The Apophatic Way

The Apophatic Way

Definition - the idea that the only way to meaningfully speak about God is via negation (by saying what he is not)

The idea claims that all words when applied to God are equivocal, therefore positive statements about God risk an anthropomorphic idea of God.

e.g. "God is just" - statement linked to our understanding of a just human however God is not human. God appears ineffable as we do not understand what our words mean when talking of God

The Apophatic Way means not mixing our language with God. Origins came from Platoism where they realised they couldn't define the form of good.

• Language can't even explain love in human terms let alone a higher being
• Human nature flawed so can't speak of God meaningfully 'As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless' ~ Psalms
• But God reveals his nature through language e.g. 
• Karl Bath ~ 

Psuedo-Dionysius*

• 5th Century Syrian Christian
• …