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Glite Dictionary
doctrine of analogy

doctrine of analogy

9.9
The idea that human words describe God only partly because God is very different
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : doctrina de la analogía
  • According to the doctrine of analogy, all similarities between humans and God are limited by even greater differences.

Examples

  • The doctrine of analogy helps theologians explain how human language can refer to God, despite profound differences.

  • The doctrine of analogy emphasizes the limitations of human language in describing God.

  • Many philosophers have debated the implications of the doctrine of analogy for our understanding of religious language.

  • Many theologians accept the doctrine of analogy as crucial to understanding divine attributes.

  • According to the doctrine of analogy, any comparison made between God and creatures highlights more differences than similarities.

  • The doctrine of analogy asserts that while we may find common traits in God and humans, these traits are ultimately overshadowed by significant differences.

  • The doctrine of analogy is essential in theology, as it clarifies that human understanding of God is incomplete due to inherent dissimilarities.

Synonyms

analogy
vsdoctrine of analogy
  • Formal
1 9.9

An idea in religion that any likeness between God and people is far smaller than their difference

is the formal name for that same theological view

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

doctrine of analogy singular
doctrines of analogy plural

Morphology

doctrine + of + analogy

The phrase is compositionally built — literally 'a teaching (doctrine) about analogy' — so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can grasp the basic idea that it is a teaching concerning analogy. However, the specific theological nuance (the precise claim about likeness and greater dissimilarity between God and creatures) is specialized and not fully predictable from the words alone, making the expression only partially transparent.

Etymology

Doctrine of analogy comes from a simple image: doctrine is a teaching and analogy is a comparison, like using a small toy car to show a real car. That picture helps remember that when people use human words about God they point to a likeness but the real thing is much bigger and different, so the phrase says any 'similarity' to God is limited by a greater 'difference'.