The First Cause Argument
Peter Kreeft The most famous of all arguments for the existence of God are the “five ways” of Saint Thomas Aquinas. One of the five ways, the fifth, is the argument from design, which we looked at in the last essay. The other four are versions of the first-cause argument, which we explore here. The argument […]
The Argument from Pascal’s Wager
Peter Kreeft To understand Pascal’s Wager you have to understand the background of the argument. Pascal lived in a time of great scepticism. Medieval philosophy was dead, and medieval theology was being ignored or sneered at by the new intellectuals of the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. Montaigne, the great sceptical essayist, was the […]
The Argument from History
Peter Kreeft This argument is both stronger and weaker than the other arguments for the existence of God. It is stronger because its data (its evidence) are some facts of history, things that have happened on this planet, rather than principles or ideas. People are more convinced by facts than by principles. But it is […]
The Argument from the Divinity of Christ
Peter Kreeft The doctrine of Christ’s divinity is the central Christian doctrine, for it is like a skeleton key that opens all the others. Christians have not independently reasoned out and tested each of the teachings of Christ received via Bible and Church, but believe them all on his authority. For if Christ is divine, […]
The Argument From Desire
Peter Kreeft Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food….If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. The first premise […]
The Argument from Design
PETER KREEFT The argument starts with the major premise that where there is design, there must be a designer. The minor premise is the existence of design throughout the universe. The conclusion is that there must be a universal designer. Why must we believe the major premise, that all design implies a designer? Because everyone […]
The Argument from Conscience
Peter Kreeft The argument from conscience is one of the only two arguments for the existence of God alluded to in Scripture, the other being the argument from design (both in Romans). Both arguments are essentially simple natural intuitions. Only when complex, artificial objections are made do these arguments begin to take on a complex […]
Can You Prove God Exists?
Peter Kreeft Before we answer this question, we must distinguish five questions that are often confused. I believe we can answer yes to the first four of these questions about the existence of God but not to the fifth. God exists, we can know that, we can give reasons, and those reasons amount to proof, […]
Human Personhood Begins at Conception
PETER KREEFT Philosopher Peter Kreeft presents the arguments commonly used to explain why the unborn child is not a human person and then shows clearly and simply why each of these arguments cannot possibly be true. Non-Christians and even Christians can take opposite positions on abortion even when they think rationally, honestly, and with good […]
What’s the Point of Creeds?
PETER KREEFT I remember vividly how deeply moved I was as a young Protestant to hear how one of the Catholic martyrs died: scratching in the sand with his own blood the words of the creed, “Credo ….”( “I believe”). My heart was moved, but my head did not yet understand. What do these Catholics […]