Mystical Experience and the Apophatic Attitude
Journal of Analytic Theology May 6, 2016 Sameer Yadav 50 citations
In mainstream analytic theology and philosophy of religion, apophaticism is often treated as a metaphysical and semantic claim that God is ineffable or incomprehensible due to divine transcendence. However, this view overlooks the central role of apophaticism as a mystical theology, where theological ignorance serves a deeper purpose: it informs the task of theology and transforms the theologian in union with God. Using Jonathan Jacobs' account as a test case, the author argues that reconstructions of apophaticism must include this informational and personally transformative value. The author proposes wonder as the appropriate emotional attitude toward divine transcendence, supplying the needed account of apophatic valuing.