Year 9 GCSE Ethics & Philosophy Term 5: Believing In God

1. Introduction

to GCSE

2. Religious Upbringing

3. Religious Experience 1

5. The Argument From Design 1

6. The Argument From Design 2

7. Revision

11. The Argument

From Causation 2

10. The Argument

From Causation 1

9. Assessment Feedback

4. Religious Experience 2

12. How One Religion Responds To Scientific Explanations For the World’s Existence

8. Assessment

In 1858, a 14 year old girl called Bernadette Soubirous claimed to have seen an apparition in a lonely spot in the small town of Lourdes in Southern France.

The apparition caused feelings of awe and wonder. She was scared and, for a long time, no one believed her.

160 years later, millions of people still visit the spot where the apparition happened. Since 1858, there have been 69 verified miracles or cures in Lourdes.

Watch the film version of the event. What do you think happened? Was it true? What would make it true?

Extension – Read: Dr Michael Moran evaluates Lourdes miracles reports at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26334964

Religious Experience: Numinous

D Describe a a numinous experiencenuminous experience or the or the sense of sense of aweawe

C/B Explain what it means to experience a sense of what it means to experience a sense of numinousnuminous or the or the sense of awesense of awe

A/A*Evaluate the the truth behind claims truth behind claims to to experience the numinous or the sense of aweexperience the numinous or the sense of awe

Key Words: Numinous, Awe, Prayer, Conversion

Religious ExperienceReligious Experience

A ‘Religious Experience’ must meet two conditions:A ‘Religious Experience’ must meet two conditions:1. It must be ‘direct’ contact with God1. It must be ‘direct’ contact with God2. It must strengthen faith2. It must strengthen faith

There are four types of ‘Religious Experience’:

1. Miracle2. Numinous often called a sense of Awe3. Prayer sometimes a Mystical experience4. Conversion

The Numinous or a Feeling of Awe?The Numinous or a Feeling of Awe?

Copy these definitions into your books and learn Copy these definitions into your books and learn them:them:AweAwe: Reverential Fear or Wonder: Reverential Fear or WonderNuminousNuminous: Awe Inspiring or Indicating The : Awe Inspiring or Indicating The Presence of God Presence of God

But what do this mean to you and me? But what do this mean to you and me?

Extension – Read: Dr Michael Moran evaluates Lourdes miracles reports at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26334964

Numinous …

Numinous is a type of religious experienceNuminous is a type of religious experiencewhere you recognise you are in the presencewhere you recognise you are in the presence

of something greater than yourself.of something greater than yourself.

This could be a feeling when confronted with natureThis could be a feeling when confronted with natureor the birth of a child, a view, a piece of music etc –or the birth of a child, a view, a piece of music etc –you are in AWE – amazed and usually happy – thisyou are in AWE – amazed and usually happy – thiscould and does sometimes lead people to believe incould and does sometimes lead people to believe inGod or at the very least strengthen their faith.God or at the very least strengthen their faith.

What does this mean to you and What does this mean to you and me? me?

Have you ever:

1.been to a building2.visited a place 3.watched a f i lm or l istened to a record4.been moved emotionally by something you have seen5.been brought to tears for no real reason?

These are all ‘Experiences’ of l i fe that have moved you and you probably cannot explain why.

If these experiences lead you to a belief in Godor strengthen your faith, they are ‘Religious Experiences’.

This is a sense of the Numinous or AweThis is a sense of the Numinous or Awe

A sense of Numinous or AweA sense of Numinous or Awe

Be ready to answer the following questions:Discuss:

1. Which place do you think is the most beautiful you have ever been to?2. When was the last time you were moved emotionally either to tears or not?3. Which record or film makes you sad, and you may not know why?

Numinous

Sandstorm approaching!!

Deer fleeing a forest fire…

Hurricane Katrina approaching….

Taken from a space satellite – the darker ‘camels’ are their shadows – the tiny white outlines are the actual camels…

The Northern lights over the Fjords…

Everest…

You and me at seven weeks old…

… another

week and the heart is beating!

Arguments for/against the NuminousArguments for/against the NuminousArguments for belief in Numinous

Arguments against bel ief in numinous

It provides the person with evidence of the existence of God

It changes the person’s understanding of God

They realise that only God could have caused the experience

A person might not recognise God in the experience

It could be regarded as an awe inspiring but a natural event

The person might think they were hallucinating

A sense of Numinous or AweA sense of Numinous or AweBe ready to answer the following questions:Discuss & draw a mind map of your answers in your

books1. Which place do you think is the most beautiful you have ever been to?2. When was the last time you were moved emotionally either to tears or not?3. Which song or film makes you sad? (You may not know why!)

Challenge: Do your answers to any of the three questions above mean that you have ‘experienced’ God? Explain your answer in detail.

A sense of Numinous or AweA sense of Numinous or Awe

Challenge: Do your answers to any of the three questions above mean that you have ‘experienced’ God? Explain your answer in detail.

I think that the numinous does/does not prove God exists. Firstly, …………………………. An example would be ………………………………………………….

Secondly ………………an example would be ………………………………………………….

(b) Do you think a numinous experience leads to belief (b) Do you think a numinous experience leads to belief in God? Give in God? Give two two reasons for your point of view.reasons for your point of view.

PlenaryPlenary

In no more than six minutes answer the following (GCSE part d) question:

(d) “The world is so beautiful and awe inspiring that it must mean God exists.”

• Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion. (3 marks)• Give reasons why some people may disagree with you (3 marks)