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Religious Language 1 Essay Plans
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A selection of possible essay titles that could come up in the A-Level Religious Studies exam. Includes 3 arguments and evaluation in green/red based.
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Religious Language 1 Essay PlansPhilosophy
Which is the most useful approach to religious language? (40 marks)
LOA = An approach to religious language will be most useful if it avoids anthropomorphism and
enables limited humans to be able to gain an awareness/understanding of God.
Argument Counter-argument
Apophatic Way Brian Davies: Simply describing what
Recognises that we must go beyond normal something is in terms of what it is not (using
language to explain God and avoid negative language) does not give us any clues
anthropomorphism. to what it actually is.
Pseudo-Dionysius: The only way in which The Apophatic way could not exist without
we can truthfully speak about God as He is the cataphatic way because to say what
beyond all human understanding is through something is not depends upon positive
the apophatic way. language.
It seems to be logical that it is much more Negative language does depend on the
accurate to use this approach when we have positive in order to make logical sense.
to explain something that is indescribable as Immediately conclude what something is not
what it is not. based on our understanding of the positive.
Therefore if negative language speaks
truthfully about God then so does positive.
Therefore the Apophatic Way does not work
and does not stand out as the most useful
approach.
Analogy However, most religious people want to make
Aquinas: Analogies allow us to make literal statements and not just use analogies
assertions about God in human language that such as “Jesus died on the cross”.
also avoids the problems of God’s ineffability Therefore religious believers (theists) do not
whilst also accepting that he is still just want to gain an insight into religious
mysterious. language but they want to believe that what
they are saying is literally true.
Effectively avoids anthropomorphism and
enables religious believers to still be able to This does not have to mean analogies are
make assertions about God. completely ineffective because Jesus often
used analogies when teaching in order to
communicate messages such as people who
sin as lost sheep.
Symbols Although symbols are created by humans and
Tillich: Symbols are a useful approach therefore could only have truths in their
because they give a deeper meaning to minds. These interpretations that they make
religious language. do overemphasise the artistic nature of
symbolic language, making it too objective.
There must be a reason as to why religions
have a prevalent amount of symbols Analogy is therefore more useful because it is
(Christianity and the crucifix) and therefore less emotional and was also used by Jesus
elucidates that they are helpful to have an (for example: people who sin as lost sheep).
immediate awareness of God. Analogies are more appropriate for limited
humans.
, Religious Language 1 Essay Plans
Philosophy
“The apophatic way enables effective understanding of theological discussion”. Discuss.
(40 marks)
LOA = Apophatic way is not effective and does not work for understanding theological
discussion as positive language is essential for understanding God and having an
awareness of him.
Does Enable Counter argument
The Apophatic Way recognises that we must Brian Davies: Simply describing what
go beyond normal language to explain God something is in terms of what it is not (using
and avoid anthropomorphism. Using positive negative language) does not give us any clues
language about God is misleading and can be to what it actually is.
misinterpreted in a disrespective way. “He could equally well be thinking of a
wardrobe or a coffin” - when referring to the
Moses Maimonides: The best way to convey Ship.
an accurate understanding of God without
limiting him in our thoughts is through The Apophatic way could not exist without
negative language. He hoped people could the cataphatic way because to say what
move closer to an understanding of what God something is not depends upon positive
is without limiting him. language.
Ship Example - we can explain what the shape
of the ship is not better than with positive Negative language does depend on the
language. positive in order to make logical sense.
Immediately conclude what something is not
Apophatic Way therefore reasonably uses based on our understanding of the positive.
language to help people still be able to have Therefore if negative language speaks
an awareness of God but without limiting truthfully about God then so does positive. If
him. this cannot work for a ship then it cannot
work for an omnipotent, transcendent God.
William James: A feature of religious The Apophatic Way does not lead us towards
experiences of God is that they are ineffable a better understanding of God. This is
(incapable of being expressed). particularly true if a person has no prior
knowledge and it will not help them to gain
Words and concepts from human experience more of an insight into his nature.
do not adequately capture the experiences of
God people sometimes have and the The Apophatic Way devalues the positive
Apophatic Way overcomes this. It reminds us language in the Bible where God is described
that language is unstable when applied to as a King, contrary to scripture.
God.
Logical because the apophatic way does not,
Means we can still have some sort of as William James illustrates, overcome the
understanding in human language and still problem of God being ineffable and in fact
make some sort of assertion. over complicates it because it requires people
to have an initial understanding of God in
order to say what he is not. However, not
everyone will have this.
The Cataphatic way enables more effective
understanding because there are prevalent
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