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Boethius, Augustine, Aquinas, and more like them, assert the immutability of God and God's plans. But, how does this square with the claim of a God who interacts and is ever present; does not God interact and change plans according to whether we subsume ourselves to God's self or not?

--Escolano, Giovanni Benito

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The Ignatian Spirituality implies that we are able to find God in all things but I am wondering does this mean that God has multiple identities? If this is the case, how are we able to discover His identities given our finite nature that cannot reach His infinite and eternal nature? Are the things written about God in the Bible regarding His identity the mere biases of the writers of the Bible?

- Dee, Ariana Denise

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The Relevance of a Higher Being in our Lives

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The Relevance of a Higher Being in our Lives

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What would God's role be in the face of social injustice in the world, given that it is something that man has created? How does religion fit into the narrative of the world's suffering?

- Emnas, Kathleen Andrea R.

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What is the relationship between the belief in God/s and our perception of the human condition and our own existence ? - Ahyong, David Emmanuel Y.

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ould say it depends on whether you really do believe in the concept of "God's plan." In my TH 151 class last semester, I was taught---and I agree---that there isn't such a thing as "God's plan," in the traditional sense. God gave us free will. What we do with it is our own, and he doesn't intervene in our lives by imposing a higher plan. I gue

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In my TH151 class, my professor said that there is an inner law inside us that tells us from right or wrong and that this is evidence that a higher power exists. If we are all biased individuals, could it possibly mean that our conscience is also just biased? Or that there is no inner law?
Valdecantos, Corinne Jasmine M.

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With various religions existing and their respective beliefs of the Supreme Being(s), I cannot help but wonder how one perceives which belief best capture the existence and purpose of the Supreme Being(s). While family contributes a lot regarding one's beliefs, there have also been a number of people who either converted to another religion or shunned religion (and the existence of a supreme being) altogether. With these said, how does one believe which Supreme Being(s) is/are the truest? Is it simply a reflection of one's ideals of a higher being or is it based on deeper convictions of an individual (from what he/she knows around him/her and how this knowledge contributes to an incomplete idea of a higher being)?

-Salvador, Richard Audric O.

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Are humans inherently good or evil? Why does God create us as imperfect beings?

- Michaela Marie G. Tiglao

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Human Nature
Are humans inherently good or evil? Why does God create us as imperfect beings?

- Michaela Marie G. Tiglao
 

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In claiming that bias is evident in every person, and that there’s is no such thing as complete objectivity, doesn’t it then mean that as we are societal creatures facts and truth now become irrelevant and we now must all subscribe to the idea that all principles and ideas must be open to change and the integrity of the idea or concept is never fully realized? And to follow this up, what does this mean for different belief systems and faiths beings that no one should claim innerancy or to have the whole truth being that it can be subject to the possibility of change? How do we reconcile truth claims when the lens for that truth claim is biased and can be contested and proved to be false?

- Karl Raymond Tab

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We can't ALL be right about the Nature of God. Did Christians really get it right?

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We can't ALL be right about the Nature of God. Did Christians really get it right?

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If we (Christians) are right about Jesus being God, then Muslims and Jews fail in a serious way to love God as God really is. But if Muslims and Jews are right that Jesus is not God but rather a teacher or a prophet, then we fail in a serious way to love God as God really is.

We have to insist that our faith has at least the better grasp of the truth. There should be no room for doubt. However, Philosophy demands doubt. We said that the objective truth is a firm stance. But we have to add, in the case of our beliefs, that we must also necessarily believe that the other religions are wrong.

If it is the case that we must believe that we are right and the others are wrong, then we can't have even the slighthest bit of doubt. Otherwise, we might as well study all other religions in search for the truth. If we can't even put ourselves in a position where we think our belief is wrong -- which is our certainty of our God and all that we know of Him -- , then how will we ever know that we are really right?

- Pierre Geoffrey L. Macalino

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One of the most memorable topics discussed in my TH151 class was about freedom.

Freedom, as opposed to common notion, was described not as the ability to do whatever we please, but a freedom to choose good. It was a freedom given to us by our Creator, ultimately designed for us to chose Him and to bring us back to His care. And because this freedom calls us to choose God, we have been given the gift of experiencing a happiness and love only He could provide.

If then we are given the freedom to choose God because it is only by doing so that we are given the chance to live in happiness and love, does this make it impossible for people who do not believe in our Christian God to experience the same kind of lasting happiness and love? If an individual never had the chance of experiencing or getting to know our Christian God, does that mean he is doomed to live a life of misery?

- Regina Carmela B. Basilio

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Is the Bible always a reliable source of moral guidance?

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Is the Bible always a reliable source of moral guidance?

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Having been written long ago, dated/inaccurate concepts are inevitably found in the Bible. The Bible serves as a source of guidance for many. Is there a criteria for which of the Bible's teachings we are supposed to follow? Is it morally sound to choose which teachings to adhere to as we live out our lives?
- Juan Carlo Cobar

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If the Bible is a main source of learning our religion better, how do we actively use it?

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If the Bible is a main source of learning our religion better, how do we actively use it?

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How certain are we that the early Christian community was accurate with their transcripts? Who was chosen to be a part of the authors of the Bible, and what was the process for such selection? When can we decide that what is stated in the Bible is fact or fiction? For example, the stories of Adam and Eve and Noah's Ark are mere stories instead of actual accounts. How about the Gospels of Mark, John, Matthew, and Luke-- are all of these accounts true? How do we actively use the Bible  as a source of guidance in light of current issues (LGBTQ community, abortion, euthanasia, etc.)?

- Adarme, Chloe Francine

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Following the interpretation that Jesus called each disciple to destroy the power dynamics of oppression and submission, how can religion successfully task those in power to give up power?

- Raphael Ang

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Although there seems to be constant factors or beliefs within religion, there also seems to be multiple interpretations and multiple ways people live out their beliefs. Throughout history, people have used religion as a reason, or an means to do despicable and even violent acts for their own agendas. Could it be that religion, including God, were concepts created by humans for their own benefit and/or peace of mind?
- Uy-Tuazon, Diana

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Is our morality dependent on the religion we associate with?

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Is our morality dependent on the religion we associate with?

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In my Hi 166 class, my professor blatantly said that "religion is man made". After she made that bold statement, I couldn't help but ponder on what she said, so I asked myself if the religion we adopt determine how right/wrong our actions are. The idea that eating pork would be considering awfully wrong because of one's faith while not at all wrong for another's. I hope that this type of dilemma is one that I would be able to understand more by the end of this course.
- Chris Cancio

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Since God is “All-knowing” then He would not be making any mistakes therefore he would not have a need to change His mind. So what is the point of prayer? Why do people pray? Would not it be making prayer useless since God already made up His mind?

-Go, Hue Jyro U.

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A friend of mine brought up the idea that religion in general is a tool used to maintain the status quo, or to ensure that people act in a certain way. With regards to Christianity, the Bible has had many different interpretations, yet these changes appear to be a means of the religion adapting to changes in society in order to maintain its hold over people. This being said, is religion a tool to maintain order? How can one justify the changes in the interpretations of the Bible and tenets of religion? - Ryan Paolo Chua

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Religion affects the way people live - how they think, act, interact - and ultimately calls them to become agents that would help propagate the religion and carry out its purpose. I believe that Christianity, as well as other religions, call on others to perform objectively morally good deeds.  However, most of the time it is hard for us to determine what it is that we are being called to do. The calling, the scripture, or whatever material there is to guide us is open to misinterpretations, and these could sometimes lead to actions that are morally evil. How then can we determine what we're being called to do, and how are we supposed to confront others who claim to be agents of their religion, and that their evil actions are done for their religion?
- Paterno, Patrick M.

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I understand that religion can help people become better human beings, and help them find God in their lives. But many people also have no problems striving to be good without the belief in a higher Being. How important is religion in the lives of human beings, when many people can live good and content lives without it? And even if it's a good means by which we can discover God (assuming a God does exist), how important is it in our lives to know and believe God, especially through religion?

- Adajar, Beatrice Amara E.

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In a general view, here in the world we live in, there has been so much bloodshed because of religion. We often fight over it and argue on who has the more powerful god. It's as if believing in a certain god is choosing your side. In light of this, if gods were so powerful, then why have they caused divide amongst humans? When the world is down at its feet and is being consumed by its deepest hunger, shouldn't religion be the one uniting and empowering us?

-Cua, Mikhael Hagen C.

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If the holy trinity came from one God (God the Father), how do we justify the equality of each of the figures in the Holy Trinity regarding divine nature? 

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If the holy trinity came from one God (God the Father), how do we justify the equality of each of the figures in the Holy Trinity regarding divine nature? 

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Many of us perceive the Holy Trinity as God the Father (who is the creator), God the son (Jesus who died on the cross for our sins), and God the Spirit (who guides us in our actions and decisions daily). However, how do we explain the phenomena of their equality and relationship to one another if they all came primordially from the Creator who is God the Father?

Likewise, I was interested in the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and want to understand more the divinity of Jesus Christ since he is God and human, but is still considered of divine nature.

-Gana, Alexandra Marie L.

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Many atrocities have been committed in the name of religion, such as the crusades and jihad, however these same religions also preach about love for thy neighbour; how then do we reconcile their actions versus what the religion preaches about?

-Narciso, Kevin Patrick P.

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Did God create us with love and purpose, or is life merely the arbitrary product of random molecular reactions over a millennia?

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Did God create us with love and purpose, or is life merely the arbitrary product of random molecular reactions over a millennia?

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Without getting too deep into it science has multiple theories on the origin of organic life, most however remain  in the realm of plausible speculation and none attribute life to a supreme being. Additionally I chose to depict Deoxyribonucleic acid in my picture as our entire physical being relies solely on the arrangement of four of its monomers. If God made us with love then why are some doomed to death by random mutation? Are our genetic flaws ranging from cancer to wisdom teeth part of God's plan or proof of our random evolutionary origin?
- Jose Rafael M. Aldaba

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Talk about Religion in contemporary world

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Talk about Religion in contemporary world

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I come from Hong Kong, where people are free to talk about any religion but also are not very interested in religion. So how do we talk about religion and God in an environment which is indifferent to it?
- Joseph Wong

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Growing up in a religious household, God has always been a major part of my life, whether it's about my idea of God or how other people perceive Him. However, one thing I've come to realize is that people tend to create ideas about God that helps fit in with their ideas of the world, which sort of makes it hard to decipher which of our abstractions are biblical / what we learn from class, and which abstractions our purely self-serving. This leads me to question: is there any way to create an idea of God without any bias? Can we truly say God is one specific thing if bias is unavoidable when creating abstractions?

- Nava, Justin Michael C.

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How do I know that God still loves me when reality shows me otherwise?

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How do I know that God still loves me when reality shows me otherwise?

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I think this question is quite appropriate especially for those facing challenges in life. I, for one, traverse in life through cycles of happiness and depression. The solution of trying to get out of the cycle's bottom as fast as possible has eluded me ever since. It is through this context where I start to question whether God still loves me when I fail to see it in my surroundings.

- Matthew A. Chan

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According to St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologiae, “Now among all others, the rational creature is subject to Divine providence in the most excellent way, in so far as it partakes of a share of providence, by being provident both for itself and for others.” This statement explains that we as human beings are rational creatures and this is how we participate in the Lex Aeterna or Eternal Law through our rational nature. Yet humans have shown that we also tend to sometimes throw rationality out the window and are still subject to animalistic and carnal desires and behaviour. How then can we say that we participate and partake in God’s divine providence through our rationality if we are still sometimes seemingly enslaved by our primal nature?

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If faith is all we need when dealing with God, then why do we still attempt to make sense of his existence?

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If faith is all we need when dealing with God, then why do we still attempt to make sense of his existence?

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Of course there will be skeptics that will not believe in God until there is concrete proof, but if we attempt to explain God on our terms doesn't that mean we are no longer faithful to his entirety? To debate and to find a logical answer would entail a certain degree of doubt - doubt which is the root of faithlessness.

-Aaron Lee

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I've always wondered about the authority given to the institution of the church. Their primary function is to spread the teachings of God to the people and yet there are several sects who all react differently about certain issues. How do we decide then which of the different interpretations truly reflects God's teaching? Aside from this, we see from history how the church has committed countless atrocities. Does this mean then that the church no longer spreads the word of God but instead what they think is appropriate teaching for today's society?
-Yssa Castro

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What is the point of making sacred texts (especially the Bible) confusing or complicated? Tons of scripture have already been misinterpreted or is still not fully understood especially in its contemporary application. Why is revelation not always straightforward and the truth cloaked in mystery? It's almost like a presentation made without taking into account the capabilities of its audience to understand its message.
--Sy, Jamie Lee D.

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How can I find God in the small things of life?

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How can I find God in the small things of life?

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If most of what you know of God has been spoon-fed to you, then you, like I, have perhaps experienced that gradual distancing from God. For myself, it began when I cultivated a passion, and that passion took all space in my mind and soul; leaving little for God. Nothing had really changed in terms of which church I went to, or of the frequency of my prayers, but each conversation I had with God began to lose meaning. God had become foreign to me. I found more meaning in other tangible things, and I became guilty of not being a textbook Catholic. There is also much ambiguity in the idea of God, and university discourse does not mitigate the presence of this ambiguity. Yet, I have not let go of God completely. If the problem is this spoon-fed idea of "God," then my solution is to find God in my own way.

Thus, how can I find God in the small things of life? It is my hope that I will find an answer during the course of this semester. This answer can present itself in the form of a single statement uttered in class, which declares itself as something of importance to my issue, akin to a revelation.

-Paulina Samantha V. Daza

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The Question of Good and Evil in the World

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The Question of Good and Evil in the World

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The world is vast and populated with different kinds of people in different places of the world. With the formation of so many different civilizations, each would have its own concept of good and evil. With conflicting ideologies, is there such a thing as one true good and one true evil? How can an act be evil to someone who has no context or experience of such act being evil? And if there is one true good and one true evil, what would constitute each?
- Louise Anne C. Tomas

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It's not a question of why we must believe, so much as it asks: why do we? It's something we can explain through sociology and anthropology, a philosophy of the human person, an inquiry into the limits of reason, and the rest of spectrum of human knowledge—but beyond all levels of academic processing; on the level of a fundamental, visceral response: why do we believe? (AJ Wang)

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How do we sufficiently bridge the gaps between our different belief systems?

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How do we sufficiently bridge the gaps between our different belief systems?

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Belief systems are tricky. They can vary between different religions, different times in history, even between different individuals. This has caused a reluctance among the majority to really discuss things together and learn from each other. So, after learning all that we can in this course on the phenomenon of religion, how can we properly bridge the gaps between each other, deepen our various faiths, and properly collaborate on various issues plaguing our societies?

– Jameson Ho

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Would the world be more chaotic or more prosperous without religion?

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Would the world be more chaotic or more prosperous without religion?

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Throughout history, religion has been one of the most common causes for conflict and disagreement among institutions and nations. Today, you still find terrorist groups using their personal yet extremist beliefs to justify major acts of violence. Without religion, can the world experience less chaos? On another note, many first world countries such as Germany have had an increase in their number of atheists yet continue to lead global economy and development. Without religion, can the world become more prosperous? Or at the very least, will the lack of religion have no significant effect on the world's prosperity?

-- Venezuela, Ana Beatriz Fatima (6A)

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When faith and science look like they may contradict, which takes precedence? 

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When faith and science look like they may contradict, which takes precedence? 

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When it comes to science and faith, there is a common ground between them that does not contradict each other. They do not oppose each other by nature, but when the two look like they may contradict, which takes precedence? Scientific claims may be proven to be false and given the history of the bible, there are some details in it which may prove to be outdated as well. When both are infallible, which takes precedence?

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How do we really know what our hearts want?

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How do we really know what our hearts want?

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As graduating students, questions regarding plans after college usually gets thrown at at every possible direction. Most will not be able to answer this, while there are some lucky few, who actually know what they want to do.

Many people would suggest to really dig deep and find out what the heart wants and not just what the mind wants, but what does this really mean? What's the difference between what our hearts want from what our minds want?

- Dong Woo Shin

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Was religion created as a means for humans to cope with the potential meaninglessness of life?

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Was religion created as a means for humans to cope with the potential meaninglessness of life?

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Could humans have created religion in order to maintain meaning and purpose in an otherwise possibly pointless existence? In line with coping mechanisms that address the potential meaninglessness of life, could humans have created religious beliefs in a higher being that is omnipotent and omniscient in the interest of social order and organization in an otherwise chaotic world, rather than because God really exists and because there is truth behind these religious beliefs?
-- Nubla, Bianca Santamaria (3B)

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How do we keep an openness to the truth without breaching our own values?

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How do we keep an openness to the truth without breaching our own values?

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We grew up being taught by the older generation their values and traditions, but as our generation is more connected and informed, I start to question some of these lessons.
-Te, Wendeline Ada

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How can I make sense of the evil that exists in the world when I am taught that God instills a desire for the good in every single person?

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How can I make sense of the evil that exists in the world when I am taught that God instills a desire for the good in every single person?

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If we are made in the image and likeness of God, and if God does not want evil to prevail in the world, then does that not mean that the world wants what is good for its inhabitants, for humanity? But why is it that there are still people who wish harm upon others, who support inequality and discrimination? Why is it that people use their free will to propagate evil when they have an innate need to do what is good?

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There are thousands of religions and belief systems in the world, some of them closely related in terms of history and values, and others radically different and incompatible. Many believe that theirs is the one true religion, but this can only be true of one.

Knowing that we must still love and respect our fellow man regardless of their religious beliefs, how are we to view those who follow different belief systems? If ours is the one true God, are those who don't follow Him automatically condemned after death, or can their moral character still be recognised and rewarded despite their differing beliefs in life?

- Concepcion, Patricia Anne