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Olli-Pekka Vainio

1 paper in the library · 2 citations · publishing 2016

Papers

Dark Light: The Mystical Theology of St. Edith Stein

Journal of Analytic Theology May 6, 2016 Olli-Pekka Vainio 2 citations

St. Edith Stein's theory of religious language holds that concepts share something objective with what they signify, yet remain mere representations of reality. When mystics describe addressing God "without words or images," Stein argues this does not imply anti-realism or non-cognitivism; rather, words become unnecessary when the thing itself is directly present in mystical experience. The article examines Stein's distinctive version of univocity, rooted in negative theology and early phenomenology, showing how her philosophical and mystical background informs this position.