RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE: Religious Language as Analogical

Question 1

What type of language does Aquinas reject to describe God?

Answer 1

Univocal (means the same each time)

Equivocal (means different things in different situations)

Question 2

What language did Aquinas argue we use when talking positively about God?

Answer 2

Analogical language

Question 3

Why did Aquinas reject univocal language?

Answer 3

Words when applied to God don’t have the same meaning as when applied to a person

Question 4

Why did Aquinas reject equivocal language?

Answer 4

There must be some connection of the creature and creator

Question 5

What is the analogy of proportion?

Answer 5

Where words relate to objects which are different in proportion e.g. clever dog and clever scientist

Question 6

What did Aquinas argue about the analogy of proportion for God?

Answer 6

We can use terms like ‘loving’ when we speak of God. We have to recognise that God’s love is on a vaster scale than our own

Question 7

What is the analogy of attribution?

Answer 7

Where a quality is given to one thing because it is caused by another. Brian Davis’ example: the bread is good, the baker is good. Good has different meanings here

Question 8

What did Aquinas argue about the analogy of attribution for God?

Answer 8

If God created the world then the world reflects His qualities: if we know what it means to call a human good, we can use this term to describe God
Aquinas’ example: the medicine is healthy, the urine is healthy

Question 9

Strengths of the use of analogy to talk about God

Answer 9

Helps humans speak meaningfully about God by comparing Him to contingent things
Preserves His mysterious nature

Question 10

Weaknesses of using analogy to talk about God

Answer 10

Theists normally make religious claims literally

Wouldn’t it be easier to accept that God as transcendent means that analogy can’t describe him?