The apophatic way- via negativa (Edexcel A-Level Religious Studies): Flashcards
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12 cards from this deck
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Practise the cards
12 cards from this deck
Via negativa definition
Via negativa definition
Saying what God is NOT to preserve His transcendence
Reason for via negativa
Reason for via negativa
Human language can't capture transcendent God
Basil & Gregory on God's essence
Basil & Gregory on God's essence
Humans cannot know God's essence
Evagrius: highest understanding of God
Evagrius: highest understanding of God
'Pure prayer' - mind free from distraction, no words/images
Evagrius: via negativa's goal
Evagrius: via negativa's goal
'Divine darkness' beyond human concepts
John Scotus Eriugena on God
John Scotus Eriugena on God
God is beyond all meaning and intelligence
Maimonides' main warning
Maimonides' main warning
Dangers of anthropomorphising God
Aquinas' view of via negativa
Aquinas' view of via negativa
Prelude to understanding; tells us something about God
Brian Davis' criticism
Brian Davis' criticism
Via negativa provides no knowledge/info about God
W.R. Inge's criticism
W.R. Inge's criticism
Denial leads to 'annihilation of both God and humanity'
Chesterton & de Chardin's concept
Chesterton & de Chardin's concept
'Divination of matter' - finding God through material existence
Counter to via negativa: God's love
Counter to via negativa: God's love
Can feel/know God's love without fully understanding it