The Cataphatic Way

  • The Cataphatic Way is a method of speaking about God using positive statements. It is contrasted with the Apophatic Way, which attempts to speak about God by talking about what God is not.

  • This way of speaking acknowledges the limitations of human language and intellect to fully encapsulate the concept of God. It is the belief that God transcends all human language and comprehension, thus any positive statement about God will only be a partial truth.

  • It is also referred to as ‘positive theology’ as it makes positive assertions about God’s characteristics and attributes. For instance, God is often described as omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnibenevolent (all-good).

  • Notable theologians who used the Cataphatic approach include Thomas Aquinas, who framed a number of arguments for the existence of God based on observable aspects of the physical world (The Five Ways). These arguments posit God as the uncaused cause, the unmoved mover, etc., which are positive assertions about God’s characteristics.

  • Cataphatic theology implies a level of anthropomorphism in describing God, as it uses human language and concepts to explain divine attributes. This opens it to criticism, particularly from those who subscribe to the Apophatic Way, who believe that any attempt to positively describe God will inevitably fall short and potentially lead to misunderstandings.

  • Despite these criticisms, Cataphatic theology remains a prevalent approach in modern Christianity. It helps believers to better relate to and understand God by attributing qualities such as love, justice, and mercy, which are comprehensible to human beings.

  • It’s important to remember that Cataphatic theology does not claim to perfectly describe God, but rather to give a limited understanding based upon human comprehension. This nuanced understanding is crucial to mitigate the risk of creating a simplistic or inaccurate image of God.

  • Remember to contrast this with the Apophatic Way in religious language discourse, highlighting the differences in methodology and potential pitfalls or benefits associated with each.

  • In essence, the Cataphatic Way is an optimistic outlook on human ability to comprehend God through positive descriptions and statements.