Theism

Philosophy of Religion = thinking hard about anything having to do with religion

Thinking hard: “lookin’ for loopholes” (W. C. Fields)

Topics in religion: how to focus or select the topics?

Theism: There is someone "without a body (i.e. a spirit) who is eternal, free, able to do anything, knows everything, is perfectly good, is the proper object of human worship and obedience, the creator and sustainer of the universe." Richard Swinburne, The Coherence of Theism (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997), p. 1.

Monotheism: There is exactly one such being.

Swinburne continues, "Christians, Jews, and Muslims are all in the above sense theists. Many theists also hold further beliefs about God, and in these Christians, Jews, and Muslims differ among themselves; and yet further beliefs, in which some members of each group differ from others. Christians assert, and Jews and Muslims deny, that God became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Roman Catholics assert, and Protestants deny, that Christ is 'really' present in the bread consecrated in the Mass. ...[T]he central core of theisic belief [is] that God exists, that these is a God."

Some questions:

Does God exist?
Can it be shown or proven that God exists?
Can it be shown or proven that God does not exist?
What does it mean to say that God "is able to do anything"? (omnipotence)
What does it mean to say that God "knows everything"? (omniscience)
Can the creator and sustainer of the universe interfere with the universe? (miracles)
Is it reasonable to believe in God?

An alternate definition:

"The universe owes its existence, and continuation in existence, to the reason and will of a self-existent Being, who is infinitely powerful, wise, and good." Robert Flint, Theism, 7th revised ed. (New York: C. Scribner, 1889).