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Glite Dictionary
apophatism

apophatism

9.9
A belief that God cannot be known and can only be described by saying what God is not
  • noun
  • /ˌæpəˈfætɪzəm/
  • Formal
translation icon : apofatismo
  • Some theologians embrace apophatism, arguing that God cannot be defined by human concepts.

Examples

  • The doctrine of apophatism focuses on what God is not, rather than attempting to describe God's essence.

  • Medieval Christian mystics often used apophatism to express divine transcendence.

  • The concept of apophatism is central to certain theological discussions.

  • Many philosophers have debated the implications of apophatism in modern theology.

  • The doctrine of apophatism suggests that God cannot be fully understood, as we can only describe Him by stating what He is not.

  • In discussions of theology, apophatism emphasizes the limitations of human understanding in articulating the nature of the divine.

  • Many philosophers argue that apophatism offers a profound insight into the mystery of God by highlighting the ineffability of His essence.

Antonyms

cataphatism
  • Specialized
9.9

A belief that God can be described by saying what God is like, for example loving or wise

Surface Forms

apophatism singular
apophatisms plural

Morphology

apophatism = apophatic (opaque) = apophatic + ism

The immediate base 'apophatic' is a specialized theological adjective formed from Greek elements unfamiliar to average learners, so the -ism formation is not meaningfully transparent.

Etymology

Apophatism comes from Greek parts apo- meaning 'away from' and phat- meaning 'to say' or 'speak', so the word carries the idea of 'saying away'. A helpful way to remember it is that apophatism is a way of talking about God by naming what God is not, rather than by trying to describe what God is.