1. The Via Negativa Starter: What is it?
Lesson 1
LO’s:
To understand how some thinkers have solved the problem of speaking meaningfully about God by making negative statements about what God is not.
Swap over when the timer goes or the object has been guessed correctly!
Starter: What is it?
Describe the things in your envelope using only negative statements – your partner has to guess what it is!
e.g. it is not tall, it is not green, it does not have a tail.
HWK
TASK 7 in your REligious Language HWK Booklet (pg.10)
Fact Box:
The via negativa is also known as the apophatic way, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

2. Task 1: The benefits of saying nothing…
God is greater than anything we can comprehend – therefore statements about Him cannot be made accurately!
Language applied to God is equivocal. Saying ‘God is good’ and ‘John is good’ are two very different things. We still don't know what God is...
Instead we say what God is not!
By making a number of negative statement we may arrive at a knowledge , albeit limited, of what God is!
Task 1:
Attempt to write a description of God in negative statements.
Do you think it works?
A priori: Ontological argument
A posteriori: Design and Cosmological Arguments

3. Starter Activity
TASK- Draw up a list of characteristics that you believe a God has to have. Aim for at least 6 ideas.
1. List characteristics on board 2. Ask extension questions 3. Explain idea about God being ineffable 4. Ask students for potential ways around the problem (i.e. speak about God in negative terms)
EXTENSION- In your personal view, do any of these descriptions truly capture the nature of God? Why or why not?

4. Date How does the Via Negativa approach work?
Learning Objectives:
To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.
To explain how scholars have supported this approach to describing God.
To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

5. What is the Via Negativa?
The Via Negativa suggests we can only talk about God in negative terms e.g. ‘God is not evil’.
Joined with many other similar statements, this can actually tell us something about God.
Q: What kind of statements could be given to describe God in negative terms?
Negative terms (phrases that deny rather than confirm)
E.g. When we use the term ‘God is good’ we cannot begin to fathom how good the goodness of God is.
Clarify – it does not mean to criticise God in any way!
TOP TIP: In the exam it can also be referred to as the ‘Apophatic Way’!
LO: To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.

6. Task 2: Via Negativa - Roots in Plato
The idea of the via negativa has been influential in both Christianity and Judaism. However, it came initially from Plato!
Plotinus
Moses Maimonides
Pseudo-Dionysius
Strengths
Weaknesses

7. Water
Light Bulb
Tree
Leprechaun
Unicorn
Giraffe

8. What is the Via Negativa?
TASK- With your partner discuss the following questions:
Why might supporters of this approach argue that God cannot be spoken of in positive terms?
Why might they argue that, therefore, the only approach is to talk about God in negative terms?
E.g. When we use the term ‘God is good’ we cannot begin to understand how good the goodness of God is.
Clarify – it does not mean to criticise God in any way!
LO: To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.

9. LO: To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.
(i) Why might supporters of this approach argue that God cannot be spoken of in positive terms?
(ii) Why might they argue that, therefore, the only approach is to talk about God in negative terms?
God cannot be spoken of in positive terms as God is transcendent (beyond the confines of time and space).
To use human language to describe God would limit our understanding of him.
Q: Do you think humans can really understand what it means for God to be ‘all-knowing’?
God should be spoken in negative terms as it is less limiting. This is because they descriptions do not have to be limited by our understanding.
Q: Would you agree that ‘God is not bad’ is less limiting than ‘God is good’?
LO: To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.

10. What is the Via Negativa?
TASK- Take the following Positive Attributes commonly associated with God and write them in such a way as to conform with the Via Negativa.
God is good
God is just
God is all-loving
God is forgiving
EXTENSION- Do you think to speaking about God in negative terms is less limiting than using positive terms? Explain your opinion.
LO: To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.

11. How have scholars supported the Via Negativa?
TASK- Produce a bullet-pointed fact file on your allocated scholars’ view. It must explain why they believe God cannot be described in positive terms.
Pseudo-Dionysuius
Thomas Aquinas
Moses Maimodes
LO: To explain how scholars have supported this approach to describing God.

12. Extension Tasks
Confident: Evaluate any weaknesses you can come up with for your chosen scholar’s view.
Very Confident: St Augustine, a Christian scholar, once stated ‘If you comprehend, it is not God. If you are able to comprehend, it is because you mistook something else for God’.
How can this act as support for the Via Negativa approach in describing God?
St. Augustine is arguing that it is not possible for humans to truly understand God. If someone thinks they can, then they are mistaken.
LO: To explain how scholars have supported this approach to describing God.

13. Peer Teaching
TASK:
One person will teach and explain their scholar’s view.
Everyone else will listen and summarise it into their notes.
Pseudo-Dionysuius
Thomas Aquinas
Moses Maimodes
LO: To explain how scholars have supported this approach to describing God.

14. ‘The Via Negativa provides a way to truly understand God’
TASK- Working in pairs, come up with a set of strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Is human language really capable?
Can humans really understand the mystery of God?
What interpretation issues might it avoid?
Do we actually gain an understanding about God?
How do theists normally speak about God?
How does it oppose religious experience?
LO: To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

15. LO: To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.
Strengths
Weaknesses
It results in a limited understanding of God.
It does not reflect how theists speak about God.
It can be seen as a logical contradiction – are you really describing God at all?
It opposes the idea of revelations about the nature of God (e.g. through religious experiences)
It avoids the pitfalls of using inadequate human language to describe God.
It conveys the essential mystery and transcendence of God.
It avoids the interpretation issues of using positive language (e.g. what does it mean for God to be all-loving?)
LO: To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

16. Date How does the Via Negativa approach work?
Learning Objectives:
To describe how the Via Negativa approach works.
To explain how scholars have supported this approach to describing God.
To evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

17. Plenary
TASK- Answer the BIG QUESTION below, referring to scholarly arguments for and against your point of view.
To what extent does the Via Negativa allow us to more fully understand God?

18. Consolidation:
REad a friends sheet. Add in 3 pieces of information to help them develop their work! Use a different colour