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The apophatic way enables effective theological discussion discuss
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'the apophatic way enables effective understanding of theological discussion' – discussThe via negatvia also known as the apophatic way is simply stating what God cannot be, the
apophatic way was proposed by Dionysus and supported by Maimonides this simply solves all logical
contradictions as we can only say what God is not reducing the risk of anthropomorphism. Dionysus
puts forward a case that we cannot use everyday language to talk about God by negation not
privation this was supported by Plato who argued that our senses deceive us but this was rejected by
Aquinas who proposed analogical language which allows us to say something about God this was a
middle ground approach between apophatic and cataphatic through the use of analogy he puts
forward two concepts of analogy: attribution and proportion can talk about God in a much
meaningful way which Maimonides does not consider therefore making analogical language a
improved approach. This essay will find that the apophatic way does not enable effective
understanding and perhaps analogical language provides a stable middle ground approach
Maimonides wrote about his philosophy in his book called 'a guide for the perplexed' he presents a
range of ideas on religious language but his main ideas that stood out was ways we could talk about
God he summaries that it is improper and disrespectful to talk about God using everyday colloquial
language this is because God is greater than any human can comprehend he is transcendent and so
presenting God in human connotations is problematic for example saying 'God made man in his
image' puts at risk God's transcendence since it equates humans on the same level as God which is
not true since God is incorporeal. To further enhance his argument he gives the example of a ship
analogy where in short by describing what a ship isn't, we get closer to understanding what a ship is.
This is supported by many scholars such as Dionysus who states You can only know God when you
fully realize that God is beyond your ability to know and you stop trying. He illustrates this with the
example of Moses ascending Mount Sinai to receive the ten commandments from God. He describes
Moses as plunging into the 'darkness of unknowing', 'renouncing all that the mind may conceive'.
Therefore when one stops trying it prevent the risk of anthropomorphism therefore the apophatic
way enables effective understanding of theological discussion since it fully accepts and deals with the
consequences of God being beyond our understanding. It requires that we be humble and accept the
impossibility of human language ever capturing anything about God.
However, it could be argued that simply having no notion of language of God is perhaps treacherous
as we risk losing the essential link between God and the world as Christian orthodoxy which insists
on God's involvement in the world the Bible describes God in positive terms. For example "God is
love" and "God is spirit". God even himself describes himself in positive terms: "I, the Lord your God,
am a jealous God." (Exodus 20:5). The Bible therefore seems to suggest that via posititiva language
about God is valid. The Via Negativa approach seems to go against the Bible. Furthermore,it is
restrictive and contradictory W.R Wringe argues that the via negativia 'leads to anniliation of God'
this destroys the idea of God and theism which would perhaps lead people away from relgion since
there is nothing to say about God at all
Although the apophatic way preserves God's transcendence and clears up the debate of what
language to use by using language negatively it is arguably important for Christians to talk about God
using language this is proven to be true in biblical scriptures and God himself involves himself in the
Bible perhaps making the apophatic way limiting approach for theological discussion since it would
undermine the Bible completely which is central in Christian theology.
Aquinas recognized the limitations and problems in the apophatic language and argued it is
necessary to say something about God that is meaningful, so instead he proposed analogical
language traditional cataphatic language involved univocal and equivocal language which both fall in
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