The Ontological Argument for the Existence of God

The Reasons to Believe #60

Our Reasons to Believe Scripture passage for today is Psalm 90:2. It reads, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

Our Reasons to Believe quote for today is from C.S. Lewis. He said, "A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

Our Reason to Believe powerpoint today is titled "The Ontological Argument for the Existence of God" from "The Handbook of Christian Apologetics" by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli:

The ontological argument was devised by Anselm of Canterbury, who wanted to produce a single, simple demonstration which would show that God is and what God is. Single it may be, but far from simple. It is, perhaps, the most controversial proof for the existence of God. Most people who first hear it are tempted to dismiss it immediately as an interesting riddle, but distinguished thinkers of every age, including our own, have risen to defend it. For this very reason it is the most intensely philosophical proof for God's existence; its place of honor  is not within popular piety, but rather textbooks and professional journals. We include it, with a minimum of discussion, not because we think it conclusive or irrefutable, but for the sake of completeness.

Anselm's Version

1. It is greater for a thing to exist in the mind and in reality than in the mind alone.

2. "God" means "that than which a greater cannot be thought."

3. Suppose that God exists in the mind but not in reality....