Religious language

Question 1

(Apophatic way)

The Via Negativa

meaning = “the negative way”

Answer 1

• states that one can only speak of God in negative terms – God is transcendent so one cannot say what God is, therefore we can only say what he is not
• Our language cannot tell people about God as he is beyond human comprehension

Question 2

Pseudo-Dionysius

‘Via Negativa’

Answer 2

• argued for the apothatic way
• to genuienly seek God we must put away our need for answers and logic.

Question 3

Maimomides

via negativa

Answer 3

• stated that God is beyond any description & to make positive statements describing God is improper & disrespectful
• To describe God in this way limits him to human language & understanding

Question 4

weakness

Flew on the Via Negativa

Answer 4

• Antony Flew – negatives ultimately amount to nothing, we are left with no clear image of what God is

Question 5

Counter-Weakness: of the via negativa

The Bible describes God in positive terms.

Answer 5

• The Bible describes God in positive terms. “God is love” and “God is spirit - The Bible therefore seems to suggest that via posititiva language about God is valid.

Question 6

Non-cognitive language

Answer 6

• Language that is not empircally verifiable or flasiable butt instead expresses an attitude towrads something.

Question 7

Cognitive Language

Answer 7

• Language that is empirically verifable and makes assertions about objective reality

Question 8

The cataphatic way (via postivia)

Answer 8

• Aquinas - we can use positive words as long as we understand that the words are analogical not literal.
• E.G. When we say God listern we do not mean with his ears he hears us. But it is analogy that helps us know God.

Question 9

Keyword

Univocal language:

Answer 9

• words only have one meaning, whether using for god or temporally

Question 10

keyword

Equivocal language

Answer 10

• Words that mean different things when used in different contexts (E.G. Fruit bat & crcket bat)

Question 11

Aquinas’ theory of Analogy

Answer 11

• he thought humans were fundamentally unable to know God
• he argued we can talk about God meaningfully in positive terms (cataphatic way) if we speak analogically.
• Aquinas rejected univocal lang s it does not convey the greatness & mystery of God - God is beyond our understanding.

Question 12

Aquinas

Analogy of Attribution

Answer 12

analogy can be used to learn attributes of what you dont know, from what you do know
- the bull and the urine

Question 13

Aquinas

Analogy of Proportion.

Answer 13

• when words relate to differnt objects in different proportions
• (e.g loving god v. loving nurse)

Question 14

Symbols: using symbols that talk about God.

Answer 14

• language is often figurative and solves problems of making positive claims about god whilst not reducing him
• A religious people use symbolic language all the time e.g Psalm 23:1 “The lord is my shepherd”

Question 15

Tillich’s view of religous language

Answer 15

• All religious language is symbolic rather than literal - therefore cannot be tested for its meaningfulness