Definition

Noun: 1. A theological doctrine: Apophatism is the belief, particularly in Christian mysticism and some other religious traditions, that God or the divine is fundamentally unknowable and ineffable in human terms. It asserts that God can only be described by negation, stating what God is not (e.g., not finite, not changeable, not comprehensible), rather than by positive attributes.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The mystic's writings were deeply influenced by apophatism, emphasizing the ultimate mystery of the divine.
  • In contrast to cataphatic theology, which uses positive statements, apophatism approaches God through silence and negation.
  • The core of apophatism is the idea that any concept we have of God is necessarily inadequate.

Advanced Usage

• "Via Negativa" (The Negative Way): This is the Latin term for the theological approach synonymous with apophatism. It describes the spiritual path of knowing God through negation.
  • The spiritual practice involved a via negativa, systematically stripping away all human conceptions to encounter the divine mystery.

Variants and Related Words

• Apophatic (adj): Relating to or characterized by apophatism.
  • He followed an apophatic spiritual path.
• Cataphatism (n): The opposite theological approach, which uses positive statements and affirmations to describe God.

Synonyms

• Negative theology: A direct synonym for apophatism.
• Via Negativa: The methodological path of apophatism.

Antonyms

• Cataphatism
• Affirmative theology

Noun

1. the religious belief that God cannot be known but is completely `other' and must be described in negative terms (in terms of what God is not)