Year 8 - Religious education
Transcendence and immanence
Suffering: Can Christian theology overcome the problem of evil?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will examine the question of evil. They will look at various ways in which Christians have answered this question such as the existence of the devil, free will and the story of Job.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain Christian beliefs about God as transcendent and immanent, and how these beliefs help respond to the problem of evil.
Key Notes
- Most Christians believe God is transcendent, meaning that God exists outside of and beyond the universe.
- For many Christians, the belief that God is transcendent also means that God is beyond human understanding.
- God's transcendence can help explain evil; suffering may be part of a greater plan that only God knows.
- Most Christians also believe God is immanent, meaning that God is close, involved, and present in people's lives.
- God's immanence, demonstrated through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, provides comfort and guidance during suffering.
Vocabulary To Learn
- eternal: being without beginning or end; existing forever
- immanent: referring to something being present within, or close to something else; within Christianity this refers to the belief that God is close to creation and active in peoples' lives
- transcendent: beyond or above the range of normal or physical human experience; within Christianity this refers to the belief that God exists outside of the universe
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- God as transcendent means that God is not involved with or close to creation.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Most Christians believe God is transcendent, meaning that God exists outside of and beyond the universe. For many Christians, the belief that God is transcendent also means that God is beyond human understanding.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'eternal'
being without beginning or end; existing forever.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: God as transcendent means that God is not involved with or close to creation. Correction: God is both transcendent (beyond the universe) and immanent (close to creation) at the same time. God's immanence is demonstrated through Jesus, the Holy Spirit, miracles and the revelation of the Bible.
More Lessons In This Unit
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