REL 137g 1st Edition Lecture 8 Current Lecture Theology Rationalism Traditionalism Reason vs System of Reasoning A system of reasoning isn t necessarily right while reason itself does make more logical sense Distinction between rationalism and traditionalism Rationalism has a very specific system of reasoning that traditionalists do no accept Rationalism System of reasoning not reasoning itself is rejected by Traditionalists Not what the Koran and sunna say System of reasoning brought in and perpetuated by Arabasized non Arabs Minority system of reasoning Islam a numerical minority in a sea of non Muslims To establish the existence of God in rational terms Proof of God All things have accidents Philosophical accident anything that occurs in space and time It came into existence did not have to be was not and then was existent Examples size shape motion color depth change etc All things in existence are of accidents All accidents must have a producer God is the ultimate producer God s hand is metaphorical means power not the actual extremity Ta wil Figurative interpretation All descriptions of God are not literal they mean something else are metaphorical God cannot have emotions because they are accidents So even things like mercy are figuratively interpreted God s will to do good for his people No conscious emotion behind it Anthropomorphism Attributing accidents to God A way of spreading Islam not through war and violence but through reason Traditionalism God does have accidents but they are different from human accidents God does have a hand or does experience mercy but it is on a greater level than humans More Abstract Movements Mu tazilites First rationalist movement Arabasized non Arabs Want to make sure Islam continued to spread By appealing to already existent systems of reasoning Principles Monotheism Shared this with other Muslims Divine justice God must do what is good and best for humans God is inherently good and just Free Will Humans must have it because Humans do horrible things but God must be just Therefore God cannot be implicated in evil doings of humans Freedom of choice and freedom of action Independent capacity to translate choices into action Promise and threat God must reward and punish accordingly Station between two stations Must be good in both beliefs and actions Command Good Forbid Evil Mihnah Inquisition A way to spread Islam State jail punished anyone against their reasoning Mu tazilites lose and eventually dies Ash arites Accepted the Rationalist notion of reason The principles that define God God does not possess accidents Principles Disagreed with some conclusions while maintaining basic ideology The Koran was actually spoken by God Technically an accident God s leading characteristic is not justice but is power God is all powerful Above the judgment of everyone else God can do whatever he wants The fact that God does it makes it just Becomes the reigning ideology