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RE:QUEST

A space for resources to help RE teachers and their students explore the Christian faith
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Lat Blaylock, Editor, RE Today

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The Design Argument

The teleological argument explained

Design argument: An argument for the existence of God as an intelligent Creator based on the evidence of design in the natural world.

The design argument is also known as the teleological argument. Just as the cosmological argument has its basis in a simple fact (the universe exists), the design argument follows suit by having its basis in another simple fact: everything in the universe is highly complex.

It is suggested that the only reason there is such order and complexity in the world is that intelligent thought was involved. 

The universe shows evidence of being designed. There are patterns, processes and order throughout the world that can't have come about by accident.

For example, the way in which gravity works is so precise. Even a tiny change in one of the parameters in the laws of physics would have made life impossible anywhere in the universe. Also, the precipitation cycle is far too complicated to have happened by chance.

Fibonacci's Golden Ratio shows a regularity of design in the natural world that implies a designer. Furthermore, everything has a purpose, such as the human eye. This lends support to the design argument.

The only being who is powerful enough to design a world this complex and perfect is God.

Therefore, God exists.

Read about William Paley's watchmaker analogy here to find further support for the design theory.

 

Summary

In summary, the earth is too complex to have just happened by chance; there must have been an intelligent designer, one which gave everything purpose. That intelligent designer can only be God.

To explore this topic in more detail, download the learning resource below and complete the tasks:

Teleological Argument PDF