mats (2020), "Divine Revelation", in Zalta, Edward N. (ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2020 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 9 October 2020
  5. ^ "Natural Theology | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy". Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b Swinburne, Richard (2007). "The Revival of Natural Theology". Archivio di Filosofia. 75: 303–322.
  7. ^ McGrath, Alister (2022). "Natural Theology". St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology.
  8. ^ Jennifer Mary Dines (8 June 2004). The Septuagint. A&C Black. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-567-08464-4. usually assigned to the late first century BCE
  9. ^ "Plato, Timaeus".
  10. ^ McGrath, Alister (2022). "Natural Theology". St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology.

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