Religious Language Symbol and analogy

Discussion According to the theories we’ve looked at so far, what problems are there with interpreting religious language literally?

Symbols What do these symbols mean to religious people? Height Light Water

Symbol A symbol is something that stands for something else A symbol evokes the experience it tries to describe Tillich argues that religious language is symbolic He argues that religious language is more like poetry than prose Booklets, p.13

Non-literal truth Symbols express a truth that cannot be stated literally This is similar to the way that we can never exhaust the meaning of a poem by translating it into literal language The symbol expresses something that cannot be fully captured in literal language

Psalm 23 What symbols are used in this Psalm? What do you think they mean? The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Key points Explain the significance / meaning of: Symbols and community Transcendence and immanence The difference between symbols and signs New levels of reality The collective unconscious God as the ground of being Booklets, p.13-14

Viewing religious language as symbolic Strengths Weaknesses

Analogy ‘A comparison of two or more things in terms of their likeness, in a way that also recognises their differences’ (Owen)

Introduction – p.19 (Aristotle) Aquinas simple, timeless and spaceless God is wholly God is pure actuality Aquinas addresses The problem with his ideas on analogy

Five key analogies Religious texts claim that God is: A father A lion A warrior A master A husband

Task – 10 minutes e.g. a father List all the qualities a father possesses Which of these qualities should be applied to God? e.g. a father How do you know which qualities are relevant to God?

Religious Language Quiz

Task – 30 minutes Complete the questions on the handout reviewing our previous learning about symbol and analogy Extension task: Read the additional handout and make notes about the differences between symbol and analogy Which theory (symbol or analogy) helps us express human understanding of God more successfully?

Key terms Analogy Univocal language Equivocal language Analogical language Analogy of attribution Analogy of proportion Upwards and downwards analogies Qualifiers and models

Univocal or equivocal? The man is tall The building is tall The ball is blue The curtains are blue He hit the ball with a bat The bat flew around the room The team enjoyed playing cricket He accidentally stepped on a cricket

Viewing religious language as analogy Strengths Weaknesses

Symbol and Analogy Both symbol and analogy look at religious language in a non-literal way. How are they different? Which theory helps us express human understanding of God more successfully?

Homework Critically compare the use of symbol with the use of analogy to express human understanding of God (35 marks) Introduce the idea of looking at religious language in a non-literal way Explain Tillich’s ideas about symbol Evaluate them Explain Aquinas’ ideas about analogy Assess which view is stronger / more convincing and explain why you think this is the case