Negative theology?

[Soulfyre]

What does the term "negative theology" refer to and how does it relate to the Orthodox Church? (PaxJohn, I need you on this one!)

God bless and keep you,

Matthew (soulfyre)

[Mysterion]

I'm not sure if you have had this question answered for you or not, but for the sake of those on the boards who may wonder about the answer I will give a very brief explanation!

The "Negative Theology" you mention is called Apophatic, the dictionary gives this explanation:

pertaining to a knowledge of God obtained through negation

What does that mean?

relating to the belief that God can be known to humans only in terms of what He is not (such as `God is unknowable')

This is the Eastern approach to theology(and the entire Church's approach until 1054 AD), and runs totally against Western Rationalism.

The best primary source, if you can find it, is by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, called Mystical Theology.
This was written in the 6th century.

Failing that, Daniel B. Clendenin has a wonderful chapter dedicated to Apophatic Theology in his book, Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective.

Clandenin is an Evangelical who taught Seminary classes in Moscow, his books actually helped me down the road to Orthodoxy! Hope this helped!

[Alejandro]

If God is known in terms of what God is not, is it then possible to conclude that God is the opposite of what God is not?

(To be very general)
E.g. God is not hate. Therefore, God is love. ?

Love,
Alejandro

[Mysterion]

Seems like that may be the idea, but to be honest, theology is not my area of expertise (yet), so I wouldn't presume to agree or disagree with you. This is best left to someone who knows their Orthodox theology better than I do.

[Soulfyre]

A better example would be to look at designations like "infinite" and "eternal". Most of us feel as though we have a vague idea of what these mean, but really, we know these terms by what they are not. When we say that God is "infinite", it is not the same as saying that God is "expansive" or larger than the universe: it is saying that the universe is spacially finite--it may be described in terms of size or space because it has physical boundaries, as it were. God lives outside of spacial limitation. The term "larger than" is not an adequate representation of God because God is Spirit, and exists outside the spacial limitations of a physical world. Nevertheless, we truly have no referent by which we can understand infinity. We discuss it by saying what it is NOT.

Likewise, when we affirm that God is "eternal", we are not saying that God is temporally extensive. To use the term "forever" is inadequate, in that it tends to convey existence within the confines of time. God, however, exists outside the confines of time. All times are present to God. Hence, God reveals His name to Moses and the Israelites as "I am the 'I AM'". Jesus teaches that "before Abraham WAS, I AM." But because we experience all things within a temporal framework, and we live "sequentially", it is impossible to grasp the essential nature of God as "eternal". It is beyond our experience. Again, we discuss it primarily by saying what it is NOT.

When we speak of God as "holy", that is, "set apart", we are again affirming something about God in negation. Only in humans can we truly talk of what one is set apart "from" and what one is set apart "to". Regarding God, however, on the side of His divinity, we may only speak of How God is set apart "from"His Creation. In Orthodoxy, we affirm that while God can be known by His energies (some might understand this better as "effects", i.e. the manner in which He reveals Himself within our space-time framework), we cannot truly know God in His essence (that which He is in Himself). Even in the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, His exact representation, we do not perceive God as the members of the Trinity perceive one another.

Perhaps this will give some idea as to what is meant by "apophatic", or "negative" theology.

God bless and keep you all,

Matthew (soulfyre)