Key Ideas

Question 1

Two key Scholars for Via negativa

Answer 1

• Moses Maimonides

- Pseudo - Dionysius

Question 2

What does Moses Maimonides argue

Answer 2

People can move closer to understanding God and what he is, without limiting him in their thoughts

Question 3

What is the analogy Moses comes up with

Answer 3

the analogy of the ship - If we say that the ship is not an accident, not a mineral, not a plant, not alive etc at some point we will have some knowledge of what a ship is similar to God

Question 4

What does Pseudo - Dionysius believe

Answer 4

God is beyond human understanding and imagination e.g religious experience.
God beyond knowledge and beyond realms of rational thought

Question 5

What does Pseudo - Dionysius agree with

Answer 5

“Cloud of Unknowing” from which God can be seen, he cannot be known but that is ok. Beyond all understanding

Question 6

Who can be used to back up PD point

Answer 6

William James with Ineffable religious experiences

Question 7

What other religion uses Via Negativa

Answer 7

Buddhism - Buddhists use via negativa to convey essence of ultimate reality

Question 8

What are scholars for Cataphatic way

Answer 8

Aquinas
Hick
Ramsay

Question 9

What does Aquinas believe

Answer 9

We should refer to God in analogical sense as it helps us to make positive claims about God

Question 10

What is a famous example of analogy explaining God

Answer 10

Paley and the watch

Question 11

What does Hick say about analogy

Answer 11

Problem of evil links with proportion e.g. faithfulness

Faithfulness for a dog is different to faithfulness for a human same goes for God and humans

Question 12

What does Analogy avoid

Answer 12

Equivocal and univocal language as it is not helpful in communicating about God and thus came up with attribution and proportionality

Question 13

What are two types of analogy

Answer 13

Attribution and Proportion

Question 14

Analogy about the bull

Answer 14

Attribution - if bulls urine is healthy then the bull is good

Question 15

What does Ramsay come up with

Answer 15

Models and qualifiers
Models = A model can help a person to gain real insight and understand more clearly. E.g Loving or the Judge Religious language functions as a model that leads us to an understanding of God.

Question 16

What is a Model

Answer 16

Models = A model can help a person to gain real insight and understand more clearly. E.g Loving or the Judge Religious language functions as a model that leads us to an understanding of God.

Question 17

What is a qualifier

Answer 17

Qualifier: Adverbs or adjectives to show that God is different to us proportionately e.g everlasting.
Heavenly is a qualifier we must not understand God as an earthly father he is a very different type of father.

Question 18

Scholars for Symbols:

Answer 18

Tillich

Question 19

Davies on Maimonides (indication)

Answer 19

Saying something is not gives no indication of what it actually is.

Question 20

What is Tillichs example of a symbol

Answer 20

A flag although a sign is also representative of the people in the nation involved

Question 21

What is quote from Tillich about God

Answer 21

“God is the ground of all being”

Question 22

Example of God being ineffible

Answer 22

St Teresa of Avila and her religious experiences

Question 23

What does Tillich say about limited lifespan

Answer 23

Nazi party. Words we use to describe God change overtime and will become more or less helpful allows us to grow and evolve

Question 24

What does Tillich claim symbols do (quote)

Answer 24

“Unlock hidden depths to our own” being like art

Question 25

Example of religious symbol

Answer 25

Jesus on Cross

Question 26

Davies critique (methods)

Answer 26

Method of arriving at right answer is unlikely to lead people in the right direction.