How much can we really learn about God through Natural Theology? An explanation and evaluation of natural theology and Calvin’s viewpoint-

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An explanation and evaluation of natural theology and Calvin’s viewpoint-


What is Natural Theology?

Natural theology is learning about God and gaining knowledge of God through nature and observation. In other words, anything that involves Divine Revelation such as the Scriptures, the Person of Christ and Religious Experiences such as dreams are not included in natural theology. So, the question of “how much can we learn about God through natural theology” is in other words the question of “how much can we really learn about God through nature, observation and anything that isn’t divine revelation”?

What have we learnt in the past about God through Natural Theology?

Many theologians have argued that we can know lots about God through using natural theology. For example, some have argued we can know that he exists through natural theology.

One example of where natural theology has been used in the past to show God’s existence is William Paley’s design argument. Which leads to the conclusion that God exists and that the world has a purpose. Paley’s conclusion is reached using natural theology, he asks us to think of a watch and that it’s obvious it has a designer, and then compares the watch to the universe leading to the conclusion that the world must have a designer too. This shows that natural theology may show us some things about God.

Another example of a scholar who sees natural theology as providing us with knowledge of God is the 16th Century Reformed Theologian John Calvin. Calvin proposed the idea of our “sensus divinitus”, or in English, our sense of the divine. He argues that we have an innate sense of God in us and that we can see God in the universe- Calvin states this-

                             “No man can look to himself without thinking of the Divine”  

Therefore, Calvin proposes that we can learn about God through our innate sense of him!
Calvin also proposed that (like Paley) we can know about God through the beauties and design of the universe. Calvin stated-   
                                     "There is nowhere in the World where you can't see his glory"


Therefore, Calvin sees design in the universe and our innate knowledge as ways we can know God to a degree- however, this doesn’t mean Calvin argues we can know lots about God through nature or that through nature we can gain salvation!

Calvin supports the idea that humanity can gain some knowledge of God through nature but argues that it is only through revealed theology that we can properly begin to know God personally and gain salvation. Calvin’s assumption behind this view is that humanity is sinful by nature, he stated “if Adam had remained upright”, arguing that Adam fell from God through sin and because of this, humanity cannot gain sufficient knowledge of God through natural theology because we are fallen  and our reason is clouded by our sinful and wicked nature.

In Calvin’s view, you are saved through “justification by faith” alone which can only be granted by God. In other words, if you want to have a relationship with God, Calvin proposes that revealed theology is the only route.


Is Calvin’s viewpoint convincing?

Calvin’s understanding of natural and revealed theology is generally supported by scripture and by experience. It seems sensible to hold the viewpoint that although observation and nature can lead to some knowledge of God, observation and nature are very limited in helping us to know the God of the Bible and the God who atones for the sins of humans. The limit of natural theology in knowing God is that the natural world can only tell us a small few things about the God who created it, for example, natural theology can tell us (at it’s greatest extent) that there is an intelligent God who designed the universe, who gave the universe purpose and that this God may be very powerful. However, revealed theology (e.g. scripture) can tell us that God is loving, kind, a God of justice, omnipotent, omniscient, transcendent, immortal, atoning, personal, gracious, a hater of sin, the creator of the universe and many other things…

It’s up to you to decide whether Calvin is right, but it seems that natural theology is very limited in helping us develop any valuable or proper relationship with God. However, this doesn’t mean natural theology is of no importance as I think Paley’s design argument is a very valid argument for showing how God can be seen in the 21st Century world we live in and it also seems difficult to properly observe the beauty of the world without considering that it points to the existence of a higher power. John Calvin put it well- “There is nowhere in the World where you can't see his glory"!

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