Reading material Articles: Tillich on symbols & Aquinas on analogy questions 1. What is art? 2. Does it open up new levels of reality for you? 3. Does it convey any messages? 4. Is religious language more poetry than prose, more art than diagram? 5. Give an example to each other of Ramsey’s models and qualifiers. 6. How does Aquinas use medicine and urine to discuss G-d’s goodness?

What criticisms of Wittgenstein’s language games did you come up with? How did Wittgenstein help to defend Religious Language against the claim that it is meaningless? Assess the success of Language Game theory and the Via Negativa in proving Religious Language to be meaningful. (12 Marks). What criticisms of Wittgenstein’s language games did you come up with?

Further criticisms of language game theory… If religious language is a language game how can there be interfaith discussion It is possible for non-believers to accept religious language from an objective point of view Non-believers understanding of religious language maybe less biased Religious believers are involved not only in language games connected to religious language so they have common ground for discussion with non-believers

Analogy and Symbol Fideism: The theory that religious belief depends on faith or revelation rather than reason or intellect. Rational or scientific arguments for the existence of God are irrelevant and have nothing to do with theology which teaches that people are saved through faith (trusting the empirically unprovable). Do Now: 1.) Explain what the theory of Fideism is in your own words. 2.) In what way did Ludwig Wittgenstein support the theory of Fideism with Language Game Theory?

Anthropomorphism….. Univocal – A term that means the same even when applied to different things. EG black: Black shoes, black hair, black cat. Mr Whitlock is good, God is good. Equivocal – A term that can mean two different things e.g. Bat could mean an animal or a cricket bat. Mr Whitlock is wise, God is wise; obviously God’s wisdom is far greater. What are the pitfalls of both of these types of language when speaking about God? We cannot interpret God univocally because it leads to anthropomorphism. We cannot interpret God equivocally because it leaves us unsure of what words mean when applied to God.

Read about Aquinas and ‘Analogy’. Complete the activities on the sheet.

What do they show/mean/represent? Look at the symbols below and with the person next to you, discuss what they are symbolic of…. What do they show/mean/represent?

Read Tillich on Religious Symbols. How might you be able to use his work to argue that religious language is meaningful?

Religious Language is meaningful. Religious Language is meaningless. Fill this table with as many well explained reasons as possible including all of the following: Religious Language is meaningful. Religious Language is meaningless. Eschatological Verification Via Negativa Language Games Verification Vienna Circle Hare Tillich Non Cognitive Logical Positivism Meta Ethics AJ Ayer Flew Hick Falsification Mitchell Cognitive Symbols

Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks) Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks). In your response to this question, you must include how developments in Philosophy of Religion have been influenced by one of the following: Religion and Ethics New Testament Studies. The study of a religion. This particular view has been influenced by Religion and Ethics because… Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks) In your response to this question, you must include how developments in Philosophy of Religion have influenced one of the following: Religion and Ethics New Testament Studies. The study of a religion. This particular view has influenced Religion and Ethics because… Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks) In your response to this question, you must include how Philosophy of Religion links to one of the following: Religion and Ethics New Testament Studies. The study of a religion. This particular view links to Religion and Ethics because… Think, Pair, Share: What are the similarities and differences between these three questions? The Maths: 24 Marks are for the essay. 6 Marks are for being able to give a synoptic link. This is MINIMUM one paragraph on cross connections.

Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks) Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks). In your response to this question, you must include how developments in Philosophy of Religion have been influenced by one of the following: Religion and Ethics New Testament Studies. The study of a religion.

Evaluate the view that Religious Language is meaningful. (30 Marks). Read the model answer. Which paragraph is the synoptic one? What is the focus of the synoptic link? Green pen areas you could have improved with further knowledge Correct areas you have since discovered are wrong.