The Cataphatic Way, Or Via Positiva, As A Way Of Speaking About God

Question 1

Aquinas used the term via eminentiae (the way of ?) to show that what we say ,and know, of God is only ?

Answer 1

Eminence.

Partial.

Question 2

In Summa Theologica, Aquinas suggested there could be a way of making positive claims about God as long as we understand the words we use have an ? application.

Answer 2

Analogical.

Question 3

The most famous analogy in the Christian philosophy of religion is ? watchmaker, where he claims God’s design of the world’s ? to a watchmaker’s design of a watch.

Answer 3

Paley’s.

Analogous.

Question 4

Univocal means the same words are used in the same way (? mat and ?).

Answer 4

Bath.

Doormat.

Question 5

Equivocal means the same word is used in two different ways (? bat and ? bat).

Answer 5

Fruit.

Cricket.

Question 6

We use words in a way that’s ?, meaning that the same term is used, in not the same sense, but in a similar or related ? (? blanket and blanket of ?).

Answer 6

Analogical.
Sense.
Woollen.
Snow.

Question 7

Aquinas rejected using ? language to speak of God because it makes God too small and doesn’t sufficiently convey the greatness and mystery of God.

Answer 7

Univocal.

Question 8

Aquinas divided ? into two main types:

• Analogy of attribution, where there’s a ? relationship between the two things described. When we speak of God as loving, we should think about the casual ? here and realise that God doesn’t only display love but is the cause of all love.
• Analogy of proportionality, where the words relate to objects that are different in ? In religious terms, Aquinas thought that we can use terms such as “loving” and “faithful” when we speak of God, but we have to recognise these are on an ? vaster scale than our own.

Answer 8

Analogies.
Casual.
Relationship.
Proportion.
Infinitely.