Religious language Flashcards
Apophatic way/via negativa
It is only possible to talk about what God is not.
Cataphatic way/via positiva
It is possible to talk about what God is.
Pseudo Dionysius on via negativa
Since God is completely beyond our understanding, we can’t possibly talk about what he is.
Pseudo Dionysius quote
“There is no speaking of it, nor name, nor knowledge of it”
Moses Maimonides on via negativa
Religious language is meaningful only when used negatively.
If you were to describe what a ship is not, you get closer to understanding what it is.
Brian Davies’ rejection of via negativa
We need to know what the possibilities are, so we know what is left when alternatives are discarded. it wouldn’t work for those who know nothing of God.
Equivocal language
A word that has different meanings in different contexts.
Univocal language
Using a word in the same way.
Analogical language
The same word is used, not in the same exact way but similar.
Aquinas’ analogy of attribution
Attributing features to God by using the features we see in his creation - as these participate in the essence of God.
Aquinas’ analogy of proportion
When using human words to describe God, w must understand that it applies to God in a much greater proportion because God is divine.
Brian Davies’ example of the analogy of attribution
A good loaf of bread can attribute to the goodness of the baker BUT only the goodness of his skill, not his entire goodness.
Von Hügels example of the analogy of proportion
The faithfulness of a human would be proportionally more than a dogs faithfulness.
Tillich’s symbolic language
It participates in something outside of itself as a symbol does. It attempts to comment and connect to an ultimate reality.
He wants to use positive language (Cataphatic way) to talk about God (affirm) whilst also recognising that he is beyond human language (negate).
Tillich quote on symbolic language
“Able to express the ultimate but also unlocks elements of our soul”
