Christianity & Revelation (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)

Revelation as proof of God's existence

What is revelation?

• Revelation is when something that was hidden becomes known

  • For many religious people, revelation comes from God and reveals something about God

• There are two types of revelation, general (or indirect) revelation and special (direct) revelation

• ‘General’ or ‘indirect’ revelation is available to everyone

  • This is often used to describe the way God is revealed through the natural world and can come through:

    • conscience which communicates what is right or wrong in one’s behaviour

    • people

    • awareness of morality

    • scripture 

    • reason

  • An example of general revelation is how God can reveal Himself through the natural world

• For Christians, the fact that nature is so beautiful shows that God must be the creator and what is important to God can be seen in the world

• Just as artists are reflected in their paintings, so God is shown in His creation

• For Christians, qualities such as harmony and beauty must come from God and be found in God

  • Similarly, the laws of science that describe the way in which the world works so perfectly show that God must have designed the world

• Direct revelation is when God is revealed directly to an individual or group

  • It is often used to describe the way God is revealed through:

    • a dream

    • vision

    • a miracle 

    • experience

    • prophecy 

    • Scripture - the holy books of some religions are regarded as the result of special revelation

Revelation as proof of God’s existence 

• Christians believe the Bible proves God’s existence because: 

  • it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and so it is from God

  • God speaks through the Old Testament and New Testament

  • the Bible contains God’s laws on how to behave (10 commandments)

  • it brings people closer to God, learning about how God cares for his creation

• Christians believe that God’s revelation culminated in the incarnation

  • Revelations about God in the Old Testament become true in Jesus

  • God revealed himself through Jesus, who taught us all about God

  • No further revelations can take place as Jesus is the culmination, because Jesus gave us God’s final message to humanity

  • God’s revelation in Jesus shows:

    • God is love – he loved the world so much he became flesh in Jesus

    • God forgives – he died on the cross to bring forgiveness

    • God meets people where they are

    • God brings healing shown through the miracles

    • God wants people to have eternal life, shown by his rising from the dead

• Christians believe that God can reveal Himself to them directly in different ways

  • In the Bible it is taught that God communicates with His people through visions and dreams

    • Some Christians believe that God still speaks to people in this way

• Many Christians believe that God is involved in people’s lives

• They believe that He is occasionally revealed privately to individuals through miracles, prayer and worship

  • Miracles are often perceived to be God revealing Himself and answering prayer

• Some Christians believe that God meets with them directly, through worship or prayer

  • They might feel the presence of God when they are praying, or have a prayer answered

  • Some Christians say that when they worship they feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is the power of God at work

    • An example can be found in Acts 9 when Saul met God on the road to Damascus

Christianity and divergent understandings of what revelation shows

What does revelation show to Christians about God?

• In Christianity, revelation is the way God reveals himself to humans, and it shows that God is personal, living, and communicates with his followers

  • Revelation can lead to religious faith and a change in lifestyle

• For the Christian receiving these special revelations, God is a personal and living God

• They believe God still communicates with His followers and treats them as individuals

• Visions and dreams suggest to Christians that God knows and understands what is happening in their lives

• Revelation is also used to describe people experiencing God through a vision or a miracle

  • An example of this is Saul on the road to Damascus

IMAGE: Conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus

• General revelation refers to the idea that God reveals Himself through nature, the world around us, and human reason

  • It suggests that God’s existence and some aspects of His nature (such as power and creativity) can be understood by observing the natural world

  • It shows that God is the Creator, powerful, and present in the world

    •  His nature can be partly understood through the beauty, order, and complexity of creation

    • The Psalms often reflect this idea, like Psalm 19:1, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God’

• Special revelation refers to God revealing Himself in more specific and direct ways, especially through sacred texts and events in history

  • Special revelation is believed to be more detailed and personal, guiding believers toward salvation

  • The Bible is considered the primary source of God’s revelation

    • It shows God’s character, His laws, His plan of salvation, and how people should live in relationship with Him

    • Christians believe the Bible is inspired by God and contains His will

    • The Old and New Testaments, especially the teachings of Jesus, give clear insights into God's love, justice, and mercy

  • Christians believe that the most complete revelation of God came through Jesus, who is seen as the ‘Word of God made flesh’ (John 1:14)

    • His life, death, and resurrection are seen as the ultimate revelation of God's love, mercy, and plan for salvation

    • Jesus reveals God as loving, merciful, just, and incarnate

    • Through Jesus’ life, Christians believe they can understand how to live in relationship with God and others

    • Jesus' teachings, miracles, and sacrifice on the cross are viewed as revealing God's deep love and desire for reconciliation with humanity