Mini-Lesson

The Existence of God & Revelation

This mini-lesson works through the AQA GCSE theme The Existence of God and Revelation: the Design and First Cause arguments, the argument from miracles, general and special revelation, religious experience, the problem of evil and suffering, and non-religious (Humanist) responses.

Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Arguments on both sides are given fairly. Press Start when you're ready.

The Design (teleological) argument

Order suggests a designer

The Design argument (teleological argument) says the universe shows order, purpose and regularity — for example the way the eye or the seasons "fit together" — and that such design points to a Designer: God. William Paley gave the famous watchmaker analogy: if you found a watch, its intricate parts would tell you it had a maker; the world is far more complex, so it too must have a maker.

Key thinker: Paley = the watchmaker analogy for the Design argument.

Counter (Darwin / Dawkins): evolution by natural selection can explain apparent design without a designer — order arises gradually. Critics also say that even if there is a designer, the argument does not prove the all-loving God of classical theism.

The First Cause (cosmological) argument

Everything begins with a cause

The First Cause argument (cosmological argument), associated with Thomas Aquinas, reasons: everything that begins to exist has a cause; the universe began to exist, so it must have a first cause. That uncaused first cause, Aquinas argues, is God.

Key thinker: Aquinas = the cosmological / First Cause way to God.

Counter: critics ask why the chain must stop at God — if everything needs a cause, what caused God? Others say the universe itself could be the uncaused "brute fact", so no God is needed.

Quick check

Whose argument is it?

?Which argument uses Paley's watchmaker analogy to argue for God?

The argument from miracles

Events that seem to break natural law

A miracle is usually defined as an event that seems to break a law of nature and is attributed to God — for example an unexplained healing. Believers argue miracles are evidence of God acting in the world, and many point to miracle accounts in scripture and in personal experience.

Scripture example: the Gospels record Jesus performing healing miracles, which Christians see as signs of God's power.

Counter (Hume): David Hume argued it is always more likely that a miracle report is a mistake, exaggeration or has a natural explanation than that a law of nature was actually broken. So miracle reports are weak evidence for God.

Revelation

General and special revelation

Revelation means God being revealed to people. Christians distinguish two types:

General revelation — God shown indirectly, through nature, the world, and the conscience / moral sense that everyone can experience.
Special revelation — God revealed directly, through visions, dreams, scripture, and, above all for Christians, the person of Jesus.

Is revelation a good basis for belief? Believers say it gives direct knowledge of God. Critics reply that people report different, conflicting revelations, and experiences could be imagined — so revelation alone may not prove God.

Match up

Argument / term → key idea

Tap a term on the left, then its meaning on the right.

Religious experience

Encountering God personally

Some argue for God from religious experience — a personal sense of contact with the divine. Types include:

Numinous experience — a feeling of awe and wonder in the presence of a holy God.
Conversion — a life-changing experience that leads someone to faith.
Prayer that seems answered, and miracles experienced personally.

Objection: critics (and Humanists) say such experiences could be psychological or imagined — the brain, emotion or expectation — rather than real contact with God, so they are not proof.

Quick check

Hume on miracles

?What was David Hume's objection to using miracles as evidence for God?

The problem of evil & suffering

An argument against God

The problem of evil is a leading argument against God's existence. It asks: if God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omnibenevolent (all-loving), why is there evil and suffering? An all-powerful God could stop it; an all-loving God would want to.

Moral evil — suffering caused by human choices (e.g. cruelty, war).
Natural evil — suffering from nature, not human action (e.g. earthquakes, disease).

Sensitive topic: suffering is real and painful. This is studied respectfully as a genuine challenge that many believers wrestle with honestly.

Religious responses to suffering

How believers respond

Believers do not ignore the problem of evil; they offer responses such as:

Free will defence — God gave humans free will; moral evil is the price of genuine freedom, not God's fault.
Soul-making — suffering can be a test or opportunity to grow in character and faith (an Irenaean-type "vale of soul-making").
Trust in God's plan — believers may not understand why, but trust God has a purpose.
Jesus' suffering — Christians say God shares in suffering through Jesus on the cross.
Practical response — following God's love by helping those who suffer.

Balance: critics reply that these responses do not explain natural evil well, and that no growth or free will can justify the worst suffering.

Quick check

Kinds of evil

?An earthquake or disease that causes suffering is an example of…

Non-religious (atheist / Humanist) arguments

Reasons not to believe

Atheists reject belief in God; Humanists live good, meaningful lives without religion, relying on reason and human experience. Their main arguments:

Lack of evidence — there is no convincing proof that God exists.
Science explains the world — evolution, physics and cosmology explain nature without needing God.
The problem of evil — the amount of suffering counts against an all-loving, all-powerful God.

Fair note: believers reply that science answers "how" but not "why", that absence of proof is not proof of absence, and that faith responds to the problem of evil (previous screen).

Sort it

Which type of argument?

Tap a description, then tap the box that matches.

Sort it

For God ↔ Against God

Tap a point, then the box it best supports.

🙏 Argument FOR God's existence

❓ Argument AGAINST / atheist point

Quick check

Define the term

?Which is an example of general revelation?

Quick check

The First Cause argument

?Which statement best sums up the First Cause (cosmological) argument, linked to Aquinas?

Recap

The ideas to know

Design argument (Paley): order/design in the world implies a Designer — the watchmaker analogy. Counter: evolution (Darwin/Dawkins).

First Cause argument (Aquinas): the universe began, so it needs a first cause — God. Counter: why stop at God, not the universe?

Miracles: events that seem to break natural law, seen as God acting. Hume: more likely a mistake or natural cause.

Revelation: general (nature, conscience) vs special (visions, scripture, Jesus). Problem: conflicting reports.

Religious experience: numinous, conversion, answered prayer. Objection: could be psychological.

Problem of evil: if God is all-powerful and all-loving, why moral and natural evil? Key argument against God.

Responses: free will defence, soul-making, trust, Jesus' suffering, helping sufferers.

Non-religious views: lack of evidence, science explains the world, the problem of evil.

You've covered the AQA theme of The Existence of God and Revelation. Press Finish to see your score.

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Mini-lesson complete!

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You've worked through Theme C: The Existence of God & Revelation for AQA GCSE Religious Studies A. 🎉

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