Religious Language

• What is the main topic of the summary notes?

  Religious language
• Why is it difficult to talk about God according to Christians?

  God is beyond our understanding
• What are the three theories that explain how Christians can talk about God?

  1. Via Negativa (apophatic)
  2. Aquinas' theory of analogy
  3. Cataphatic language
• What does the Via Negativa theory claim?

  We can only say what God is not
• Who is associated with the Via Negativa theory?

  Pseudo-Dionysius
• How does positive language differ from negative language in this context?

  Positive describes what something is; negative describes what it is not
• What does the Via Negativa suggest about God and light/dark distinctions?

  God is beyond the dark/light distinction
• What is Brian Davis's critique of Maimonides' view?

  Negative language only works in special cases
• What does Pseudo-Dionysius argue about our intellect and God?

  Our intellect cannot grasp God
• How does the Via Negativa help Christians avoid anthropomorphizing God?

  It prevents mistaken human-like views of God
• What is Aquinas' main critique of the Via Negativa?

  It doesn't reflect what people want to say about God
• How does Aquinas argue that Christians describe God?

  By analogy based on human experience
• What does Aquinas mean by 'analogy of attribution'?

  God's qualities are like human qualities
• What is the 'analogy of proportion' according to Aquinas?

  God's qualities are greater than human qualities
• What does Aquinas argue about reason and natural theology?

  Reason helps us understand God through analogy
• What is Karl Barth's critique of natural theology?

  It relies too much on human reason
• Why does Barth believe we should rely solely on faith?

  Human reason is corrupted by original sin
• How does Aquinas respond to Barth's critique?

  Aquinas claims reason can know God analogically
• What is a strength of Aquinas' theory of analogy?

  It avoids problems of univocal and equivocal language
• How does Genesis support Aquinas' theory of analogy?

  It states we are made in God's image
• What is Brummer's objection to the analogy of proportion?

  It claims a being has qualities to a certain degree
• What is the main issue with standard cataphatic language?

  It is either univocal or equivocal.
• Why does univocal language fail in religious contexts?

  Because humans are not the same as God.
• What is the failure of equivocal language in religious contexts?

  It suggests humans are completely different from God.
• What insight does Aquinas provide regarding language about God?

  Truth lies in the middle of univocal and equivocal.
• How are human attributes related to God's attributes according to Aquinas?

  They are analogous, not identical or completely different.
• What does Genesis suggest about humans and God?

  Humans are made in God's 'image and likeness'.
• What is Brummer's objection to the analogy of proportion?

  It claims we cannot understand God's qualities.
• What does the analogy of attribution aim to address?

  It explains how God's qualities relate to human qualities.
• What is Alston's critique of Tillich's symbolic language theory?

  Religious language must involve factual elements.
• How does Hick's critique relate to Tillich's theory?

  It emphasizes the cognitive element of religious language.
• What is the main strength of Tillich's theory of religious language?

  It captures the spiritual side of religious experience.
• Why is Brummer's objection considered successful?

  Analogies require knowledge of both subjects.
• What does Tillich mean by 'ground of being'?

  It symbolizes the ultimate concern of existence.
• How does Tillich view the role of symbols in religious language?

  They connect the mind to the divine experience.
• What is a key weakness of Tillich's approach according to Alston?

  It overlooks the factual nature of religious beliefs.
• What does Hick argue about the subjectivity of symbols?

  Symbols may not connect us to anything beyond ourselves.
• How does the critique of Tillich's theory relate to subjective experiences?

  It suggests symbols are merely subjective feelings.
• What does Tillich claim about the nature of religious language?

  It is symbolic and not meant to be literal.
• How does Tillich's theory address the challenge of talking about God?

  It connects human experience to the divine mystery.