The ontological argument is a philosophical argument for the existence of God that is based on a priori reasoning. It is unique among arguments for the existence of God in that it does not rely on empirical evidence or observations of the natural world. Instead, it is based solely on logical reasoning about the concept of God. In this article, we will explore the ontological argument from a Christian perspective and examine how it supports the Christian belief in the existence of God.
- The ontological argument uses a priori reasoning, based on logical concepts of God’s greatness, to argue for God’s existence.
- Anselm’s argument posits that if God is the greatest conceivable being, He must exist in reality.
- From a Christian perspective, the ontological argument supports the belief in God as the supreme, greatest conceivable being and underscores faith in His existence.
The Ontological Argument
The ontological argument was first proposed by the eleventh-century Christian theologian St. Anselm of Canterbury. Anselm’s argument is based on the concept of God as the greatest conceivable being. He argued that if we can conceive of God as the greatest possible being, then God must exist in reality, because a being that exists in reality is greater than a being that exists only in the mind.
Anselm’s argument can be summarized in the following way:
1. God is defined as the greatest conceivable being.
2. A being that exists in reality is greater than a being that exists only in the mind.
3. Therefore, if God is the greatest conceivable being, then He must exist in reality.
Anselm’s argument is a priori because it does not rely on empirical evidence or observations of the natural world. Instead, it is based on logical reasoning about the concept of God as the greatest possible being. Anselm’s argument has been refined and developed by many philosophers and theologians over the centuries, including René Descartes, Immanuel Kant, and Alvin Plantinga.
The Christian Perspective
From a Christian perspective, the ontological argument supports the belief in the existence of God as the greatest possible being. Christians believe that God is the greatest conceivable being because He possesses all of the traditional attributes of God, including omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. Christians also believe that God is the source of all reality and that everything that exists owes its existence to Him.
Furthermore, Christians believe that the ontological argument supports the idea of faith in God. Faith is an essential aspect of Christian belief, and it involves trust and confidence in God’s existence and His character. The ontological argument supports this idea because it suggests that God’s existence can be logically inferred from the concept of God as the greatest conceivable being. Christians can have faith in God because they know that God is the greatest possible being and that He exists in reality.
