Religious Language ; negative , analogical or symbolic

Question 1

The via negativa (also called the apophatic way)

Answer 1

focuses on explaining the nature of God by focusing on what God is not. Apophatic’ comes from the Greek term ‘to deny’.
The via negativa is based on the fundamental belief that ‘God’ is beyond human understanding and description.
‘He’ is completely ineffable, which means he cannot put into words the nature of God.

Question 2

The via positiva (cataphatic way)

Answer 2

argues that positive statements can be made about God.

Question 3

Analogical, not literal language

Answer 3

Aquinas argues that the language applied to God is not literal but analogical.
He understands this as happening in two ways – through the analogy of attribution and through the analogy of proportion.

Question 4

Analogy of attribution

Answer 4

The words we apply to human beings are related to the words we apply to God because there is a causal relationship between the two sets of qualities.
Our qualities (like love and wisdom) are reflections of those qualities of God; albeit to a much lesser extent.

Question 5

Analogy of attribution - bull

Answer 5

Aquinas used the example of a bull to illustrate this.
In medieval times, it was believed that if a creature’s urine was healthy, then the creature that produced the urine must also be healthy. So ‘if the urine is good, then the bull is good’.
Likewise, by examining human love, wisdom or power, we may see a pale reflection of those divine attributes that God has.

Question 6

Analogy of proportion

Answer 6

extent to which a being can be said to have certain properties is in proportion to the type of being we are describing.
For example, to say a toddler baked a delicious cake at nursery is very different to saying the winner of the Great British Bake off baked a delicious cake in the final.
When we say that a human is ‘good’, we are speaking of a finite being.
When describing God, we are speaking of an infinite being. So the ‘goodness’ is in proportion to that.

Question 7

What are Religious Symbols?

Answer 7

Paul Tillich (1886-1965) argues that religious statements are not literally true. He says that all religious language that expresses ideas about God should be understood symbolically.

Question 8

Tillich’s definition of signs

Answer 8

Tillich says signs and symbols are two different things.
He says that signs do not ‘participate’ in what they symbolise. This means that signs don’t make any sense if you don’t know what they mean.
Tillich says that signs only point to statements, such as a ‘30MPH’ speed limit. They have no other effect.

Question 9

Tillich’s definition of symbols

Answer 9

Tillich emphasises the importance and power of symbols.
One example of a symbol is the cross for Christians.
The cross stands as a marker for the religion of Christianity.
The cross is also a symbol that represents the sacrifice that Jesus made by being crucified.
The cross also reminds Christians of their beliefs about God.
Christians believe that God has a plan for the salvation of human beings.
The cross also represents other themes for Christians, such as forgiveness and love

Question 10

Tillich’s painting analogy

Answer 10

Tillich believed that religious language was symbolic rather than literal.
Tillich uses the example of a painting.
He says: “It is possible to describe a painting but the description is useless without having the painting there.”
Tillich believes that religious language works in the same way. It is possible to describe God, but the description becomes more meaningful with a visual symbol.

Question 11

Catholic red candle symbol

Answer 11

Symbols always point beyond themselves. For example, the red candle that continually burns in a Catholic Church is symbolic of the presence of God. When the candle is lit, Christians believe that God is present with them.

Question 12

Does the Via Negativa Help Us to Understand Theology?
Cole: helps understand God

Answer 12

Peter Cole says it provides insight and understanding of God “by denying all descriptions of God, you get insight into God rather than unbelief…”.

Question 13

Does the Via Negativa Help Us to Understand Theology? For: avoids anthropomorphism

Answer 13

Some people argue that the via negativa argument avoids anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to an animal or God).

Question 14

Does the Via Negativa Help Us to Understand Theology? James: facilitates explanation

Answer 14

James: facilitates explanation

William James argued that religious experience is often ineffable.
This means that people are unable to adequately describe or explain the experience they have had.
It’s likely James would recognise the strength of the via negativa as it provides recipients of a religious experience with the ability to explain what has occurred to them.

Question 15

Does the Via Negativa Help Us to Understand Theology?
Flew: argues God into nothingness

Answer 15

Flew: argues God into nothingness

But the via negativa defines God into nothingness.
In his essay Theology and Falsification, Anthony Flew argued that if we try to explain God by saying that he is invisible, soundless, incorporeal and so on, there is very little difference between our definition of God and our definition of nothingness.
Flew suggests that we argue God out of existence by a ‘thousand qualifications’. In other words, if we continually outline what God is not, we eventually end up with nothingness.

Question 16

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God? For: ideas beyond human reference

Answer 16

Analogies allow us to use things in our framework of reference to understand things outside of it.
For example, in the teleological argument and Paley’s analogy of the watch, we are given a framework in which we can understand God as a designer of the world.
Analogies refer to things understandable in our world to help us gain an understanding of God beyond our world.

Question 17

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God? For: Plato’s analogy of the cave

Answer 17

Another famous analogy used to understand a higher being was Plato’s analogy of the cave.
This analogy helped people speak meaningfully about the metaphysical concept of the world of forms.

Question 18

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God?
For: avoids anthropomorphism

Answer 18

Analogies avoid anthropomorphising God (assigning human characteristics to God). They do so because the words used about God are not meant to be taken literally.

Question 19

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God?
Against: logical positive view

Answer 19

Against: logical positive view

But the logical positivists (such as A.J. Ayer) were a group of scholars who argued that any language used about God is not meaningful, so it is not effective.

Question 20

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God?
Against: Darwin & Dawkins

Answer 20

Aquinas based his work upon a number of religious assumptions. Aquinas believed that God was responsible for the creation of the earth and he also believed that humans were created ‘in the image of God’ as is stated in Genesis.
Darwin and Dawkins refuted the idea that we were created. If one doesn’t accept assumptions on God being the creator of the universe, one doesn’t have to accept the idea that we can work out what God is like by examining a creation that may or may not be his.

Question 21

Can We Understand Religious Language if it’s Symbolic?
For: symbols change over time

Answer 21

Symbols can change over time.
Tillich acknowledged this problem; that the power of symbols changes through time.
For example, consider the swastika symbol. It began as a Hindu symbol used to represent good fortune, luck and wellbeing. However, the symbol has changed dramatically due to its association with Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Therefore, symbols might not offer the correct understanding of God that they were originally intended to have.

Question 22

Can We Understand Religious Language if it’s Symbolic?
Against: greater meanings

Answer 22

Tillich argued that symbols play an incredibly important role in Christian faith.
Symbols always point beyond themselves.
For example, the red candle that continually burns in a Catholic Church is symbolic of the presence of God. When the candle is lit, Christians believe that God is present with them.
Likewise, the Lamb of God is symbolic of the sacrifice Jesus made as it links with the story of the Passover from the Old Testament.

Question 23

Can We Understand Religious Language if it’s Symbolic?
Against: painting analogy

Answer 23

Tillich maintained that religious language is a symbolic way of pointing towards the ultimate reality (God).
Tillich used the example of a painting. He said: “it is possible to describe a painting but the description is useless without having the painting there.”
Tillich believed that religious language works in the same way. It is possible to describe God, but the description becomes more meaningful with a visual symbol.