1. What was AJ Ayer’s book called?
Rapid Recall!
Fill in the table with what you remember from memory! Prizes for the first correctly filled in one!
What is a symposium?
What was AJ Ayer’s book called?
What does the word Lebensform mean?
What does the word fideism mean?
Give an example of a sane Blik:
What is univocal language?

2. Evaluation of Religious Language

3. Learning outcome
To be able evaluate the via negativa, via Positiva, symbol and analogy.

4. Religious Language
Religious Language: Negative, Analogical or Symbolic Learners will study different views about the understanding of religious teachings, and compare the significant ideas presented in works of two key scholars
Religious language: Negative, Analogical or Symbolic
The apophatic way – the via negativa
The cataphatic way – the via positiva: Aquinas’s analogy of attribution and analogy of proper proportion
Symbol & Tillich’s view of theological language as almost entirely symbolic
I can critically compare the usefulness of the above approaches to religious language
I can discuss whether or not the apophatic way enables effective understanding of theological discussion
I can discuss whether or not Aquinas’ analogical approaches support effective expression of language about God
I can discuss whether or not religious discourse is comprehensible if religious language is understood as symbolic
Religious Language: Twentieth Century Perspectives Learners will study how views of religious language have changed over time, studying a variety of approaches and views
Twentieth century perspectives and philosophical comparisons
Logical positivism: the impact of the verification principle on the use of religious language, with reference to; Ayer’s approach to verification
Wittgenstein’s views on language games and forms of life: how language games may permit religious language to be deemed meaningful yet not cognitive
Discussion about the factual quality of religious language in the falsification symposium
The varying arguments, with their associated parables, put forward in relation to theological language by: Flew, Hare and Mitchell in their contributions to the symposium
I can discuss whether or not any version of the verification principle successfully renders religious language as meaningless
I can discuss whether or not any participant in the falsification symposium presented a convincing approach to the understanding of religious language
I can critically compare the ideas of Aquinas and Wittgenstein
I can discuss whether a cognitive approach (such as Aquinas’s thinking on analogy) or a non-cognitive approach (such as the language games concept of Wittgenstein) present better ways of making sense of religious language
I can discuss the influence of non-cognitive approaches on the interpretation of religious texts
I can disucss how far Aquinas’ analogical view of theological language remains valuable in philosophy of religion

5. The Different Approaches
Read the article and complete the table…
Approach
What is it?
Support
Criticisms
Via negativa
Analogy
Symbol
Stretch yourself:
How are symbol and analogy examples of the Via Positiva?
Top Philosopher task:
Find examples from the Bible to support these different approaches

6. Create a mind map of the philosophers we have covered in this topic…
Philosopher Mind Map
Create a mind map of the philosophers we have covered in this topic…
Religious Language
Stretch yourself: Add synoptic links…

7. Cognitive Vs Non-cognitive approaches to religious language?
Complete the table by writing the Philosophers under the correct heading…
Cognitive thinkers
Non-cognitive thinkers
Stretch yourself:
Add synoptic links…

8. Essay Plan Time!
Create an essay plan for the following question: ‘The via negativa (Apophatic Way) is the best method of describing God.’ Discuss

9. Keyword bingo
Key words: Symposium Cognitive Univocal Synthetic Via Negativa Fideism

10. Complete your crib sheet on Religious language