Key Terms: Deus revelatus, sensus divinitatis, conscience, Socrates, conscientious objection, Wisdom (Logos), gladness, grace, Sehnsucht, gratitude

Learning Targets:

  1. Explain the distinction between Deus absconditus (“hidden God”) and Deus revelatus (“revealed God”). Learners will explain the distinction between Deus absconditus (“hidden God”) and Deus revelatus (“revealed God”) in Christian theology, and analyze how Martin Luther’s contrast shapes our understanding of divine presence and revelation.

  2. Describe the concept of sensus divinitatis (“awareness of divinity”). Learners will describe the concept of sensus divinitatis (“awareness of divinity”) as articulated by Paul, Calvin, and Rahner, and evaluate its implications for the innate human capacity to know God prior to formal religious instruction or revelation.

  3. Interpret the role of conscience (suneidēsis) in spiritual experience. Learners will interpret the role of conscience (suneidēsis) in spiritual experience, discussing how it functions as an internal awareness of right and wrong, and how it may serve as a point of encounter with the divine according to biblical and philosophical sources.

  4. Assess perspectives on the formation and expression of conscience. Learners will assess the influence of cultural, psychological, and philosophical perspectives (such as those of Freud, Socrates, and Dewey) on the formation and expression of conscience, including the potential for conscientious objection and the tension between societal norms and personal morality.

  5. Analyze the theological significance of gladness as an effect of God’s presence. Learners will analyze the theological significance of gladness as an effect of God’s presence, exploring how moments of joy, gratitude, and contentment can serve as signs of divine activity in everyday life, even amidst suffering and uncertainty.

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