Discussion Questions for Lesson 14
Use these questions for group interaction or as essay prompts/homework.
Mid-Lesson Questions:
- Thomas Aquinas was very determined – against his family’s wishes – to renounce his noble status so he may serve God humbly. Yet, God used him so mightily through his intellect and his writing, he was still hosted by kings. Do you think Thomas’s life would have made as big an impact if he settled and did what others told him to do? Why or why not?
- Of Thomas’s first three arguments for God, do you feel the argument from motion, the argument from an efficient cause or the argument from contingency is the most powerful? What makes it more attractive/persuasive than the others?
After-Lesson Questions:
- A hat can be described using physical attributes (color, size, texture, etc.) for each of its necessary elements (brim, band, and cap.) Because God is Spirit (John 4:24), he cannot be described in this way. Instead, he leans on his eternal nature (“I am that I am”) and his actions like creator to define himself. What scriptures can you find that shows God talking about himself in this way?
- In order for Just War principles to work, a nation must want to abide by them voluntarily. If an aggressor nation wanted to violate Just war principles, how do you correct them? The best you can do is go to war! Today, many people will protest if they feel a nation is fighting unjustly. Yet, you never hear them discuss the specific principles of Just War theory and who exactly is the one causing the unjust conflict. Do you think these principles would help provide a better understanding of how we should judge nations in combat?
