‘Humans have innate knowledge of God’
In Christian theology, the ‘innate’ refers to a concept or knowledge which is understood to be
universal to all humanity and is intrinsically wired into humans from birth rather than learnt through
experience. In this essay, I will consider the elements of natural and revealed theology which
enables one to have a relationship with God.
The concept of humans having an innate knowledge may appear to some plausible due to evidence
offered through Natural Theology- a theology using reason and observation of the world to come to
a knowledge of God. Many thinkers argue a sense of the divine is an intrinsic part of human nature
and humans are born with a sense for God, a recognition of the existence of this infinite being. Here
a clear distinction of this concept can be made to Roman philosopher Cicero, as he posed an
argument for the probability of God’s existence known through the human reason- he insinuated
how in all cultures and at all times in history, people have had a sense that there is an infinite being
who is control of the universe. Thus, this highlights how cultures with no apparent knowledge of one
another develop highly similar systems of belief- perhaps this happens due everyone’s innate
knowledge of God and sense of the sacred. This concept is strengthened through the Biblical
reference in Acts 17:23, when Paul arrives in Athens and perceives an altar with the inscription “To
the Unknown God”. Despite worshipping several deities at the time, the Greeks had erected an altar
to this “unknown” God they might have inadvertently left out of their pantheon, suggesting that
perhaps we are all born with an innate sense of the true God. When accessing the strengths of this
argument it is vital to recognise, philosopher John Calvin who argued humans have a sensus
divinitatis. He argued that “there exits in the human minds, and indeed by natural instinct, an
awareness of divinity” which can come through our understanding and perception of the order of
creation in Nature. Calvin proposed that the world is like a mirror for God, and allows a universal
understanding so that no person is excluded from this awareness of God. This demonstrates how a
natural knowledge of God serves to deprive humanity of any excuses for ignoring the divine will;
nevertheless, it is inadequate as the basis for a fully-fledged portrayal of the nature, character and
purposes of God. As such, this weakens the premises of this argument as having recognition of God
does not to equate to knowing God, as this natural awareness of the divine tells us nothing intrinsic
about God and does not bring us to a closer understanding of his nature. Proving God to be
ultimately unknowable for humans through Natural Theology.
On the contrary, the concept of humans having an innate knowledge may appear to some
unconvincing, due to the role of the Fall on human nature and consequently human ability to have a
relationship with God. For some thinkers, such as Augustine, the Fall of Adam and Eve was so
calamitous as to place a barrier between God and humanity and the Original Sin prevents people
from being able to know God as we have become corrupt in our will. Therefore, humans are
incapable of approaching God through our own efforts due to our removed nature from the holy.
Here a clear distinction of this concept can be made to Swiss theologians, Brunner and Barth, who
brought a debate that the Fall is an explanation of human's incapacity to comprehend and receive
communication from God. However, they came to different conclusions about the human ability to
have knowledge of God that is innate through Natural theology alone. It is vital to consider both
argument for this debate. Brunner’s argument is based upon his understanding of a two-fold Imago
Dei; he argues for the existence both a formal image of God and a material image of God. The
Formal (or the spiritual) is the fact that humanity will always continue to be human, shown in the
continuation of rationality and responsibility. His argument is strengthened through the Material (or
the physical) image which designates the capacity of humanity to enter into a relationship with God,
which is lost due to the Fall. This alludes humanity once had the full image of God, and through sin,
In Christian theology, the ‘innate’ refers to a concept or knowledge which is understood to be
universal to all humanity and is intrinsically wired into humans from birth rather than learnt through
experience. In this essay, I will consider the elements of natural and revealed theology which
enables one to have a relationship with God.
The concept of humans having an innate knowledge may appear to some plausible due to evidence
offered through Natural Theology- a theology using reason and observation of the world to come to
a knowledge of God. Many thinkers argue a sense of the divine is an intrinsic part of human nature
and humans are born with a sense for God, a recognition of the existence of this infinite being. Here
a clear distinction of this concept can be made to Roman philosopher Cicero, as he posed an
argument for the probability of God’s existence known through the human reason- he insinuated
how in all cultures and at all times in history, people have had a sense that there is an infinite being
who is control of the universe. Thus, this highlights how cultures with no apparent knowledge of one
another develop highly similar systems of belief- perhaps this happens due everyone’s innate
knowledge of God and sense of the sacred. This concept is strengthened through the Biblical
reference in Acts 17:23, when Paul arrives in Athens and perceives an altar with the inscription “To
the Unknown God”. Despite worshipping several deities at the time, the Greeks had erected an altar
to this “unknown” God they might have inadvertently left out of their pantheon, suggesting that
perhaps we are all born with an innate sense of the true God. When accessing the strengths of this
argument it is vital to recognise, philosopher John Calvin who argued humans have a sensus
divinitatis. He argued that “there exits in the human minds, and indeed by natural instinct, an
awareness of divinity” which can come through our understanding and perception of the order of
creation in Nature. Calvin proposed that the world is like a mirror for God, and allows a universal
understanding so that no person is excluded from this awareness of God. This demonstrates how a
natural knowledge of God serves to deprive humanity of any excuses for ignoring the divine will;
nevertheless, it is inadequate as the basis for a fully-fledged portrayal of the nature, character and
purposes of God. As such, this weakens the premises of this argument as having recognition of God
does not to equate to knowing God, as this natural awareness of the divine tells us nothing intrinsic
about God and does not bring us to a closer understanding of his nature. Proving God to be
ultimately unknowable for humans through Natural Theology.
On the contrary, the concept of humans having an innate knowledge may appear to some
unconvincing, due to the role of the Fall on human nature and consequently human ability to have a
relationship with God. For some thinkers, such as Augustine, the Fall of Adam and Eve was so
calamitous as to place a barrier between God and humanity and the Original Sin prevents people
from being able to know God as we have become corrupt in our will. Therefore, humans are
incapable of approaching God through our own efforts due to our removed nature from the holy.
Here a clear distinction of this concept can be made to Swiss theologians, Brunner and Barth, who
brought a debate that the Fall is an explanation of human's incapacity to comprehend and receive
communication from God. However, they came to different conclusions about the human ability to
have knowledge of God that is innate through Natural theology alone. It is vital to consider both
argument for this debate. Brunner’s argument is based upon his understanding of a two-fold Imago
Dei; he argues for the existence both a formal image of God and a material image of God. The
Formal (or the spiritual) is the fact that humanity will always continue to be human, shown in the
continuation of rationality and responsibility. His argument is strengthened through the Material (or
the physical) image which designates the capacity of humanity to enter into a relationship with God,
which is lost due to the Fall. This alludes humanity once had the full image of God, and through sin,
