Attributes of God – Proof of God’s Existence, Part 1
In this lecture, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains logically and spiritually the rational and cosmic proofs of God’s existence, rejecting the idea of coincidence or a purely material explanation of being.
First: God is the First Cause
He affirms that the universe could not have created itself, since the created cannot precede its existence. There must be a First Cause or Primary Reason that brought matter and life into being. Nature is not eternal because it changes and has imperfections; its composition itself proves it is created.
Second: Rejection of the Theory of Chance and Nature
He clarifies that saying “nature created” is meaningless, for nature is not a being with will or creative power. Likewise, chance cannot produce order or life. Organized creation can only come from a Divine Intelligent Power.
Third: The Existence of Life as Proof of the Creator
Inanimate matter cannot create life, and life only comes from life. The existence of even one living creature—a cell or an ant—proves there is a living, intelligent Creator. God alone is the source of life, for He is the Living One in Himself.
Fourth: The Existence of Man as a Rational Being
Man has reason, conscience, will, and spirit, while nature has none. How could the rational come from the irrational? There must be a Being of perfect wisdom and reason who created man in His image.
Fifth: The Precise Order in the Universe
Pope Shenouda presents the amazing order in the heavens, the earth, and even the human body. Everything moves in harmony—from planetary motion to body functions. Such a system can only exist through the Great Architect — God.
Sixth: Innate and Universal Belief
He states that belief in God exists innately among all peoples. Even pagans who worshipped the sun or fire were, at heart, acknowledging a supreme power. Faith in God is planted in human nature from childhood.
Seventh: Refutation of Atheism
He distinguishes between those who deny God out of ignorance and those who reject Him due to moral or psychological distortion. Some philosophers accept God’s existence but refuse His authority. Marxists and existentialists reject God’s rule, not His being.
Eighth: The Attributes of God
The lecture concludes with the divine attributes proving His deity:
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Eternal: without beginning.
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Everlasting: without end.
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Unlimited: in space, power, and knowledge.
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One: with no equal or rival.
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All-wise, all-powerful, and all-willing: Creator, Organizer, and Sustainer of all creation.
Conclusion
Faith in God’s existence is not against reason but the logical result of existence, life, order, and conscience. All creation testifies to the presence of a Living, Intelligent, and Almighty God, the cause of existence and the purpose of life.
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