Key Ideas Flashcards
Two key Scholars for Via negativa
- Moses Maimonides
- Pseudo - Dionysius
What does Moses Maimonides argue
People can move closer to understanding God and what he is, without limiting him in their thoughts
What is the analogy Moses comes up with
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
What does Pseudo - Dionysius believe
God is beyond human understanding and imagination e.g religious experience.
God beyond knowledge and beyond realms of rational thought
What does Pseudo - Dionysius agree with
“Cloud of Unknowing” from which God can be seen, he cannot be known but that is ok. Beyond all understanding
Who can be used to back up PD point
William James with Ineffable religious experiences
What other religion uses Via Negativa
Buddhism - Buddhists use via negativa to convey essence of ultimate reality
What are scholars for Cataphatic way
Aquinas
Hick
Ramsay
What does Aquinas believe
We should refer to God in analogical sense as it helps us to make positive claims about God
What is a famous example of analogy explaining God
Paley and the watch
What does Hick say about analogy
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
What does Analogy avoid
Equivocal and univocal language as it is not helpful in communicating about God and thus came up with attribution and proportionality
What are two types of analogy
Attribution and Proportion
Analogy about the bull
Attribution - if bulls urine is healthy then the bull is good
What does Ramsay come up with
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.
What is a Model
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.
What is a qualifier
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.
Scholars for Symbols:
Tillich
Davies on Maimonides (indication)
Saying something is not gives no indication of what it actually is.
What is Tillichs example of a symbol
A flag although a sign is also representative of the people in the nation involved
What is quote from Tillich about God
“God is the ground of all being”
Example of God being ineffible
St Teresa of Avila and her religious experiences
What does Tillich say about limited lifespan
Nazi party. Words we use to describe God change overtime and will become more or less helpful allows us to grow and evolve
What does Tillich claim symbols do (quote)
“Unlock hidden depths to our own” being like art
