Discussion Points: Religious Language

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Does the Via Negativa Help Us to Understand Theology?

Here are arguments for and against the idea that the via negativa helps us to understand theological discussions.

Cole: helps understand God

Peter Cole says it provides insight and understanding of God "by denying all descriptions of God, you get insight into God rather than unbelief...”.

For: avoids anthropomorphism

Some people argue that the via negativa argument avoids anthropomorphism (giving human characteristics to an animal or God).

James: facilitates explanation

William James argued that religious experience is often ineffable.
- This means that people are unable to adequately describe or explain the experience they have had.
It's likely James would recognise the strength of the via negativa as it provides recipients of a religious experience with the ability to explain what has occurred to them.

Flew: argues God into nothingness

But the via negativa defines God into nothingness.
In his essay Theology and Falsification, Anthony Flew argued that if we try to explain God by saying that he is invisible, soundless, incorporeal and so on, there is very little difference between our definition of God and our definition of nothingness.
Flew suggests that we argue God out of existence by a ‘thousand qualifications’. In other words, if we continually outline what God is not, we eventually end up with nothingness.

Do Analogies Help Us Express Ideas About God?

Here are arguments for and against the idea that Aquinas' analogies of attribution and proper proportion help us express ideas about God.

For: ideas beyond human reference

Analogies allow us to use things in our framework of reference to understand things outside of it.
- For example, in the teleological argument and Paley’s analogy of the watch, we are given a framework in which we can understand God as a designer of the world.
Analogies refer to things understandable in our world to help us gain an understanding of God beyond our world.

For: Plato's analogy of the cave

Another famous analogy used to understand a higher being was Plato’s analogy of the cave.
This analogy helped people speak meaningfully about the metaphysical concept of the world of forms.

For: avoids anthropomorphism

Analogies avoid anthropomorphising God (assigning human characteristics to God). They do so because the words used about God are not meant to be taken literally.

Against: logical positive view

But the logical positivists (such as A.J. Ayer) were a group of scholars who argued that any language used about God is not meaningful, so it is not effective.

Against: Darwin & Dawkins

Aquinas based his work upon a number of religious assumptions. Aquinas believed that God was responsible for the creation of the earth and he also believed that humans were created ‘in the image of God’ as is stated in Genesis.
Darwin and Dawkins refuted the idea that we were created. If one doesn’t accept assumptions on God being the creator of the universe, one doesn’t have to accept the idea that we can work out what God is like by examining a creation that may or may not be his.

Can We Understand Religious Language if it's Symbolic?

Here are arguments for and against the idea that we can't understand religious language if it's meant to be symbolic.

For: symbols change over time

Symbols can change over time.
Tillich acknowledged this problem; that the power of symbols changes through time.
- For example, consider the swastika symbol. It began as a Hindu symbol used to represent good fortune, luck and wellbeing. However, the symbol has changed dramatically due to its association with Adolph Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Therefore, symbols might not offer the correct understanding of God that they were originally intended to have.

Against: greater meanings

Tillich argued that symbols play an incredibly important role in Christian faith.
Symbols always point beyond themselves.
- For example, the red candle that continually burns in a Catholic Church is symbolic of the presence of God. When the candle is lit, Christians believe that God is present with them.
- Likewise, the Lamb of God is symbolic of the sacrifice Jesus made as it links with the story of the Passover from the Old Testament.

Against: painting analogy

Tillich maintained that religious language is a symbolic way of pointing towards the ultimate reality (God).
Tillich used the example of a painting. He said: “it is possible to describe a painting but the description is useless without having the painting there.”
Tillich believed that religious language works in the same way. It is possible to describe God, but the description becomes more meaningful with a visual symbol.

1Philosophy of Religion

1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato

1.1.1Plato's Understanding of Reality

1.1.2Plato's Theory of Forms

1.1.3Plato's Analogy of the Cave

1.1.4The Purpose of Plato's Analogy of the Cave

1.1.5Evaluation of Plato's Theories

1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle

1.2.1Aristotle's Understanding of Reality

1.2.2Aristotle's Four Causes

1.2.3Aristotle's Prime Mover

1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body

1.3.1Plato & Aristotle's Views of the Soul

1.3.2Metaphysics of Consciousness

1.3.3Materialism - Ryle’s Philosophical Behaviourism

1.3.4Materialism - Identity Theory

1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation

1.4.1The Teleological Argument - Aquinas' Fifth Way

1.4.2The Teleological Argument - Paley & Evolution

1.4.3The Cosmological Argument

1.4.4Hume's Criticisms: Teleological & Cosmological

1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason

1.5.1The Ontological Argument

1.5.2Criticisms of the Ontological Argument

1.6Religious Experience

1.6.1Introduction to Religious Experience

1.6.2Mystical Experience

1.6.3Conversion Experience

1.6.4Understanding Religious Experience

1.6.5Issues Relating to Religious Experience - Validity

1.6.6Issues Relating to Religious Experiences - People

1.7The Problem of Evil

1.7.1Presentations of the Problems of Evil

1.7.2Discussion Points -

1.8The Nature & Attributes of God

1.8.1Omnipotence

1.8.2Omniscience

1.8.3Boethius - Divine Knowledge, Free Will & Eternity

1.8.4(Omni)benevolence

1.8.5Eternity & Free Will

1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic

1.9.1Apophatic & Cataphatic Way

1.9.2Symbol

1.9.3Discussion Points: Religious Language

1.10Religious Language: 20th Century Perspective

1.10.1Logical Positivism & Verification Principle

1.10.2Wittgenstein

1.10.3Falsification Symposium: Flew & Hare

1.10.4Falsification Symposium: Mitchell

1.10.5Discussion Points: Verification & Falsification

1.10.6Discussion Points: Aquinas vs Wittgenstein

2Religion & Ethics

2.1Natural Law

2.1.1St Thomas Aquinas - Telos & Four Tiers of Law

2.1.2St Thomas Aquinas - Precepts

2.1.3St Thomas Aquinas - Real & Apparent Goods

2.1.4Discussion Points - Natural Law & Doing Good

2.1.5Discussion Points - Telos & Double Effect Doctrine

2.2Situation Ethics

2.2.1Fletcher's Situation Ethics

2.2.2Fletcher's Concept of Conscience

2.2.3Discussion Points: Moral Decision-Making

2.2.4Discussion Points - Agape

2.3Kantian Ethics

2.3.1Introduction to Kantian Ethics & Duty

2.3.2Hypothetical & Categorical Imperative

2.3.3Summum Bonum & Three Postulates

2.3.4Discussion Points: Kantian Ethics

2.4Utilitarianism

2.4.1The Utility Principle

2.4.2Act & Rule Utilitarianism

2.4.3Discussion Points: Utilitarianism

2.5Euthanasia

2.5.1Key Concepts for Euthanasia Debates

2.5.2Discussion Points: Natural Law & Situation Ethics

2.5.3Discussion Points: Sanctity of Life

2.5.4Discussion Points: Autonomy & Medical Intervention

2.6Business Ethics

2.6.1Corporate Social Responsibility & Whistle-Blowing

2.6.2Good Ethics & Globalisation

2.6.3Discussion Points: Utilitarianism & Kantian Ethics

2.6.4Discussion Points: CSR, Globalisation & Capitalism

3Developments in Christian Thought

3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings

3.1.1Human Nature

3.1.2Original Sin & God's Grace

3.2Death & the Afterlife

3.2.1Heaven, Hell, & Purgatory

3.2.2Different Interpretations of the Afterlife

3.2.3Election

3.2.4The Final Judgement

3.2.5Discussion Points: Heaven, Hell & Purgatory

3.3Knowledge of God's Existence

3.3.1Natural Knowledge

3.3.2Revealed Knowledge in Faith, Grace, & Jesus Christ

3.3.3Revealed Knowledge in the Bible & Church

3.3.4Discussion Points: Reason & Belief in God

3.3.5Discussion Points: The Fall & Trust in God

3.4The Person of Jesus Christ

3.4.1Jesus Christ’s Authority as the Son of God

3.4.2Jesus Christ’s Authority as a Teacher of Wisdom

3.4.3Jesus Christ’s Authority as a Liberator

3.5Christian Moral Principles

3.5.1The Bible & Love

3.5.2Bible, Church & Reason

3.5.3Discussion Points: Christian Ethics

3.5.4Discussion Points: Love & the Bible

3.6Christian Moral Action

3.6.1Dietrich Bonhoeffer & the Confessing Church

3.6.2Bonhoeffer & Civil Disobedience

3.6.3Bonhoeffer's Teaching on Ethics as Action

3.6.4Discussion Points: Civil Disobedience & Bonhoeffer

3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology

3.7.1Pluralism & Theology: Exclusivism & Inclusivism

3.7.2Pluralism & Theology: Pluralism

3.7.3Discussion Points: Salvation

3.7.4Discussion Points: Pluralism Undermining Beliefs

3.8Development - Pluralism & Society

3.8.1Development of Multi-Faith Societies

3.8.2Responses to Inter-Faith Dialogue

3.8.3The Scriptural Reasoning Movement

3.8.4Discussion Points: Social Cohesion & Scripture

3.8.5Discussion Points: Conversion

3.9Gender & Society

3.9.1Waves of Feminism

3.9.2Traditional Christian Views on Gender Roles

3.9.3Christian Views on Gender Roles & Family

3.9.4Discussion Points: Secular Views of Gender

3.9.5Discussion Points: Motherhood & Family

3.10Gender & Theology

3.10.1Rosemary Radford Ruether

3.10.2Mary Daly

3.10.3Discussion Points: Ruether & Daly

3.10.4Discussion Points: Male Saviour & Female God

3.11Challenges

3.11.1Secularism - Sigmund Freud

3.11.2Secularism - Richard Dawkins

3.11.3Christianity & Public Life

3.11.4Discussion Points: Spiritual Values

3.11.5Discussion Points: Social Values & Opportunities

3.11.6Karl Marx

3.11.7Liberation Theology

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