Arguments against the existence of God (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A): Revision Note

What is the challenge of science to belief in God?

• Science can be a challenge to belief in God because it explains the origin and development of the universe and life through natural processes

• Some people argue that these explanations make belief in God unnecessary

  • Many people now ask, “If science can explain everything, is God still needed?”

• There are several key scientific explanations for the origins of the universe and the development of life that many believe are opposed to religious teachings

The Big Bang Theory

• The Big Bang Theory suggests that the universe began from a singularity around 13.8 billion years ago

  • This event can be explained without referring to God

  • Some scientists argue that the universe could have started by random chance or quantum fluctuation

  • This scientific theory challenges the writings in the Bible and the Qur’an that God created the universe

Evolution

• Evolution by natural selection is a theory introduced by Charles Darwin 

• The theory states that life developed over millions of years 

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• It argues that humans and animals evolved through natural processes, not sudden creation

• This natural development removes the need for a designer or creator God

• For many people, this challenges the religious creation stories and the idea that God created humans specially

Scientific naturalism

• Scientific naturalism is the view that everything can be explained by science and natural laws

  • This approach leaves no room for supernatural explanations, including God or miracles

How do Christians and Muslims respond to the challenge of science?

• Science offers natural explanations for the origins of the universe and life, which some see as a challenge to the belief in God, but there are many different responses to these challenges

Christian responses to scientific arguments

• Many Christians believe that science and God can exist together and that the views do not contradict each other; this is known as the compatibility view

  • Many Christians accept science and believe that God is behind it

  • They see the Big Bang and evolution as tools used by God

  • This is known as theistic evolution

  • It is the idea that the Bible tells us who created the world and that science tells us how

  • In this approach, the Genesis account of creation is seen as symbolic or metaphorical, not literal history

• There are also some Christians, called Creationists, who reject the scientific explanations for the origins of the universe and life; they believe that:

  • The Genesis account of creation should be taken literally

  • God created the world in six days, as described in Genesis

  • Scientific ideas are opposed to faith

Muslim responses to scientific arguments

• Many Muslims accept science but believe that Allah created the laws of nature; this is known as the harmony view

  • The Qur’an encourages the study of the world, and science is part of worship

  • The Big Bang and evolution can be accepted if Allah is the ultimate cause

  • Some Muslims interpret the Qur’an as supporting the expanding universe theory

• Some Muslims accept evolution for animals but not for humans, as they are seen as specially created by Allah

• However, many Muslims have traditionalist views, which reject the parts of science that seem to contradict the Qur’an

  • They believe that Allah created Adam and that humans did not evolve from apes

  • All Muslims believe that the Qur’an is perfect and unchanged, and so it must be right even if science disagrees

How does the existence of evil and suffering in the world challenge the existence of God?

• Christians believe that God is both omnibenevolent and omnipotent

• They believe that these things represent God’s nature; this means that the existence of evil and suffering in the world is problematic

  • Christians believe that God would not want anything within His Creation to suffer and that God is fair and just

• However, evil and suffering do exist in the world, leading many Christians to ask: 

  • How can a loving and righteous God allow people to do evil things?

  • Why do good people need to suffer?

  • If God does exist and he is omnipotent and omnibenevolent, then why does he allow evil and suffering to exist?

What is the inconsistent triad?

• The problem of evil can be regarded as an “inconsistent triad”, or, in other words, three ideas, but only two of them can be true

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• As there is clear evidence and experience of evil, this means that either:

  • God is not all-powerful (He cannot stop evil) 

    OR 

  • God is not all-loving (He does not love us or care enough to stop evil) 

    OR

  • God does not exist at all

• For some people, this is evidence that the God of Christianity does not exist, but there are some Christian and Muslim responses to this philosophical problem

What are Christian responses to the challenge of evil and suffering?

• Christians have many different responses to the problem of evil and suffering that allow them to accept that evil, suffering and God can all exist

• All Christians believe that God created a world without evil and suffering

• Christians believe that God gave humans free will and that moral evil is a result of human choices, not God’s will

  • Christians believe that without free will, humans couldn’t truly love or be good

• Some Christians believe that suffering helps people grow spiritually and develop virtues such as courage, patience and empathy

  • In this response, the earth is like a testing ground for moral development

  • This response is called the soul-making response, first developed by Irenaeus

• Other Christians believe that suffering is a result of original sin (Adam and Eve)

  • This response states that the world is fallen and imperfect because of human disobedience, and so suffering is the fault of humans

• Many Christians look at the example of Jesus and believe that suffering is part of life and that God understands this

  • Jesus suffered on the cross, showing that God understands human pain

  • Christians believe that God is with them in suffering, offering comfort and hope

• Christians encourage practical responses to suffering

  • Many Christians believe that they should respond with compassion and action 

    • This might involve helping others through international organisations such as Christian Aid or CAFOD

    • This could also be through personal or collective prayer, in which God is asked to ease the suffering of others

What are Muslim responses to the challenge of evil and suffering?

• Muslims also have many different responses to the problem of evil and suffering that allow them to accept that evil, suffering and God can all exist

• All Muslims believe that life is a test from Allah

  • The test is how humans respond to evil and suffering in their own lives

  • They also believe that this life is temporary and that the real reward is in Akhirah (the afterlife)

• Like Christians, Muslims believe that all humans have been given free will to choose good or evil

  • They believe that moral evil exists because of the human misuse of freedom

• Many Muslims accept that suffering can bring them closer to Allah

  • It is a chance for repentance, patience (Sabr) and reward

  • Muslims believe that Allah is just and merciful — even if justice isn’t seen in this life, it will be seen in the next

• Muslims also try to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who suffered but remained patient and faithful

  • Muslims are encouraged to follow his example when facing hardship

• Muslims are also expected to respond practically to suffering in the world

  • Muslims are encouraged to help others who suffer through charity (zakat) and prayer (du’a)