Catechism 101: The Cosmological Argument for God's Existence

<p><strong>How do we know that God exists? Can reason lead us to God?</strong></p><p>In this episode, we begin a new series exploring one of the most famous arguments for the existence of God: St Thomas Aquinas’ cosmological argument.</p><p>Before diving into Aquinas’ First Way, we take a step back and look at the big picture. What exactly is a cosmological argument? How does it work? And why did Aquinas think that observing the ordinary world around us could lead us to the existence of a First Cause or Unmoved Mover?</p><p><strong>In this episode, we discuss:</strong></p><ul> <li>What a cosmological argument is</li> <li>Why we often reason from visible effects to invisible causes</li> <li>Aquinas’ observations about change, causation, and contingent existence</li> <li>The difference between temporal and hierarchical causes</li> <li>What Aquinas means by a First Cause or Unmoved Mover</li> <li>Why Aquinas is not yet trying to prove every Christian belief about God</li> <li>How this overview prepares us for Aquinas’ First Three Ways</li> </ul><p>This is the first episode in a series unpacking St Thomas Aquinas’ arguments for the existence of God. Whether you’re interested in philosophy, theology, apologetics, or simply wrestling with life’s biggest questions, I hope these episodes help make Aquinas’ thought more accessible and encourage you to explore these remarkable arguments for yourself.</p><p><strong>SUPPORT THE PODCAST</strong></p><p>This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of <em>Crash Course Catholicism</em>, please consider donating through the following links:</p><p> <strong>Donate via PayPal:</strong><br /> <a href="https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6WSCLFHLCDXH2</a> </p><p> <strong>Support on Patreon:</strong><br /> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/caitlinwest" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/caitlinwest</a> </p><p> <strong>Contact:</strong><br /> <a href="https://www.caitlinwest.com" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.caitlinwest.com</a> </p><p> <strong>Instagram:</strong><br /> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/</a> </p>